I'm conflicted about this place. There were many positives but my food and drinks didn't wow me. The wife's dishes were better though, especially the amazing chicken. We almost didn't go because the automated reservation system claimed there were no tables until 9:00; way too late for us. But we stopped in anyway (our hotel was next door) and inquired and there were plenty of tables available. Weird. So we came at 6:00 and got a really nice - though very small - outside table; perfect for watching street activity on this warm evening. I started with onion soup. It was interesting how it was served: The bowl is brought with only the croutons and broiled cheese in it, and the waiter pours the liquid over it at the table. Is it better this way? I think I prefer the standard way but it was interesting. It was pretty good overall, a decent but not outstanding broth, not tinny-tasting or too salty, good onions (could have used more), and I liked the cheese which was browned and partially melted from its time under the broiler. My entree was the Hortus Burger: Local organic beef from Charlevoix, garlic mayonnaise, goat cheese, tomato, pepper, and green apple jam. Served with fries and a green salad. It was definitely different, and I liked it but didn't love it. The patty was unusually dense in texture and tasted salty, like the salt was worked into the patty itself. The tomato was fresh and I liked the apple jam. There was a lot of goat cheese; as much actually as the beef. This, along with the fact that the bun was rather firm, made it almost impossible to pick up and eat by hand - the cheese squeezed out and fell onto the plate - that I ended up using a knife and fork for most if it. The cheese added needed moisture though to balance the dense, dryish patty (even though it was cooked medium as I ordered). The salad was pre-dressed and very good. The fries were good too, crisp and browned but not dry. The portion was too much though and we took some home along with some of the wife's chicken. A bigger burger and fewer fries would be a better balance. Visiting the website I discovered the reason for the bun's firm texture, which didn't seem right for the burger: It was gluten-free, along with everything the restaurant serves. I understand some people can't tolerate gluten, but there's a reason wheat flour is king of grains: nothing makes better bread. I'm much more on board with their other commitments: to use only locally-sourced, organic ingredients wherever possible. Local? Very! Exploring the roof of the hotel where we stayed, I discovered their secret garden where they grow much of their produce, along with a beehive where their bees make the honey, far above the bustle of old Quebec. The wife's chicken was the star of the evening. Chicken breast, browned, sliced, and perfectly tender, served with roasted root vegetables and an amazing flavorful oily herb medley resembling chimichurri. We both agreed it was one of the best chicken dishes we've ever had. As for drinks, I didn't much like my cocktail, though it was pretty. Le Violet, made with gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, and white cranberry juice. Though it was served in a martini glass neat, it was disappointingly weak. Rather than risk disappointment again I switched to wine. But their wines by the glass are only described by the grape (Cabernet, Pinot, etc.) not by vintner. I expect better from a restaurant of the caliper Hortus aspires to be. As for desserts, my Pouding Chômeur (cake soaked in caramel sauce, maple ice cream) wasn't anything special but it was tasty enough. The real star was again the wife's dessert: their Signature Crème Brulée, honey-flavored with white chocolate and ginger. I'm not a huge fan of crème brulée but I could tell this was outstanding, with a pronounced honey flavor (though not much ginger) and a good crackable crust on top. All in all, though my food and drinks only rated 3 stars, the wife's dishes were exceptional, and along with the service and ambience, this rates a solid 4 stars. I'd come back and try something different next time. read more

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Came here for lunch on a weekday. There luckily, wasn't a lot of people so I got seated quickly. Staff speaks english and french. Their menu emphasized local produce/meats and had a huge wine list too. I got the confit duck leg and a cider. The duck leg was tender and the roasted vegetables and mushrooms nicely complimented it. It came out steaming hot and nicely decorated. I really enjoyed the meal. I also saw on the menu that they served bison as well - they had a lot of different kinds of meat that I don't typically see at other restaurants. The prices may seem a bit high to some but I think it speaks to the restaurant's commitment to sustainable farming practices. Staff was nice and prompt. The window seating is so nice - especially as outside consists of historical buildings. read more

