Ile-d'Orleans is an island in the Saint Lawrence River. The island is about 3.1 miles east of…read moredowntown Quebec city. It is a nice day trip from the city and it can be combined with a nearby visit to Morntmorency falls and Basilique Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre. The island is 21 miles long and 7 miles wide. It is accessible from the the mainland of Quebec by the Ile-d'Orleans bridge. The Chemin Royale road encircles the entire island. While traveling the Chemin Royale road you will encounter small cottage industries specializing in various agricultural products. Cassis Monna & Filles winery has tours and tasting. Fromagerie Biese d' Epinelle specializes in cheese and dairy products. Chocolaterie de-Ile Orleans haschocolate, fudge and other chocolate based products with no preservatives. La Boulange-Saint-Jean-de-Ile-Orleans sells bakery goods and pasteries while LaCuisine d'Ete-Saint-Laurent-de-Ile'Orleans has exceptional maple syrup. There are also histirical stops along the way. The Manor Mauvide Genest built in 1734 was the home of Jean Mauvide, who was the surgeon for King of France. Stop by one of the many churches along the way. I recommend Eglise de Saint Jean Saint Pierre. With the Laurentian Plateau to the North, the Appalachian Mountains to the South and views of the Atlantic Ocean and Saint Lawrence Seaway, the Chemin Royale road is a scenic drive in it's own right. Enjoy small cottage industries in a rolling hills pastoral setting.

This is a must go to place if you're visiting Quebec City. We had so much fun driving and…read moreexploring all the neat little places to eat and try drinks while we were on this island. I won't go into specifics for each restaurant as there are reviews for that separately. We loved places like Mona and cassis for blackcurrant flavored ice cream and wines, roulette du coin for their duck burger and poutine, Casse chez Meg for that amazing lobster roll, nougatierre for nougats, chocolaterie for the amazing chocolate and vanilla dipped in chocolate ice cream. Come on an empty stomach and full wallet and just enjoy all the different unique things you can eat and drink. Highly suggest taking a cooler with you, there's so many things you can buy and take home with you like chocolate, nougats, cheese curds, blackcurrant wine, baked goods, ciders, etc. It's not a far drive from Quebec City and the whole island itself is probably a one hour drive but you can easily spend half a day here exploring and trying lots of food and drinks. Most of the stores are super helpful in terms of directions and letting you sample all kinds of things. Do your stomach a favor and come here!

La Maison Smith at 23 Rue Notre-Dame in the heart of Old Quebec City is pure magic. I'm still…read morethinking about it weeks later. Picture this: soft snow falling on the cobblestone streets of Petit-Champlain, fairy lights glowing, and the warm light spilling out of this beautiful little café. I ducked in both mornings of my short trip and could have happily stayed all day. The interior is perfect Québécois charm: exposed stone walls, wooden beams, cozy lighting, and that unbeatable smell of fresh baking. First morning I ordered the pistachio latte and the quiche Florentine. I would legitimately sell my firstborn for that pistachio latte: silky, perfectly balanced, with a rich, natural pistachio flavor that no syrup could ever match. One sip and I was ruined for life. The quiche was flawless: buttery, flaky crust, creamy spinach-and-cheese filling, baked to golden perfection. Absolute breakfast heaven. I braved a full-on snowglobe blizzard the next morning just to come back. This time I paired the same life-changing pistachio latte with the almond croissant. I'd hand over my other kid for daily access to these croissants (kidding... mostly). Impossibly crisp and flaky outside, cloud-soft inside, generously stuffed with fragrant almond paste, topped with toasted almonds and powdered sugar. I ate it slowly by the window while the snow piled up on Rue Notre-Dame and honestly felt like the luckiest person alive. The baristas were friendly, the vibe warm and unhurried, and everything was flawless. If you're in Quebec City, make La Maison Smith non-negotiable (and budget time to visit at least twice). Five stars isn't enough. This place is winter-morning perfection.

My friend and I were on the hunt for coffee and pastries this morning when we stumbled upon Café La…read moreMaison Smith. We both ordered lattes and almond pastries--hands down the best coffee and pastry of the trip! The atmosphere was lovely, too. From our little stools at the bar, we could sip our lattes while people-watching in the square outside. See you tomorrow and the next day too, Café La Maison Smith!

Delicious hot chocolate. Appreciated the smaller size cup for the hot chocolate and milk chocolate…read morefudge sample. We bought the old fashioned fudge sausage after the yummy sample.

