Next Stop, Poutine! Your In-Depth Quebec City Food Tour Guide

Where can you find poutine AND fine wine? On a Quebec City food tour, of course! We're reviewing two of the most popular options - as well as giving you the inside scoop on our favourite Quebec City bed and breakfast.

Complimentary participation in these Quebec City food tours was offered to attendees of the Women in Travel Summit. This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through said link, we'll be paid a small commission and we thank you for your support.

When you think of Quebecois food, does your mind wander to old fashioned fare with a heavy emphasis on maple syrup and local delicacies? Or maybe you're craving less wholesome treats like a heaping plate of poutine? Perhaps your tastes are a bit more refined, with a eye towards wine and French joie de vivre? If you're like me and want a little bit of everything, your best bet is a Quebec City food tour so that no category is left out. Happily, when I was in Quebec City for the Women in Travel Summit, I participated in not one but two fantastic foodie experiences. Read on to hear about each tour, including what I loved, what I felt could have been improved, and my favourite stop on each. Plus there's a bonus review of my favourite Quebec City bed and breakfast which I know you'll like as much as I do!

Discover my top choice for the best Quebec City food tour (and it isn't even really IN the city!)

The first Quebec City food tour I participated in was organized by the Quebec Bus Tour company. Their "Taste Trail" tour lasts 3-3.5 hours and focuses on Île d’Orléans, an island of 7,000 people just outside Quebec City. The tour costs about $45 per person and includes a total of six stops. Of all my Quebec City foodie experiences, this tour was my favourite.

There were several things about this tour that I really appreciated. Getting picked up and dropped off in the heart of Old Quebec City couldn't have been easier and, while you can independently drive around Ile d’Orléans and visit the different shops and food producers on your own, it was really nice to have a fun, welcoming, knowledgeable guide take care of logistics.

We got a true sense for the island as our guide, JC, gave us behind the scenes info, answered all of our questions, and pointed out lots of interesting little things along the way. Here's one that surprised me: Ile d’Orléans is a microclimate and enjoys three extra growing weeks in the autumn. As such, it's known as the "Garden of Quebec", with potatoes, strawberries, and apples as the largest crops. 

I appreciated that we visited a mix of businesses selling traditional Quebecois products such as maple syrup and cider, as well as those that were more unexpected, like the shop that specialized in European style nougat or another that served very modern and trendy coffee. ​And while I'm not a big shopper, especially when I travel, I found plenty of temptation on this tour. At every stop there were irresistible indulgences. I treated myself to a box of funky chocolates in unusual flavors to enjoy during the conference, a beautiful new canvas tote bag (this was a necessity as I left my laptop carrier at home!), some mouthwatering apple butter, and more. 

In fact, I enjoyed the tour so much that I'd not only enthusiastically recommend it, I'd also suggest making it a priority even if you had just two days in Quebec City. It made me realize that I've always focused on learning about the best cafe or restaurant Québec has to offer  when there's so much more to discover if you dig a bit deeper. Without a doubt, this tour made me appreciate the region on a whole new level. However, there were a few annoying things that I would love to see changed in the future.

I understand that on food tours you should only expect samples, not full meals. However, I've never before been on a tour where I hadn't been stuffed at the end. That wasn't the case here- you should definitely eat your breakfast before this Quebec City food tour! While the samples were generous at many locations, sometimes they didn't feel that different from what you'd experience if you came in on your own. What winery doesn't offer tastings? What jam shop doesn't allow for samples? At many locations I didn't feel like we were getting something  unique  beyond what the average drop-in guest would have.

And - if I'm being totally honest here - a few of the locations could have been more generous. We had just one chocolate in the chocolate shop and we had to pay an extra $1 to sample ice wine at the winery. I wish the tour provider could have flexed their negotiating muscles when designing the program to make these particular stops feel a little less scant and utilitarian.  

The tour is very focused on sweet products and on alcohol. Normally that isn't a cause for concern but there really wasn't a single savory bite on the tour. If you're expecting candy and jam and wine, you'll be very happy. But if you're anticipating more of a balance of flavors you might be feel that something is missing and be extra hungry come lunch time. 

Overall, all of the stops had their own unique highlights and I don't want to spoil the itinerary for any future guests. But I do want to mention my favourite stop on the Ile d’Orléans food tour because I think you'll love it too: Cassis Monna et Filles.