Disappointing and frustrating experience. My party of 2 waited over 90 minutes for our food. Tables surrounding us who arrived at the same time ordered, ate multiple courses, and paid the bill while we were still waiting. We made multiple attempts to flag down a server, who repeatedly acknowledged us but then looked away without checking in with what was needed. The food was fine, I may have had a more positive review of the food had it arrived sooner. But it didn't seem worth over an hour wait. This was extra frustrating because we had tickets to an event later in the evening, causing stress as we continued to be ignored. We came in prepared to order multiple rounds of drinks and dessert afterwards, but unfortunately after our first drink we were never checked on again. read more

Bistro Hortus - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

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We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Bistro Hortus. We started with The Snow Goat - creamy, fresh goat with a touch of honey. It was on top of thinly grilled zucchini. The roasted tomato gel added a flavor and I am not sure what the smoky crumble, ,but it added a subtle smokiness. The blend of flavors was excellent and the presentation was impressive. Many of the reviews were for the Hortus Burger, so we tried it. It was made from organic beef, and topped with green apple mayonnaise, bacon, tomatoes and cheese. It was good, but we expected more. The meat was very good, but the mayonnaise flavor was very subtle and did not add much flavor. It came with fries and a salad. The fries were ok. The salad was served in a cute flower pot and was very good. We also shared the Quebec Trout with quinoa. It was amazing, tender and moist. The seasoning was a unique flavor and blend of beetroot juice, elderflower virgin sauce and cucumbers in a ginger oil. It was sweet, yet fresh. And also presented very well. Service was excellent, and we were not rushed , but had time to enjoy our meal. Reservations are recommended. I highly recommend . read more

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Excellent spot for delicious Québécois food, atmosphere and good service. I've never had oats as a savory starch served with anything. But they paired it with excellent roasted halibut and root vegetables. It was amazing. And they included seasonal fern fronds for a subtle tang that balanced surprisingly well. The onion soup was on par with a clever presentation. The pound cake (half corn bread) with carmel sauce and maple ice cream got better with each bite. I'm not a Michelin star/tweezer food person but this place brought sophistication and flavor without the pretense. read more

This was a disappointing meal but was made up with outstanding service. One person in my party had poutine which had no flavor whatsoever. It was not good. The server was extremely kind and offered to replace it which was declined and it was removed from the bill without asking. The other dishes were okay but not great. Great staff and nice ambience. read more

I had a great bunch here! Give it a 4.5. The breakfast was filling and wait staff was very attentive. The inside was modern with a bit of a upscale homestead touch. All the bread here is gluten free, so anyone with celiac/gluten intolerance - this is the place for you! For breakfast entrees (only sat-sun), I liked that they serve fruit, coffee/tea, and bread with housemade jam as well. I really enjoyed their housemade jam with gluten free bread and a bit of...butter? For eggs they use duck eggs, so the eggs are huge and as an American this was pretty cool! We also got the french onion soup - which they pour the soup in front of us. It was the best one I've had on this quebec trip! Loved the flavor and how the soup slightly melts the cheese curds in it. read more

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Fantastic brunch with great service. For your dish you get alot of accompaniments with granola, fruit, bread and coffee. The portion is big as well so come hungry. read more

Bistro Hortus - Burger - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

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What a wonderful experience for dinner at Bistro Hortus! We came from out of town and didn't know that every dish there was not only delicious, but also gluten free! Yippee! Our pre-dinner cheese and fruit plate was delicious and served with a thin slice of gluten free rye bread. My husband, who is not gluten intolerant, had the lamb shank and I had the hamburger. Both were perfectly prepared. The red wine (GSM) perfectly complimented our meal. The service was friendly and helpful. I wish Bistro Hortus had a location in my home city! read more

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This had potential to be delicious but I felt that the vegetable curry was very over salted to the point it was difficult for me to eat. Service was good and it was a comfortable nice spot. read more

