This hidden gem is in off-the-beaten-path Barachois, a good distance away from downtown Percé, but it's well worth the trip. Breakfast is the main attraction at Le Café des Couleurs: you can get hot cereal, yoghurt, and standard eggs-and-bacon fare, but the specialty is a range of Belgian waffles that come topped with everything from standard favourites like maple syrup and fruit compote to oddballs like smoked salmon, scallops, and ceviche. Upscale coffee concoctions are abundant. At lunchtime, there's a range of light fare including daily soup and salad specials. The ambience is quiet and pleasant, with walls adorned with the work of local artists.
Jun-Sep: daily 09:00-17:00·$15-30
Owned by the same folks that run the motel next door, the Auberge les Trois Soeurs, La Maison Mathilde is a cozy little place that's far enough from the centre of town to afford diners a bit of quietude, yet not so far as to be inconvenient. Deliciously prepared and exquisitely presented seafood dishes are the name of the game here, with scallops a particular specialty; if you're not a fan of seafood, there's also a range of meat entrées and pasta dishes that, unfortunately, tend not to be quite as good. Local beer is available on tap. Points off for the service, which is hit-or-miss, and the prices, which are a bit high for the somewhat skimpy portion sizes.
Open Jun-Sep·$35-65
La Maison du Pêcheur is easily the most upscale fine-dining restaurant in Percé, but you'd never know it from the unassuming exterior: like most of the buildings next to the wharf, this place used to be a fish warehouse; then it spent a period as a youth hostel (check out the 1960s-era FLQ graffiti that remains on the ceiling rafters!) Locally sourced seafood is the crux of the menu here — salmon, halibut, scallops, lobsters, and other delights come in multi-course prix fixe meals or can be ordered à la carte, and are crafted into some of the most unique, creative selections you'll find anywhere in the Gaspé (cod tongue with sea urchin sauce, for example). Matching the topnotch food is one of the best waterfront views in town, looking out onto Percé Rock and Bonaventure Island. The attentive yet unobtrusive service befits the level of luxury, and the extensive wine list emphasizes European vintages.
Daily 11:00-14:30 (lunch) and 17:00-22:00 (dinner), Jun-Sep·$35-80
There's nothing pretentious to be found at this combination bar, bistro and campground (!) at the north end of Percé town centre — just some of the hugest portions of home-cooked seafood goodies the Gaspé Peninsula has to offer, served up with friendly, folksy verve by a staff headed by a French expat named François. Most visitors to Les Sacs à Vin seem to gravitate toward the lobster, which is some of the cheapest and most delicious around, but there's also a bevy of other local specialties on offer: scallops, smoked salmon (served over fettuccine), maple syrup pie for dessert, and a small slate of Québécois wines. Open year-round.
$15-40