My favourite Quebec City food tour stop on Ile d’Orléans: Indulging my passion for purple at Cassis Monna et Filles

Of all the irresistible Quebec City food tour stops on Ile d’Orléans, my favourite was Cassis Monna et Filles, where black currants reign supreme. If you adore all things purple, you're going to swoon over this sweet stop. The family has been in the liquor and wine trade for five generations but they're definitely not old fashioned.  It's hard not to fall in love with their delightful purple tractor or their beautifully designed store and tasting center. Everything was so photogenic and their products are even lovelier still! We sampled all three of their black current wines, as well as multiple compotes, jams, and spreads.

I enjoyed their Crème de Cassis so much that I picked up a bottle to bring home, as well as several containers of mustard, black currant-onion compote, and a package of black currant granola. I actually regret not doing MORE shopping (and that means something, coming from a non-shopper like me) because there were so many perfect items for future gift giving.

The urban experience: From cafe to museum to restaurant, Québec City's ultimate foodie adventure tour awaits.

If you prefer city to country or if you really want to spend all of your time in and around Old Quebec City, Tours Voir Quebec has an incredible walking foodie tour that you'll really enjoy. With 7 stops and about 15 different tastes, the tour costs about $50 and officially takes 2.5 hours (though with our group it was closer to 3.5).

The only reason this wasn't my top tour choice is because I was so utterly smitten with the rural experience on Île d’Orléans but, truly, if you're searching for an unforgettable Quebec City food tour, you'll really enjoy what Tours Voir Quebec has to offer. 

Our guide, Clarisse, couldn't have been more welcoming or friendly and she was brimming with hometown pride. Throughout the experience, she kept bumping into people she knew, like a neighbour and new friends she made on a previous tour that morning. As a result, the experience didn't feel touristy at all - it was like a local was giving us the inside scoop on THEIR city, which I loved.

I also really enjoyed that there was a nice balance of sweet and savory treats on this tour. We had an absolute overdose of all things maple at one stop, but at another we had rich, savory deep fried sweet potato fritters with a curry mayonnaise sauce. We had yummy small bites that included a roasted chicken pate and cubes of smoked salmon, while a chocolate boutique and a sampling of urban honey balanced things out once again. 

If new trends, hip menus, and popularity are what you look for in a restaurant, Québec City has come a LONG way in the past 5 plus years and I'm so glad that the tour included a few visits to decidedly trendy, much in demand stops. At one, La Buche, there's a very modern take on the traditional Quebec "sugar shack" experience where our group sampled Kalibu, a modern version of an old time drink favored by loggers and hunters. In bygone years, caribou blood was mixed with wine, whisky, and herbs and drank to fortify oneself against the cold. The modern, commercial product is blood free (so I'm told!) and is similar to a fortified wine. Quebec City is famous for it's annual winter Carnaval, and our stop at La Buche did a good job of capturing the festive spirit and keeping it going year round.

Another trendy location, Le Moine Échanson, is tiny organic wine bar with an ever changing food menu and an outstanding wine collection unrivaled in the city. It's the kind of place where you tell the staff about your wine preferences and they bring out things they think you'll like and will keep trying until they find the perfect fit. And its awesome! 

Like nearly all Quebec City food tour experiences, our group met at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. The tour started not with food but with a thorough lesson in Quebec history set around the landmarks by the hotel. It really set the stage for letting our group know why certain locations are still important in the city's culture, even to this day. It felt like two tours in one, an exceptional value. However, I really wish I had known this before the tour started!

Once again, while I knew that food tours aren't meant to be a substitute for full meals, my previous experience has always been that that samples are huge and plentiful. I was expecting food and I was expecting it soon! But it was a good 45 minutes before we had our first sample and the first few stops offered only bite sized fare. Following that, our maple-themed stop presented copious amounts of maple syrup, butter, candy, and more - all of it delicious - but the second hour was rapidly approaching and I was famished. Hmmmm.... does this sound familiar? Things changed significantly on the second half of the tour, with larger samples of more substantial food (including my favourite stop, which you'll read about in just a minute....) 

This may sound like it's nit-picking but I wouldn't want any of my readers to start the tour without knowing that the food samples don't start right away and, when they do, the first few are the lightest ones. Eat a regular lunch before this tour and maybe stash a granola bar in your bag, just in case. 

One of those more substantial samples I alluded to was a mini order of Quebec's famous poutine. The fries were hot, the cheese curds were fresh and squeaky, but the gravy was vegetarian based. I'm thrilled that they do this so the tour is as inclusive as possible for vegetarians. However, poutine is more commonly served with a beef based gravy. I wanted to mention this for anyone who experiences poutine for the first time on the tour but it wasn't quite what you expected! I'd suggest trying it again with classic gravy (because you can never have enough poutine and that's a fact) before you leave the city.