We decided to visit Bistro Hortus because it was one of the only places that could accommodate 12 people on such a short notice. The restaurant was pretty big and not very busy. It's located in the heart of Quebec City and walking distance from a lot of the tourist places. I was most excited to try their French onion soup but it was a bit disappointing. The bread inside was hard as a rock and the cheese never melted. We also got their nachos which were interesting as they were made with taro chips instead of potato chips... I didn't hate it to be honest. It was a very different type of nachos than what I'm used to, it was carrots and sprouts as toppings. It tasted good though!! Their lasagna was my favourite, it was flavourful and came with a lot of cheese. The staff were friendly but it took them a long time to get the food ready despite it being very slow. We also told them to get things out as they are ready but it still took around 40-50mins for the food to come. read more

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So delicious! We shared the French onion soup and two entrees--all so good and the cocktails were amazing as well!

I dined at Bistro Hortus during a recent visit to Quebec City and left feeling like I'd picked the perfect place for the trip's nice dinner. The food was as beautiful as it was delicious and creative across the board. The restaurant was cozy, but not cramped, with a calm energy. Our group of four included a vegan and a dairy free/gluten free diet, both of which were accommodated beautifully straight off the menu and with special requests. My sister, who is gluten free, said this was one of the best gluten free meals she's had. We started with the Bison Carpaccio, which was listed as deer on the menu, but considering I don't eat either often was no problem for me. I had the Montreal Mule which was incredible especially considering I'm not typically a whiskey fan. For my main I had the Walleye Tartar which was new for me and absolutely delicious. I'm still thinking about it days later. We ended the meal with the very yummy vegan chocolate cake. Bistro Hortus turns local ingredients into beautiful, creative, and delicious dishes while accommodating various special diets. Even if you, like me, have no dietary restrictions, Bistro Hortus should be on your list if you are looking for a great meal in Quebec City. read more

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Went here thinking we could get a nice vegetarian meal. First off, when we were greeted, we were told that we could be seated and immediately order, or we could skip it. Decided to go ahead and sit and order, as we were hungry. Waitress took our drink order and let us know there was no vegetarian lasagna available. That left us with a salad. Salad was full of mostly lettuce, a frisée type, and it was tough. We were rushed out as soon as we were done. Friends ordered the burger, said it was ok. I would skip this place. So many better places in the area. We were staying at the Hotel Monsieur Jean. If you stay there, skip this place. read more

After a fun filled morning of shopping, we decided on Bistro Hortus for a late lunch. We got in literally in time to order from the Brunch menu actually and the kitchen was kind enough to let us know we could still order Brunch if we wanted. Everything was amazing. Service, Food, Ambiance, etc. The poutine brunch, Quebecker, and salmon benny were quite fantastic. I really love the yogurt starter. They make it in house and the honey is from their rooftop. I would go back just for that delicious yogurt. And I understand the yogurt differs based on seasonal ingredients, etc. Would really love to come back again soon. read more

Listed on Eater's list of best restaurants of QC, I was hopeful it would be a great dinner. I generally trust Eater more than Yelpers. #sorrynotsorry Starting with the Onion Soup, I liked the elements individually, but didn't like it served deconstructed. I want my bread toasty and soaked with rich broth. Then covered in melted cheese. Not dry bread and a pile of room temp curds. I liked the soup. But also wish it had been served hotter. My smoked chicken with root vegetables was quite good. I enjoyed the signature dish. It was a delicate smoked poultry. Not the depth of smoke that will leave you burping smoke rings all night. It's more subtle than that. My favorite was the dessert though. Pouding Chômeur translates to "Poor Man's Pudding". A dessert that was created by female factory workers during the early years of the Great Depression in Quebec. It's perfectly rich and incredibly simple. With the soft cake drenched in maple fudge sauce topped with maple ice scream, I could have eaten those all night. read more

Bistro Hortus - pouding chômeur - poor man's pudding - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

