I.C.Y.M.I.: This Hidden Alberta Restaurant Is Famous Around Canada For Its Quebec-Style Eats

If you don’t spend a lot of time in Quebec, you might be depriving yourself of the province's incredible French-Canadian cuisine. Because we know that flights across the country can cost a pretty penny, we’re so excited to share this Albertan hot spot with you.

Chartier is a quaint Quebec-style restaurant that’s hidden away in the town of Beaumont, Alberta. While we still consider this place a hidden gem, it’s not as under the radar as it used to be. In fact, Chartier earned national recognition with a feature on the Food Network’s “Big Food Bucket List,” a show that highlights some of the most delicious and bucket list-worthy food across North America.

The restaurant has been serving up mouth-watering food and baking since 2016 in a lovely, inviting, and laid-back setting. While you may be interested in the history of the establishment, we know you’re probably more interested in the good stuff: the food.

Chartier has an extensive menu, with separate menus for brunch, lunch, dinner, the bakery, and drinks. If you’re a big brunch fan, you’ll be delighted to hear that they have the best of the best in French favourites, including Croissant & Lox, Breakfast Poutine, Crepes, a smoked meat sandwich, bennies, and so much more. You’ll even find a Féves au Lard Sugar Shack Benny, for those of you who are looking for the full Quebecois experience on one plate.

When lunchtime rolls around, you’ll find the following items on the menu: Elk Tartare, Shrimp Roll, Sugar Shack Fried Chick Sandwich, Haricots Verts, and so much more. The dinner menu is even further elevated, offering things like Spring Chicken, Buttered Berkshire, Sunchoke Dosa, and the list goes on. Of course, there’s always the option to sample the charcuterie offerings of the day and share a mouth-watering mix of cheese, meat, and other sharables with your favourite person.

The cocktail menu is overflowing with creative drinks that sound too good to be true, and the wine list is expertly curated to match the delicious food. When it’s time for dessert, you can choose from pie, housemade pastries, mousse, creme brulee, and more. But what’s a journey into French culture without some pastries? Chartier has an incredible team of bakers led by Chef de Boulangerie Spencer Berge. The bakery offers a rotating lineup of fresh bread, artisanal donuts, pastries, cakes, and squares which are available from Friday to Sunday each week. “We use tons of butter, cream, and love in everything we make – because life’s too short to eat mediocre food,” the restaurant explains.

You won’t believe how delicious these donuts are, and don’t even get us started on the croissants. We could seriously eat them for every meal.

As you can see, there is no shortage of reasons to visit Chartier in Beaumont. Whether you’re a local (in which case, you’re probably already a fan) or have to travel a bit to experience this hot spot, we bet you’ll agree that it’s worth the journey.

Britanny Burr is a freelance writer and a contributor to Great West Media. This content has been republished for the Great West Media & Southern Alberta Newspapers Hot Summer Guide advertising feature. The Hot Summer Guide is a special feature about summer activities, bucket list adventures, staycation options, road trips, attractions, events, and road trip-worthy food & beverage destinations across Alberta. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.

This article was originally published on July 13, 2023.