Looking for the BEST cafes in Quebec City? See my list of the top 5 coffee shops. These cafes combine quality espresso, a welcoming atmosphere, and convenient locations.
Quebec City has a handful of solid coffee shops that offer artisan espresso drinks, smooth cold brews, delicious pastries, and a warm atmosphere. Unlike most of my "Top 5" posts where it can be difficult to narrow down the choices, it was surprisingly easy to pick the best. These five coffee shops easily stand above the rest and are worth a visit! Take a seat at one or all five of the best cafes in Quebec City and judge for yourself!
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1. Cantook Micro Torréfaction - Old Quebec
Best cafe in Quebec City for a cozy/local vibe
Hands down the coziest atmosphere and the best coffee in Quebec City! I find myself wishing I could go back to this quaint city and head straight to Cantook for my daily oat milk latte and ham and cheese croissant. Cantook’s coffee beans are roasted in-store daily and they offer over 60 kinds of beans for customers to purchase. The interior of this Quebec City cafe is cozy and decorated in warm woods throughout. Cantook has an ideal location being centrally located on bustling Rue Saint-Jean. Close to the city center, but just enough removed from the touristy spots to feel like you found a hidden gem.
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Another huge plus is that Cantook sources their pastries from the best bakery Quebec City has to offer, La Boîte à Pain. Try to get there before 10:00am if you want a treat as they sell out fairly quickly. The almond croissant and the ham and cheese croissant are excellent and made for a difficult decision each morning deciding which to get.
**Maple syrup is the sweetener of choice in Canada. When asked if you want sugar or sweetener in your morning latte, chances are you will get a dollop of syrup.
2. Saint Henri Micro-Torréfacteur - Saint-ROch
Best Quebec City Cafe for light bites and treats
Saint Henri has locations in Montreal and Quebec City. The location in the St.-Roch neighborhood is a true stunner with floor to ceiling windows, light wood tones, and garage door style windows that give this Quebec City coffee shop an indoor/outdoor feel. There are plenty of tables and chairs catering to those looking for a place to work (as was evident by the large number of Macbooks each time I visited).
A small menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches is available and don’t leave without trying one of the house made artisan donuts! This is one of the best cafes in Quebec City if you plan to stay a while since they have ample space and a varied cafe menu.
3. maelstrom Café - Saint-ROch
One of the Best cafes in Quebec City for a hipster vibe
Famous for their cold brew and cocktails, Maelstrom will satisfy cravings from morning to night. This Quebec City cafe has a neighborhood feel as it's tucked away from the action on a quiet street in the Saint Roch neighbhorhood. One of the owners, Jean-Daniel Lajoie, came from Cantook and is known as one of the best baristas in Quebec City.
The vibe is very hipster with exposed brick walls, mismatched chairs, industrial lighting, and cement accents. Be sure to stop by this Québec City café during the weekend. Maelstrom Cafe has a popular brunch on Saturday and Sunday with menu items like bagel gravlax with smoked salmon and poached eggs, avocado toast, and muesli bircher with poached pears.
4. Nektar Caféologue - Saint-Roch
One of the best cafes in Quebec City to study and work
Nektar has two locations, the St. Roch and Limoilou neighborhoods. The St. Roch location is the better option in terms of atmosphere offering plenty of seating and space to hang a while. The cold brew latte is especially good at this Quebec City cafe and the pastry selection from Première Moissan is solid.
5. Le Lièvre et la Tortue - Limoilou
One of the best cafes in Quebec city for quality tea
Le Lievre et la Tortue has a large selection of loose-leaf tea along with a menu of scones, cakes, mini sandwiches, and whatever else they whipped up that morning. If you can’t decide what to get at this Quebec City cafe you can order a two or three-tiered sampling of bites and treats. There is also a full coffee menu using beans from Cantook. The atmosphere is shabby chic with bookshelves, mismatched chairs and teacups, and a tiny patio space. This is one of the best cafes in Quebec City if you're looking for something a little more unique and cozy.
Are you a coffee shop addict? See my other coffee shop posts!
Have you been to Quebec City? Which do you think are the BEST cafes in Quebec City? Let me know in the comments below!
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*Maple syrup is the sweetener of choice in Canada. When asked if you want sugar or sweetener in your morning latte, chances are you will get a dollop of syrup.
If this is what you were told someone was pulling your leg. I’m a Canadian and this is not a fact.
That made me laugh! If so, I guess several people were pulling my leg because I was told this at multiple coffee shops in Quebec City. Though, I will say I was never given maple syrup for my sweetener in Montreal.