If you're a tourist don't sit at the bar. The female bartender is incredibly unfriendly to tourists. We came in on a Monday night at 6:45. There was one local at the bar and us. When we walked in there was no acknowledgment. She was wiping glasses and putting them away. This went on for at least 10 minutes. Walked over gave us waters, said nothing to us. Then just walked away to put more stuff away in the back. That was about enough we were going to put up with and we walked out. In a city that thrives on tourism I'm not sure how this place survives. There was what looked like a manager chatting it up with the local all the while this was going on. Evidently this mentality permeates the establishment. Went across the street to Les Freres de la Cote. We were welcomed with open arms and had the most friendliest bartender ever. read more

The food was fantastic and creative and it was amazing to find somewhere so lovely that's 100% gluten free! (But you'd never know from the taste and quality of all the food!!) Our server was fantastic and we enjoyed dining outside taking in all the vibes of Old Quebec! We'd definitely come back next time we visit! read more

Some vegan and gf items on the menu. They brought an amuse bouche that had sour cream but they remade it for me without the dairy. It was tasty. They made the squash pancakes with fruit, gf granola and potatoes on the side to accommodate my gf and vegan needs. They were very helpful read more

Bistro Hortus - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

My gluten free family enjoyed this meal as this place offered a 100% gf menu. My daughter especially loved the bread offerings that she took what she couldn't finish back to our hotel so she had a snack available to her during our visit to Montreal. We enjoyed the octopus, walleye ceviche, French onion soup and poutine. Great location in Old Quebec!! read more

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We stopped here for dinner on our first night in Quebec City. We wanted a good, healthy but not heavy dinner and this restaurant was a good fit for that. Our drinks and food were good and the ambiance outside was really nice. It was a good night overall. I got the salad entree and my husband got the grilled chicken. read more

Bistro Hortus - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

Meh. I can't vouch for the food but we sat at the bar on a very busy Saturday at 6. Only 2 people at the bar but every table filled outside. Watched the bartender make drinks and never saw so many short pours. Except when her friends approached to order. Then she was very heavy-handed. read more

Why is there no mention that this place is 100% gluten free. GAME CHANGER for those of us who are gluten challenged and in Quebec. I want to rate this place higher just because I can eat here and have those favs like french onion soup and poutine. The soup was pretty good, but unfortunately Poutine was ok, the gravy was really thick and the flavor was meh. The dish was much better with a dry fry curd and the beef. What a wasted opportunity. Salads and nachos uninspired. We have had some great meals in Quebec; Montreal and Quebec city. This place misses the mark and that is soooooooooo sad. Hope they get their act together and represent French Canada. Uggggg! So disappointed. read more

Light lunch on Friday during Festival was to our liking. The Octopus appetizer was tasty and tender with its accompanying bruschetta and airy tomato topping. Local burger with farm-to-table ingredients was a nice size and enjoyed, along with a small lettuce salad and fries. read more

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Incredibly fresh and amazing compliments of flavor. Their vegetables are second to none and the walleye tartare is something you will never forget. Likely the freshest fish i have ever eaten. Wow. Loved this meal read more

Excellent service good food and very friendly staff. Great ambience will be back next time I am in Quebec city.

Incredible service, cocktails, food, and ambience. One of the best meals I have had in QC. Highly recommended!

We had dinner here this past Saturday night. There were a LOT of tourists around that night which made getting a table anywhere a challenge if you didn't have a reservation. We didn't. We arrived early and the hostess kindly found a way to accommodate us, for which we were grateful. In return we tried to give them their table back as quickly as we could. The decor and ambiance here, at least at night, is a terrific blend of old and new. They have some terrific edison lights that we'd love to find somewhere for ourselves. The menu had maybe a dozen or so selections with more than half being vegetarian or vegan. My wife had filet mignon and I had a smoked salmon dish. In both cases, vegetables were prominent parts of the dishes. Everything was excellent. My salmon was very good but I was most enamored with the way they handled and presented the vegetables. Full bar and excellent service rounded out a wonderful meal. read more

