Small plates, salty bites, and warm tavern snacks

Quebec’s starters lean cozy and convivial—things you’d share at a sugar shack table or over a pitcher at a casse-croûte. Think cheese curds straight from the bag, cretons (a spiced pork spread) on toasted country bread, and oreilles de crisse (crisp fried pork rinds) that crackle with every bite. In coastal regions, you’ll meet Matane shrimp in simple cocktails or mini toasts, and in the Gaspé the smokery tradition brings cold-smoked salmon canapés. Poutine often graduates to a full meal, but it still shows up in appetizer form—mini poutines, duck-fat versions, or seasonal riffs with wild mushrooms. You’ll also see festival bites such as tourtière hand pies, maple-mustard sausages, and little skewers topped with pickles and charcuterie. It’s familiar, unfussy, and built for sharing.