Astronomers, young and old, amateurs and professionals, like to meet at the ASTROlab at Mont-Mégantic National Park, in the heart of the first international dark sky reserve, to observe eclipses and the Perseids or spend an evening of astronomy.

All these people will obviously like to combine this outing in the MRC du Granit with a dinner at the restaurant before hitting the road again towards the heights of Mont-Mégantic, the ASTROlab and the observatory. Our goal is precisely to offer you a list of restaurants located near the ASTROlab at Mont-Mégantic National Park.

Throughout the year, activities are organized by the people at ASTROlab for the general public, day and night. You can easily visit Canada’s most powerful observatory, learn more about astronomy through exhibitions and feast your eyes on the many telescopes available after dark.

Astronomy evenings take place on summer and fall evenings and allow you to attend a show and a multimedia presentation in the projection room. Then, if the sky is clear, you can observe the stars. Otherwise, the activity continues indoors with interactive content.

From May to October, it is also possible to visit ASTROlab and the Observatory during the day. For this occasion, you should plan a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes, including the drive up to the top of the mountain. You will be entitled to a guided tour of the current exhibition, a screening of a film on cosmic evolution in addition to living a virtual reality experience.

The Perseid period is also very busy in the Mégantic region. This very special week that allows you to see shooting stars (there are dozens of them per hour) usually takes place at the beginning of August each year. Different activities are organized, by reservation or not.

Finally, ASTROlab holds its festival every beginning of July. On the program, activities allowing you to discover a passion for astronomy and to be inspired by the stars. And for the occasion, the Mont-Mégantic Observatory is accessible to the public, which is not usually the case.

But planning an evening at ASTROlab would not be complete without also planning an outing to a restaurant. Here is our list of restaurants that you can visit before going up to the stars...

Auberge le Vieux Manoir

Located a few minutes from ASTROlab, Auberge le Vieux Manoir offers food and drinks for visitors.

Le Vieux Manoir offers comforting home cooking that will make you have a good time with your loved ones. Watch for the evening specials and add a few dollars to enjoy the table d'hôte version: you will be entitled to the soup of the day and dessert in addition.

There are skewers, pasta, fish and grills. All is accompanied by a salad, rice or fries.

A terrace is also available on beautiful summer days.

Le Kaline resto pub

Le Kaline resto pub is the full restaurant on Laval Street, in Mégantic. It offers breakfast every day, including weekends, in addition to dinner from Monday to Sunday. In the summer, the terrace allows you to enjoy every ray of sunshine with a microbrewery beer in front of you, while in the winter, the screens project the games of your favorite team. Also, a private room allows you to celebrate in an intimate way with your friends or all the members of your family.

If you plan to visit ASTROlab on a summer day, you can start your day with an egg, a casserole, a morning sandwich, French toast, a breakfast poutine or a healthy choice.

In the evening, during the week, the Kaline offers you first as a starter a St-Benoît fondue (on cranberry compote), an avocado salmon tartare (avocado, gray shallot, capers and sesame) or fried calamari (fine herbs, mayo and tomato compote). As a main course, you will have to choose between flat pizzas (all dressed, veggie, margherita, seafood or chicken and smoked whisky), burgers (Mediterranean grilled chicken, beef with mushrooms and smoked whisky or elk with fried shallots), pasta (seafood sauce, shrimp, vegetables or sliced ??veal and mushrooms) or even grillaes.

On Fridays and Saturdays, you can enjoy the tables d'hôte.

Children have their own menu.

Resto O’Shack

At Resto O’Shack, gourmet dishes prepared with local products are prepared by the kitchen team in a warm atmosphere.

For example, there are Patat O’ Skins, chicken drumsticks, O’ Shack fondue, fried pickles or onion soup as a starter. As a main course, choose from poutines (brown or bbq, beef galvaude, Italian or the special), burgers (containing six ounces of Angus meat and served with fries and coleslaw), fish or seafood (fish n’ chips, shrimp or ground fillet) and specialties such as honey chicken, beef skewers, ribs or beef flank steak.

For groups, there are sharing plates that could satisfy you: the Shack plate (2 Patat O’ Skin, 4 chicken drumsticks, ribs, garlic shrimp, choice of tartare, rice, homemade chips, choice of salad, 2 crème brûlées and the flavor of the moment) or the land and sea plate (2 beef flank steaks, 8 large garlic shrimp, 2 lobster tails, Greek potatoes and rice, black garlic bread, choice of salad, 2 crème brûlées and the flavor of the moment).

At lunch, take advantage of the daily specials, valid from Monday to Friday. Half a dozen choices are displayed on the blackboard and include the soup of the day.

The wine list includes white, red or rosé, sold by the bottle or by the glass.

A children’s menu is always available at low prices.

Musi-Café

The Musi-Café is the perfect place to get together with friends in the city of Mégantic, before hitting the road to ASTROlab. Here, food and music go hand in hand!

On Saturdays and Sundays, starting at 10 a.m., the Café offers breakfast until 2 p.m. Plates of eggs, bacon, baked beans, a crouton of smoked salmon au gratin, a meg-bagel, a pot of creton and sweet or savory crepes.

Evening meals are generally hearty, among other things because some plates come from the smokehouse of the Artisans de Mégantic or the poutines are completed with cheese curds from the Fromagerie La Chaudière, located nearby.

In addition, they have several burger choices, such as the homemade beef brisquette plate (one pound of meat!), prepared between four buns. Also check the availability of the wild boar leg (fried onions, melted Swiss cheese La Chaudière, pan-fried wild mushrooms from here, southwest sauce, mustard and warrior spices and tomahawk mix) or the beef brisquette sandwich smoked on site for 14 hours.

Restaurant Citron Vert

In Mégantic, you can add a little Mexican touch to your restaurant outing by going to Citron Vert. A variety of authentic dishes are created to satisfy all tastes while fans will be happy to discover succulent shrimp, crunchy nachos and sparkling fajitas.

Also, opt for the Mexican vegetable soup (lightly spicy and tomatoey with shredded cheese, lime and tortilla chips), the four breaded stuffed jalapeños with sour cream and a small green salad, the nacho y pollo (salsa, Tex-Mex chicken, shredded cheese and topped with sour cream, banana peppers and jalapeños) or the nacho supremos (salsa, ground beef & shredded cheese and topped with sour cream, banana peppers and jalapeños). Still among the Mexican specialties, the chicken or vegetarian fajitas (with a mixture of onions and peppers in a wheat tortilla and topped with cheese and sour cream), the chicken or vegetarian quesadillas (a mixture of cheeses between two toasted wheat tortillas), the Tex-Mex beef tacos (soft corn tortillas topped with ground beef, salsa, cheese and sour cream) and the chicken or vegetarian chili bowl (a mixture of beans, peppers, onions and corn and simmered in a tomato sauce) seem to come straight from the Mexican countryside!

Additional places are added, in the summer, on the terrace.

Resto & Brasserie Le Moulin

Finally, the restaurant and brasserie Le Moulin, located in downtown Mégantic, offers unpretentious family cuisine, but with the aim of satisfying every stomach!

You can enjoy homemade poutines, special club sandwiches (with smoked meat, roast beef, smoked ham or chicken), pizzas and soufflés or pasta.

And there is a promotion every evening!

For dessert, when the maple sugar season is in full swing in the region, sugar pies are available.