Wonderful farm to table restaurant. Delicious vegetables. We had: vegetable soup, garden salad, veg nachos, vegetarian stir fry, sable, bbq chicken. Take home their honey and other products: cranberry ketchup, hot sauce, marinated beets, carrot chutney and more! read more

Bistro Hortus - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

This was a nice place for dinner, but I think it could easily be a good lunch spot too! The food was very fresh - and a lot of the veggies and fruits come from their rooftop garden! The nachos were so interesting. In addition to salsa, it had lots of unusual toppings like beets, radishes, other pickled things. We also tried the vegetarian lasagna (very hearty) and the salmon. All good, and the service was excellent. I'd definitely say this menu is a little unusual (compared to what I'm used to), so it may not work best for the pickiest of eaters, but there's plenty of options for vegans and vegetarians! read more

Amazing! The food was delicious and creative. There were many gluten free choices - all marked clearly on the menu. There were even 4 dessert choices! I am known for the salads I make. I had the Chevrotiere Salad which was incredible - full of veggies, cheese and a delicious salad dressing. It was topped with gluten free cranberry bread and goat cheese. My husband, who is not gluten free, had the Vegetable Pot Au Feu, which is gluten free, and loved it. The restaurant is beautiful and very cool. The waitstaff was fun and wonderful. They use locally sourced organic food. read more

Good soups for lunch, nice ambience Reasonable prices considering the location and inflation Not too noisy so ok for conversation read more

Bistro Hortus - Soup de jour = sweet potato with beet foam topping, gluten free bread Deconstructed onion soup Amber ale All good. Filling lunches - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

Wonderful food! We sat outside on the patio and shared their price fixed lunch. French onion soup, their special lasagna (yum) and a small dessert (just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth)! Highly recommend while visiting the old city area of Quebec City! *. They also allowed our dog to sit with us - and served her a bowl of water! read more

Second full day in Old Quebec and stumbled across this bistro. Ordered the soupe oigon and burger hortus and was very good. I would go back if ever in the city. Side fact: they make their own honey. read more

Amazing! Fresh organic, and gluten free options (that are amazing!) we had brunch the prince edward poutine it was so flavorful and each layer uncovered something new and delightful. The homemade yogurt, jam, granola was a nice (delicious) touch and the cappuccino was wonderful! Will come again for certain! read more

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We had a wonderful 3-course meal with our group at Hortus! It was the perfect end to our week in Quebec City with parsnip soup, vegetable lasagna (house specialty) with a petite salad, and crème brûlée with coffee at the end. The service was also outstanding! read more

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The French onion soup is amazing with the two cheeses from Quebec. The Halibut and local vegetables left you wanting to return soon. read more

This bistro was recommended by the concierge at the Fairmont Frontenac when we asked for a place that had options for this vegetarian and her meat eating husband. It did not disappoint! Many veg options and an interesting selection of meats for my husband. Try the taro nachos and deer carpaccio- both delicious. The price was right and the service excellent. Go - you won't regret it! read more

So so good. Highly recommend. This should be one of your breakfast places when you come to Quebec. read more

Bistro Hortus - Pork with mushroom breakfast - French Near Me - Quebec City, Quebec

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Lovely spot in Quebec City. Very romantic and chill vibe sitting outside. The bonbon (candy) lemonade was exceptional my dinning partner tried 3 alcoholic drinks and enjoyed them all (fav for the tequila). We had the taro chips, which were tasty and unique - like nothing I've tried before. My dinning partner got the Wally tartar, expensive and a little blah - skip this. Main course I had steak which was expensive but good 3.5-4 out of 5. Partner had a burger 4/5. The dessert is what was outstanding - poor man's pudding was amazing - so much that we got it 2X. Crème brûlée was ok. Come here for great vibe, outstanding drinks and poor man's pudding!!! read more