Stopped in here to check out the hot chocolate. It was the best I have ever had! We got the garam…read morespiced one, we shared it as we expected it to be rich and it was! You could feel the warmth as it went down. Made from real chocolate no artificial sweeteners. I did not sample and if the fudge. I did purchase a nougat to take with me and my boyfriend got a sweet treat for himself. Very rich, it had maple pieces in it. I would definitely stop in here just to sip a little of their hot chocolate. The shop is small and had a small counter area to sit at with about 3 chairs. It's not made for dining in your treats, but definitely for sipping hot chocolate! The girls in the shop were friendly.

This farm and the shop/jam place are amazing. They are a little hard to find since to get to the…read morefarm from the main road you have to go up a bit of a rough road but when you're there it's quite an experience. They're in St-Jean, Île d'Orléans, right across from mainland Quebec and apparently strawberry paradise. Everywhere you go on the isle there are strawberries (we were there in July) and they are fresh and natural. At La Confiturerie Tigidou, they make their own jams, jellies, and baked goods plus they let you taste just about anything you desire. Unbelievable place. We ordered scones with ice cream topped with a very light maple syrup and it was out of this world. I tasted their orange marmalade and it was unlike any I had ever tasted in several countries or continents. They also serve coffee, tea, etc. If you're ever in St-Jean, Île d'Orléans do yourself a favor and visit them. You won't regret it. They told us that they'll have a way to order their products online later in the year. I can't wait.

A wonderful experience…read more On my journey through the hills and farms of Quebec City, my family and I ventured onto this lovely jamery. They specialize in fruit jams- particularly in strawberry jams. They offer an Exquisite complimentary tasting experience. You taste basically all their jam products (roughly 12-15) and the host explains the intricacies of each jam. It was a REALLY memorable experience for us- it was like a wine tasting- except with sweets. They have all different kinds of jam flavors- from Spicy to minty to the classics. I was inspired to order a delicious jam Sunday that hey had for sale! My family and I ended up leaving with around $200 usd worth of jams! Love it or dump it? Absolutely love it and highly recommended if you are in the area!

Wow! The best popcorn place in town. They have different varieties and really taste good! Nice…read morelocation.

My friends and I did a weekend road trip to Quebec city to see the German holiday markets. This…read morepopcorn shop was along one of the streets heading towards the markets. You could smell the popcorn from down the street! Staff are super friendly and welcoming. They immediately greeted us, was open to answering questions, and offered us samples of different flavors! We originally bought a small bag to try. I normally don't like caramel popcorn so I was surprised i liked this mix. To my surprise when when we came back, we learned it wasnt caramel but instead was maple! Nothing more Canadian than that! On our way home the last day in Quebec City,, we stopped to get popcorn again for the road. The staff were so nice and also filled our XL bag with extra so we could eat some before closing it up! Definitely a must try when visiting!

We came in for a treat and really enjoyed our experience! I got a petite vanilla cone dipped in…read moredark chocolate. The ice cream was light and thick. The chocolate coating was rich and had the best texture. Service was friendly and fast. The shop is really cute and they sell a lot of other goodies.

Cool spot for ice cream with different types of Dips. Staff is friendly and they move quickly. My…read morewife loves their stuff, she went there multiple times. Worth trying at least once.

Paillard is a MUST if you love French pastries or any french food for that matter! The cases are a…read morestream of breads, cookies, croissants, rolls, macaroons, sandwhiches, quiche and the list goes on! I heard about this place so of course I went in. It's hard to pick as each item looks better than the last. Sticking with the basics though, croissant, almond filled croissant and a hazelnut roll. Oh my gosh. The almond filling was amazing. Like a marzipan but lighter and more almond flavor. Generously filled into a sliced croissant. The hazelnut roll;similiar to a cinnamon roll but an elevated taste with real hazelnut paste. Basically everything in that bakery is top drawer as they are using pure ingredients. Definitely stop in and try anything. No disappointments only regrets that you eat more!

Fresh is best and Paillard does this so right! We were checking out of our hotel and looking for a…read morequick breakfast to grab before heading to the airport. The place is huge when you walk in, lots of places to sit and enjoy you baked good. We got coffees to go and two cheese croissants and a toasted smoked salmon bagel. The cheese croissants were fresh, fluffy, buttery and layered. They just do pastries better in QC than home (Vancouver). The cheese was nicely distributed through the croissant too. My salmon bagel was also a star! So fresh, good toppings and great crunch. The bagel was chewy and delicious too. Service was fast and we enjoyed everything we had!

Huge variety of ingredients and food, mostly specialty goods like jams, seasonings, cheeses and…read morecured meats. Some fried goods and snacks as well. Prices are reasonable compared to other specialty grocery stores around this area.

This Epicerie it's one of the oldest and most comprehensive specialty food preparations, cured…read moremeats, and cheeses, located in Old Quebec City. It is my second visit and to come in assortment of the greens, cured meats, special cheese and marmalades.