People always ask me,"what should I bring back from Québec city? I want to add new things to the typical list that you can find in other website
Here is a list of ideas with some unusual things to bring back home from your trip.
Enjoy!
Local Beer
If you have any relatives or friends who happen to be beer enthusiasts, you can't miss the opportunity to bring back great microbrews from here.Some happen to be award winning beers ! Few of my personal local favorites are those from le Noctem, Emporium,les Grand bois or any from BG Brasserie Urbaine . If you like hoppy Ipa and you see any Messorem,bas canada or Sir john take it. Most of the grocery stores now have a selection of local microbrewery/brewery beer. Those you you might see the most are Unibroue,Archibald,St-Ambroise,Boréal and le Trou du Diable.
You can get a larger selection in certain specialized beer stores in the old part of town.
Here are a few of them:
Around old Québec and lowertown
L'axe du Malt 601 rue D'aiguillon,G1R 1M6
La Duchesse D'Aiguillon 469 rue Saint-Jean, G1R 1P3
La Place 699 rue Saint-Joseph est, G1K 3C1
Je bois Local (Cartier) :1033, avenue Cartier, Québec G1R 2S3
Supérette 411 Rue Saint-Vallier O, G1K 1K7
Some other great outside of the Old Town:
L'Impact 1600 4e Avenue, G1J 3C3 L'axe du Malt (Charlesbourg) 5350 Boul. Henri-Bourassa, G1H 6Y8
Le monde des bières 13 Rue Marie-de-l'Incarnation, G1M 3J4/ Beauport ,340-A, rue Seigneuriale/ Neufchâtel 9210, boulevard de l'Ormière
ChaLou 1013 Avenue Lapierre, Québec, QC G3E 1H8
ChaLou Grand marché 250-M Boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec, QC G1L 5A7
ChaLou Beauport 2218 Boulevard Louis-XIV, Québec, QC G1C 1A2
Je bois Local (Hamel): 7649 Bd Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec, QC G2G 1C3
Je bois local (Charlesbourg) :8379, boul. Henri-Bourassa, local 116 G1G 4E1
Je bois local (Val Bélair) :1058, boul. Pie-XI Sud, Québec G3K 1L2
Tite Frette (3e avenue) 497 3e Ave, G1L 2W2
Tite Frette (Maguire): 1396 Av. Maguire, G1T 1Z3
La boite à bières 1209 Rte de l'Église, G1W 3N9
Dépanneur de la rive 4328 Rue Saint-Félix, G1Y 1X7
They know the products well and will help you find the perfect gift for every palet.You could also buy beer glasses or even a taster pack with includes a couple of different beers.Guaranteed to provide moments of discovery back home!If you so desire you could also bring back a growler home straight from the brewery.
Poutine Sauce
Poutine is by far the most famous food in Québec.
If you dont know what it is, here is this not-so-secret recipe:
Quite simply, it is made from a combination of french fries, local cheese curds and a special gravy sort-of sauce.
When you first glance at it, it doesnt look that beautiful. It is a different story however after few bites. It is absolute bliss (at least for my stomach). If you feel a bit nostalgic after a trip, go to any grocery store in town and get yourself poutine powdered sauce (1-2$ per bag) to cook yours at home!
Did you know that poutine is so infamous in Québec that if you go to Macdonalds you can have one..And you know what? Im loving it ! ;) ( yeah very bad joke )
I will soon make a blog post about the best poutine in Québec city.
I hope I won't die of eating too much.
Also, there few grocery stores that sell poutine that you can make in your microwave.... I suggest you...to... NOT buy those one. Poutine is already not that healthy, do you really want to get a sad untasty one? I tried two of two différent and I'm still making nightmare once a while about them.
l'Intermarché 850 Rue Saint-Jean,G1R 1R3 / 272 Rue Saint-Joseph Est G1K 3A9
Métro Plus 860 Boulevard Charest E, G1K 8S5 Any grocery store
Gin/Ice Cider/Wine/Maple Liquor
The only place you can find liquor is at the exclusive provincial liquor store called SAQ (Société des alcools du Québec).Great various selection of local wines and Ice cider.Maybe it will sound surprising but if you are a gin lover you cannot pass on one of my personal favorites, which is named Ungava. It is distilled using herbs from the Ungava Peninsula.
Plenty of gin is produce here and many great one like la Radoune from Gaspésie,Trait carré from Charlesbourg,St-Laurent from Rimouski. You can also get some liquor like Sortilège a whisky made with maple syrup. Coureur des bois a cream beverage made with maple syrup is also a local favorite. During the winter carnaval of Québec, people often drink a wine based liquor named caribou! It keep us quite warm.
You can find a SAQ at a short walking distance out of the Gate Saint-Jean and also one at 1 minute from the Via Rail train Station la Gare du Palais.
SAQ 853 Rue Saint Jean G1R 1R2
SAQ 400 boulevard Jean Lesage G1K 8W1 (best location near old Québec) SAQ Grand marché 250-M Boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec, QC G1L 5A7
If you have rent a car,you can go to SAQ all over the city.