Cafe, bar, food museum, restaurant - Québec ​City has them all but my vote is for a crêperie

One of my favourite things about this particular Quebec City food tour was that it takes you just beyond the city walls where tourists are few and specialty shops a plentiful. My favourite stop in this area, and in fact of the entire tour, was Crêperie le Billig. I was told that "billig" comes from Scandinavian or German origin and means "cheap" and also that it's the name of the pan that the crepes are cooked in. That might require some investigating! But the traditional buckwheat crepes they serve would have indeed been very economical for early settlers so that part of the story certainly makes sense.

As part of the tour, we were given our own buckwheat crepe with a choice of cheese or ham and cheese filling. They were delicious! The owner couldn't have been more welcoming, telling us that they may be further from Old Quebec but that we were closer to the local people. Judging from other reviews, the secret might be out on this great spot so consider making reservations if you're visiting independently on a tight time frame. 

Curious about where to stay in Quebec City? You're not alone! Learn all about our favourite Quebec City bed and breakfast. 

If you're fretting about where to stay in Quebec City, fear not! I've got the best spot to recommend! Hotel Maison du Fort isn't just my favourite Quebec City bed and breakfast - I think it's also the city's best value. Technically, it's not really a bed and breakfast but more of a small boutique hotel with the friendliness of a homey inn.  With just 9 rooms, it's located on a quiet residential street and you feel like you're a million miles from the tourist drag but in fact you're just a block away. The property is just a 3 minute walk from Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, which was an easy, pleasant stroll to meet up with my conference friends. 

The "standard" category of rooms are the least expensive but they don't feel the least bit ordinary. My room on the ground floor had two walls of windows for great light and street views (with shutters for privacy), a sitting nook, and lovely details like an ornate fireplace.

​The bathroom was tiny but it was perfectly designed, comfortable to use, and the shower had plenty of hot water and great pressure. The towels were thick and fluffy (a hex upon all properties with thin, rough towels!) and I was enamored with a basket of thoughtful bathroom amenities, including make up wipes and a nightlight - how smart is that!?

Hotel Maison du Fort has a cat theme, which of course I absolutely loved, but it is very subtle. Dog lovers, take heart. You won't be overwhelmed! Oscar, the friendly hotel kitty, came to my door to say hello (and I OBVIOUSLY let him in!) but he certainly isn't a nuisance. Topping off the visit was a simple yet wonderful continental breakfast.

Every morning, a small breakfast room offered coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, yogurt, and a choice of a "healthy" breakfast baked good (like muffins or zucchini bread) and a more decadent pastry such as hot-from-the-oven mini chocolate croissants. Trays are available so you can bring your breakfast back to your bedroom and for this reason I highly recommend a room on the main floor so you can easily access coffee refills (and, okay, I'll admit it, pastry refills as well). I really enjoyed this arrangement. It felt like Hotel Maison du Fort had the charm and coziness of a bed and breakfast, with a warm, welcoming owner and plenty of unique touches but I could still enjoy quiet, hotel-esqe mornings by bringing breakfast to my room. Sometimes you just don't feel like chatting with strangers around a common breakfast table! 

Whenever I review and recommend a property, I try to imagine what I'd want to know about if I were the reader. Were there any downsides? Were there any problems? One that comes to mind is that this hotel doesn't have an elevator. This isn't unusual in Old Quebec, but it's an important consideration for some. Another is that I woke up early each morning because of the conference activities so I can't really offer any commentary on whether it was loud or disruptive to be on the main floor, close to the front door. Occasionally I heard people coming and going and it was never intrusive but if you're a light sleeper looking forward to lying in, you might want to take this into consideration. 

All thing considered, I would always choose Hotel Maison du Fort over the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. And I love the Chateau but Hotel Maison du Fort is just *my* kind of place. And I know you'll love it too. (PS You can search forgreat deals on this hotel here.)

It's time to explore! 

Quebec City has long been a favourite destination of mine and I'm so happy I had the opportunity to get to know its food scene - it was a delicious set of discoveries! And I can't wait to hear about your adventures there as well!


If you enjoyed this article, you'll also like:
Romance and Real Budgets in Quebec City
Most Adventurous Things To Do in Saguenay 
Whale Watching in Tadoussac