Our stunning restaurant situated in a former church, Sainte-Thérèse-d’Avila, often elicits that kind of astonished reaction and that’s before diners have even seen the menu!
Chez nous, tout est possible, tout est décadent et tout est festif. Nos espaces conviennent à toutes les occasions, de votre petite sortie de couple, où on vous installera dans l’espace lounge, près du confessionnal… à vos plus grandes célébrations, où vous pourrez profiter de l’intimité de la mezzanine.
OMG Resto is situated in the former church of Sainte-Thérèse-d’Avila in Sherbrooke. In days gone by, the congregation nibbled on communion wafers. Nowadays, diners tuck into decadent burgers. But one thing hasn’t changed: it still serves wine!
A word about OMG’s past: Sainte-Thérèse was built in the 1920s, when the number of devout citizens were growing, attracted by the booming city of Sherbrooke. The church opened its doors to the faithful on April 12, 1922. On that day, Father Paul-Stanislas Laroque welcomed his flock for the first time, heralding many years of “Our Fathers” and “Hail Marys” celebrating mass, baptisms, and marriages.
Some years later, in 1938, the church suffered damage in a fire and had to be partially rebuilt. The architect, Denis Tremblay, analysed the original plans and decided to alter the facade on the side of the building. By 1952 (during the height of the Duplessis era when Catholic doctrine was very much part of daily life), the church once more became a venue for the faithful. A couple of decades later, during the 1970s, Saint-Thérèse was extensively renovated—both inside and outside.
As the years rolled by, Quebeckers stopped practising their religion in the way that their parents and grandparents had done before them. Congregations shrank. Churches welcomed fewer and fewer people. Some churches were sold, or closed down altogether. In 2000, Sainte-Thérèse-d’Avila packed up its sacred accoutrements and closed its doors for good—turning a new page in the history of what had been a venerable Sherbrooke parish.
Not long after that, Mr. André L’Espérance, a key player in the local tourism industry, acquired the building. His goal was to showcase the history of Sainte-Thérèse—a true architectural gem—and turn it into something spectacular. He has indeed done just that!
Après avoir reçu pendant quelque temps les bureaux administratifs de PAL+ (le regroupement touristique qui possède 3 autres restaurants, les hôtels Espace 4 Saisons à Orford et Versō, anciennement Étoile-sur-le-Lac, à Magog, ainsi que le bateau de croisière d’Escapades Memphrémagog), l’église se transforme en restaurant. Est né le OMG Burger (qui deviendra plus tard le OMG Resto), un projet novateur et ô combien impressionnant où les produits régionaux volent la vedette sur le menu.