Maple syrup product
It is an inevitable must for anybody that love the sweet taste.Québec is the undisputed maple syrup capital of the world. It is known that we produce about 72% (2014) of the world's yearly supply. More than 90% of the domestic production in Canada.Québec hosts over 13 500 maple syrup producers! The history of this sweet treasure start with the native tribe of North america (way before the coming of the european ).
You can find maple syrup product in all souvenir shop and grocery store also. If you have a car,go see the real sugar shack and buy from them!
La Petite Cabane à Sucre de Québec 94 Rue du Petit Champlain, Québec, QC G1K 4H4
l'Intermarché 850 Rue Saint-Jean,G1R 1R3 / 272 Rue Saint-Joseph Est G1K 3A9
Métro Plus 860 Boulevard Charest E, G1K 8S Any grocery store or almost anywhere in old quebec
Credit photo instagram Fred Jourdain
ART
Quebec city is full of amazing and passionate artist.You can put your picture in a frame but have you ever think to bring piece of art instead ? It help the local economy and also the artist as well.Most of them are freelance painter and illustrator.They have their small business and they are really good at it! Dont ask me to do drawing Im only good to do stick man ! You can buy art in various location in the city! From coffee shop,to microbrewery...and ofc art gallery Dont miss to walk over la rue du trésor (in summertime) at 1 minutes away from le château Frontenac.Also have a look at the amazing art gallery over Saint Pierre and Saint Paul street! If you want to get a bit of the beaten path go at
Trafiquants d'art 975A 3e Avenue, Québec G1L 2X2 It is a must and the 3rd avenue is a great part of the city
First Nation spice blend and product
Another great idea that you can get.A spice blend named les épices du guerrier a quite tasty condiment to enhance your cooking. It's composed of boreal herbs and spices, which are harvested by hand from native lands. In addition to maple sugar, Quebec Dunes pepper, and Myrique Beaumier, this tasty blend will enhance meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables.There many various product that you can try.
You can get those at their store at le grand Marché de Québec and in somes grocery store
250 Bd Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec, QC G1L 5A7
Also
Have yourself a day trip to Wendake, learn about the first nation there but also have a look at various artisant shop. You can get yourself a unique gift hand crafted art that was teached from one generation after the other.From winter boots to snowshoe to Indigenous art and craft objects. These will be pure authentic and not those manufactured objects that can sometimes be found in souvenir shops. Here is a link for more information
Celebration cookie
Biscuit Leclerc is a very old and well established company in Québec city.
It started in 1905 and now it's a pretty big company well known.
They have a ton of products and one of them its named Celebration. Families' favorite cookie, these are delicious. As you look on the box, you can see clearly see the frontenac castle which is iconic to Québec city .Why not bring a box back home and share it with your friends? You can find them at any grocery store for few bucks (3-5$).
l'Intermarché 850 Rue Saint-Jean,G1R 1R3 / 272 Rue Saint-Joseph Est G1K 3A9
Métro Plus 860 Boulevard Charest E, G1K 8S5
Jos Louis
Jos Louis are a famous pastry known by most Québecers. All those who know it love the cake!
It is two red velvet cake filled with cream covered with a milk chocolate shell.
It was invented in 1932 and mostly know to appear on various publicity before (Like this one ) La petite vie one of the most famous tv show of Quebec.The bakery originates from Sainte-Marie de Beauce, and has many other great products like Ah Caramel! 1/2 Lune etc…You can bring back a box of 6 Jos Louis for 4$ in any grocery store (We have such awesome grocery stores no?)
l'Intermarché 850 Rue Saint-Jean,G1R 1R3 / 272 Rue Saint-Joseph Est G1K 3A9
Métro Plus 860 Boulevard Charest E, G1K 8S5
Vintage poster/Magnet picture and Antique
Old quebec memorabilia can be just the thing for the nostalgic one. You can find all sorts of them at Rock'n'livre on Saint Joseph Street (saint-roch district,cool area).Perfect for vintage afficionados. Some of the pictures sold there could be amazing adorning your wall!
Rock'n Livre 762 Rue Saint-Joseph Est, G1K 3C3 Magasin Général P L Blouin 1196 Rue Saint-Jean, Québec, QC G1R 1S7 Many antique store on rue saint paul also
Anything from souvenir shop
The old town is filled with tons of souvenir gift shops. Of course it is very touristic oriented but even I bought a few for fun. For example, I have gotten a Poutine t-shirt .There somes fun old québec shooter glass and an old postcard that depicts the city as it was long ago. Book that explain our Expression and slang that we use daily. Get yourself a historical book about the city to read on your way back home. It will bring you a moment of Nostalgie! I have also acquired a car licence plate with the official moto of Québec «Je me souviens»
(I remember), which is what all the license plates here all say. I couldn't afford the car, so I just got the plate!
You can add also to that list:
Local products made in Québec in Little Champlain Streets (from goat cheese to clothes and wood product ) or Saint Joseph Street (From local music artist cd and vinyl to second hand vintage store)
Soon to be updated in 2023