10 Best Restaurants in Quebec City, Quebec

Expect the usual crowd of students, freelancers, and others toting laptops at this third-wave café that has thoughtfully selected beans roasted on-site. Even so, the contemporary, all-white café is a welcome respite from the cold in wintertime—and the doughnuts alone are worth a visit.

La Boîte à Pain makes it a point of honor to serve fresh products prepared on site every day. In a convivial atmosphere, this European-inspired bakery has been making gourmet and artisanal products for more than 20 years. Breads, pizzas, sandwiches, pastries, and cakes are displayed on the large counter and are nothing short of convincing, if not plainly irresistible.

For a respite from the shoppers on rue du Petit-Champlain, grab an outdoor table at Le Pape-Georges and cool off with a drink and creamy, tangy local cheeses and fruit. This stone-and-wood wine bar, the first of its kind in Québec City when it opened almost 35 years ago, is also nice indoors; there's music on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

One of the newer additions to the St-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood, Cantook is a micro-roaster that is more traditional than trendy, but no less excellent. Visit for a cappuccino, a good conversation with the owner, maybe even both.

This casual and attractive café right on the corner of scenic Place Royale is a great place to stop for an afternoon pick-me-up, be it coffee or various indulgent sweets. For a light lunch, there are yummy sandwiches, quiches, and soups. There are other branches elsewhere in the city that are just as good, just not as scenic.  On sunny days, make sure to enjoy the sun-drenched patio.

Owned by Yves Simard and his wife, Rebecca, this bakery, pastry counter, sandwich bar, pizza shop (summer only), and ice-cream parlor is known for its selection of nouvelle French pastries, whole grain breads, gourmet sandwiches, and artisanal gelato. Long wooden tables, designed to get customers talking to each other, create a convivial atmosphere.

This simple, busy café-style restaurant serves crepes in generous proportions with a variety of options---from a menu of more than 20 fillings, pick your own chocolate or fruit combinations or design a larger meal with cheese, ham, and vegetables. Tables surround four round griddles at which you watch your creations being made. Crepes made with two to five fillings cost less than C$12.

As far as fast food goes, nothing is more Québécois than poutine, that rough-and-ready dish made of fries, cheese curds, and gravy. In Québec City, this regional chain, founded in 1969, is the local favorite for hurried lunchers and late-night snackers. Also well worth trying here is a hot-dog du lac, a "steamie" (steamed hot dog) with mayo, cabbage, and a few fries on top.

At this refreshing alternative to the Old City's ubiquitous white-linen bistros, you can get fast food that's also high quality. Burgers made from grass-fed cattle served on soft artisanal brioche buns make this a prime locale for lunch goers. With long tables, red accents, and paper-towel rolls in place of napkin holders, the interior has a retro touch without feeling overly folksy or forced. Save room for dessert, which includes heavenly dark-chocolate milkshakes, chocolate ganache, or peanut-butter ice-cream sandwiches.

Another five-star coffee shop to visit in St-Roch, either for a roasting lesson or a warm macchiato respite from the Quebec winter. Known for its ecological and humanist approach, Nektar works closely with its fair trade producers in Brazil to produce their Para Ela blend, which means "for her" and is harvested by hand and processed exclusively by women who are paid 50% more than the regional average. With its beautiful packaging, Nektar's coffees are a also perfect travel gift for yourself or for friends.