Tanière³: A Memorable Gastronomic Experience

Open since March 20, 2019, this “hidden” restaurant in Old Quebec’s Vieux-Port — accessible only with a code shared in advance — has quietly earned its place among the country’s top tables. In spring 2025, Tanière³ made history by becoming the first address in Quebec to earn two Michelin stars.

From the moment you step through the door of Tanière³, the immersion is immediate. Boreal-inspired decor, enveloping soundscape: everything here is designed around Quebec’s history and terroir. Guests discover wild Quebec products, many of which are rarely explored culinarily here, presented with a narrative touch tied to each dish.

Tanière 1, 2, and 3…

The Tanière story began in 1977, when Laurier and Chantal opened a hunting-lodge-inspired restaurant on Rang Saint-Ange, near Quebec City. Passionate about hunting and fishing, they were already working with local products like spruce shoots and Labrador tea — something quite avant-garde at the time. At the turn of the 2000s, Karen Therrien, niece of Laurier and Chantal, took over the restaurant with Frédéric Laplante. Riding the molecular cuisine wave, they propelled La Tanière to a five-diamond rating while preserving its local DNA. They later opened Légende in the Vieux-Port, then attempted to relocate Tanière to Palais Montcalm — a project that never came to fruition. The restaurant remained closed for three to four years, until François-Emmanuel Nicol, returning from stages at Quay in Australia, Arzak in Spain, and Mirazur in the south of France, picked up the torch. In 2018, a space became available in a historic Vieux-Port building, a former fur warehouse with century-old vaults. La Tanière reopened in March 2019, one year to the day before the pandemic.

The Tanière³ project is led by a team of six owners: chef François-Emmanuel Nicol, maître d’ Roxan Bourdelais, Frédéric Laplante, Karen Therrien, as well as Philippe Veilleux and Sabrina Lemay, the latter two overseeing the other addresses of Groupe Tanière.

Three Vaults, Three Experiences

Tanière³ unfolds across three vaults, each defining a moment of the meal. The first, Maison Charest, welcomes guests for a cocktail and several small bites in a hushed atmosphere: comfortable banquettes, candlelit lighting, original stone walls.

Next, guests move to Maison Leber Charest, the main dining room where the services take place. The chef’s counter offers a distinct experience: seated around a large round table, diners witness the brigade’s choreography in full action. Seats here are rare — reservations must be made several months in advance. The dining room itself is equally refined: large red banquettes, black leather chairs, and always that stone that brings warmth and character to the space.

Finally, the Leber vault, dedicated to desserts, gives the impression of stepping into an enchanted forest. The room is softer and more luminous, punctuated with trees and birds on the ceiling. These shifts in environment throughout the evening are a central element of the Tanière³ experience — a sensory immersion designed to stimulate all the senses.

François-Emmanuel Nicol’s menu explores local ecosystems in collaboration with biologists, highlighting wild plants and ingredients, some of them forgotten, with remarkable precision and creativity. With a minimum of 15 courses, it evolves with the seasons and botanical discoveries. Although the menu is never the same, certain classics retain their place, such as Le Noble, on the menu since opening: caviar from Lac Saint-Pierre or from Acadian Sturgeon, thin slices of scallop with butter, and Raphaëlle potato from Île d’Orléans. After tasting it, it quickly becomes clear why this dish can never leave the menu.

The service, orchestrated by maître d’ and co-owner Roxan Bourdelais, lives up to what’s happening in the kitchen. Every member of the team is visibly passionate about what they present, and it shows in every interaction. The explanations accompanying each dish are precise, generous, and never recited — you can tell these are people who know intimately what they’re serving. Attention to detail is omnipresent at Tanière³, and the care given to every table makes the evening all the more memorable.

The wine pairing, crafted by sommelier Jonathan Strokowski Ross, is just as thoughtful. Each glass has been meticulously selected to be in symbiosis with the bites it accompanies, and the front-of-house team takes the time to explain everything with a particular eye for detail. That said, don’t miss out on the non-alcoholic pairing, designed by mixologist Simon Faucher. The mocktails genuinely surprised us: the same balance of flavours, the same rigour in the recipes, the same inventiveness.

Tanière³ is the kind of address you reserve for a milestone birthday, a special occasion, or simply for the pleasure of sharing a long moment as a couple, awakening your palate and senses. The experience is expensive — plan your budget accordingly — but every course justifies the cost. Seats go quickly (they’ve been fully booked every night since earning their two stars): be sure to reserve well in advance.

Tanière³ is an adventure that leaves a lasting mark on those who experience it. Wonder accompanies every stage of the evening — from the first bite to the final dessert under the enchanted vault. With this project, the team has beautifully showcased the craftsmanship of Quebec gastronomy, its versatility, and its refinement.

Written by Paule-Rachel Lalonde
Photography by Restaurant La Tanière3

Updated on April 18, 2026

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