Best Restaurants in Gatineau

The Ottawa-Gatineau metro is one bilingual region with one bridge and one shared dining scene. But many of the very best restaurants — including a Canada's 100 Best alumnus and the wine bar of the world's #2 sommelier — sit on the Quebec side. Here's the short list of Gatineau restaurants Ottawa locals actually plan around. Fine dining first, then neighbourhood favourites and casual go-tos.

Award-Winning Fine Dining

These three restaurants have national-level recognition. They're the reason to cross the river.

Les Fougères — Canada's 100 Best Alumnus

Les Fougères in Chelsea (25 min from downtown via Highway 5) opened in 1993 and has been one of the region's defining fine-dining destinations ever since. It peaked at #61 on Canada's 100 Best Restaurants in 2020, was featured by The New York Times as a "local institution," and continues a farm-to-table tradition rooted in West Quebec terroir under new head chef Simon Beaudry (2025–). On-site gourmet store extends the experience.

Address: 783 Route 105, Chelsea, QC

Soif Bar à vin — Véronique Rivest's Wine Bar

Soif ("thirst" in French) in Vieux-Hull is owned by Véronique Rivest, runner-up at the 2013 World's Best Sommelier competition and two-time Canadian Best Sommelier. The cork-walled room is one of the most distinctive in the region, and the globally curated wine list paired with refined small plates is unmatched in the Ottawa area. Open since 2014.

Address: 88 Rue Montcalm, Vieux-Hull (5–7 min from downtown Ottawa)

Caméline — Air Canada enRoute Finalist

Caméline opened in spring 2023 and immediately landed on the Air Canada enRoute Best New Restaurants finalists list — one of Canada's most prestigious restaurant honours. Chef Simon Laroche (former North & Navy, trained in Italy) makes fresh pasta on-site daily, blending Italian technique with Quebec terroir. Intimate Vieux-Hull heritage room.

Address: 51 Rue Saint-Jacques, Vieux-Hull (5–7 min from downtown Ottawa)

Vieux-Hull Bistros

The Old Hull stretch along rue Aubry, Promenade du Portage, and rue Laval is Gatineau's main dining spine. Two reliable bistros worth crossing for.

Banco Bistro

Banco Bistro is a polished neighbourhood bistro in Vieux-Hull — French-influenced menu, well-paced service, and a wine list that punches above its weight for a casual room. Good middle-ground option when Soif feels too refined.

Parle Bistro

Parle Bistro takes a hyper-local approach — small menu, ingredient-driven, and the kind of place where the staff actually want to talk about the wine. Vieux-Hull's everyday refined dinner spot.

International Cuisine — Worth the Bridge

Haru Izakaya — Japanese Izakaya

Haru Izakaya on Chemin de la Savane brings Japanese tapas + sushi + signature "pizza sushi" to Gatineau. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. There's nothing quite like it on the Ontario side — Ottawa izakaya offerings are limited.

Restaurant Laspézia — Italian + Lebanese

Restaurant Laspézia in Aylmer combines Italian classics (pizza, pasta) with Lebanese plates in one menu — an unusual mix done well, with 4.6★ Google rating. Generous portions, large terrace, family-friendly.

Casual & Comfort

The Smoque Shack — Texas-Style BBQ

The Smoque Shack brings Texas-style smoked BBQ — brisket, pulled pork, ribs — to Gatineau. Reliable comfort food for a casual cross-river meal.

Quick Comparison

Crossing the River — Practical Tips

• Bridges: Macdonald-Cartier (fastest from downtown to Vieux-Hull), Alexandra (foot/bike + scenic), Portage (downtown to Promenade du Portage), Champlain (west)
• Distance: Vieux-Hull restaurants = 5–7 min from downtown Ottawa. Chelsea (Les Fougères) = ~25 min via Highway 5
• Parking: Vieux-Hull has metered street parking; Les Fougères has on-site lot
• Language: Service is bilingual at all featured restaurants — French is the working language but staff switch to English seamlessly
• Currency: Quebec uses CAD same as Ontario; tax is QST + GST (slightly higher than Ontario)

Why Cross the River

Each of the three Tier 1 restaurants offers something Ottawa simply doesn't replicate at the same level:

• Les Fougères — there's no Canada's 100 Best alumnus with this terroir focus on the Ontario side
• Soif — there's no World-No.2-sommelier–run wine bar in Ottawa
• Caméline — fresh-pasta-daily Italian by an enRoute-recognized chef in this format isn't available downtown

For a special occasion, a wine night, or an authentic Italian dinner, the bridge is worth it.