As maple trees grow in the area, maple syrup is popular and plentiful in March and April. Some maple farms operate as "sucreries" or "cabanes a sucre" aka sugar shacks, where tourists can see how the maple syrup is collected, and taste some for themselves. These are also one of the few places in Quebec where tourists can get a traditional rural meal. Most locals only eat traditional meals on special occasions such as Christmas Eve, due mostly to its high fat content and association with traditional ways. Traditional meals include:
tourtiere, a pork and beef pie
yellow split pea soup
pancakes
ham with maple syrup
maple sugar pie
"pouding chomeur", a light sweet cake, literal translation: "pudding for the unemployed"
taffee maple syrup poured into snow, which freezes onto a popsicle stick
Fine dining in the Montérégie is some of the best value for money in North America. Almost every town in the region has one or two good restaurants, usually with lower prices than those of Montreal. Usually, asking a local to point you to the most expensive restaurant in town will get you to the right place.
If a quick lunch is what you are after, the ever-present "Saint-Hubert" chain of chicken restaurants is surprisingly good.
Sucrerie de la Montagne
Maple syrup farm with a year-round traditional-style restaurant, hayrides, and demonstrations on maple syrup production.