Roavina
Plan a trip
Poutine

City guide · Quebec City

What to Eat in Québec City: A Practical Food Guide

Plan what to eat in Québec City with poutine, regional traditions, four checked venues, plant-based options, dietary details and meal-period advice.

Photograph · Camelia.boban · CC BY-SA 4.0

Editorial responsibility: Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

This guide is part of our Quebec City destination coverage. Quebec City

Québec traditions to look for on current menus

Start with poutine, regional comfort food and a maple-based sweet when exploring food in Québec City. These belong to Québec's wider food traditions, not to an exclusive list of dishes invented in the city. The official tourism guide describes poutine as fries and fresh cheese curds with hot gravy, alongside cretons, baked beans, pea soup and meat pie. Use those names to understand a menu, then choose what actually suits your appetite. (Québec City traditional foods, checked 2026-09-29)

Poutine can be the main meal rather than an automatic side. Start with the classic idea if you want to understand the combination, then compare an operator's added toppings or a plant-based version. Ask which gravy, cheese or alternative is used before ordering if the preparation matters. A regional dish name does not make every version identical, and the exact plate is a question for the restaurant.

Breakfast introduces another part of the tradition. Cretons is a cold pork spread, while fèves au lard is a bean dish traditionally containing pork, with maple-syrup versions described by the tourism guide. A vegan interpretation changes the ingredients while retaining a connection to the food idea. Don's brunch menu explicitly offers lentil cretons and maple baked beans, making that distinction concrete. (Don menu, checked 2026-09-29)

Maple also belongs to the region's wider food experiences, including spring sugar-shack traditions. A sweet course or maple product can be a smaller introduction than a separate outing. Choose one substantial regional food and one different experience, rather than assuming every restaurant must serve a full collection of traditional dishes. A comfort-food meal, a café break and a plant-based dinner serve different needs in a visit.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.quebec-cite.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.quebec-cite.com

Fit the meal to Old Québec or Avenue Cartier

Café-bistro

Source and date: Café-bistro
https://www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca/fr Checked 2026-09-29 Dated information; check the source before travelling
Not recorded
Café Krieghoff separates breakfast, regular food and drink menus.
Source and date: Café Krieghoff separates breakfast, regular food and drink menus.
https://www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca/fr/menus Checked 2026-09-29 Dated information; check the source before travelling
Order
Not recorded

The four verified venues are all in Québec City, but they fit different parts of a day. Le Chic Shack is on Rue du Fort opposite Château Frontenac. Poutineville Vieux Québec is on Avenue Honoré-Mercier near Place d'Youville. Don is on Rue du Sault-au-Matelot, while Café Krieghoff is on Avenue Cartier. Use the street address when comparing your route rather than relying only on a broad old-city label. (Le Chic Shack, checked 2026-09-29, Poutineville Vieux Québec, checked 2026-09-29)

For an Old Québec comfort-food stop, decide whether the meal centers on poutine or a burger. Le Chic Shack's menu gives a casual burger choice, while Poutineville organizes the visit around poutine. There is no need to schedule both as full meals on the same afternoon. If comparing versions interests you, choose portions and the rest of the day's food accordingly.

Don is the plant-based restaurant option. Match it to the intended lunch, dinner or brunch rather than treating the restaurant's whole menu as one all-day list. Café Krieghoff offers a café-bistro setting on Avenue Cartier, so use it when that area is already part of your route or when the meal itself is the reason to go there. (Don, checked 2026-09-29, Café Krieghoff, checked 2026-09-29)

A sugar-shack visit or regional producer outing is a separate plan from these city meals. The official food-experience guide describes those regional traditions, but this shortlist does not provide a verified rural venue or transport arrangement. Check the location, date and actual experience before adding an excursion. Check the route from your accommodation to the actual restaurant address, and leave time around the meal instead of assuming every stop is equally close.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.lechicshack.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · poutineville.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.quebec-cite.com

Four different meal choices with exact addresses

Le Chic Shack is at 15 Rue du Fort, Québec, QC G1R 3Z8. The operator describes comfort food in Old Québec and lists poutines, burgers and breakfast choices. Its named burger options include Le Chiquito and Le Shack. Use it for a casual seated meal, with ordinary service described as without reservations. Larger-group arrangements have separate conditions, so contact the venue for that situation rather than assuming an ordinary table booking. (Le Chic Shack, checked 2026-09-29)

Poutineville Vieux Québec is at 810 Avenue Honoré-Mercier, Québec City, Quebec G1R 5N4. The branch page describes varied toppings and vegetarian or vegan options, with a linked Québec menu and reservation route. Ask about the exact preparation you want instead of transferring a dish from another branch or an old promotional post. Choose from the current branch menu and ask which toppings suit the meal you want. (Poutineville Vieux Québec, checked 2026-09-29)

Don Vegan is at 97 Rue du Sault-au-Matelot, Québec, QC G1K 3X7. Its operator presents an entirely vegan restaurant and publishes a menu including pouding chômeur and mushroom-hazelnut risotto. Le Brunch Don offers plant-based breakfast components such as lentil cretons and maple baked beans. Select the menu for the meal period, then ask about the current dish you want. (Don, checked 2026-09-29)

Café Krieghoff is at 1089 Avenue Cartier, Québec, G1R 2S6. Its menu page separates breakfast, regular food and drinks, offering a café-bistro option for that part of the city. Ask about the current menu before choosing a specific plate, especially when one preparation is the reason for the visit. Use restaurant booking information separately from the business's hotel arrangements. (Café Krieghoff, checked 2026-09-29)

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.lechicshack.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · poutineville.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.lechicshack.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · poutineville.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca

Choose the portion and the meal period

  • Le Chic Shack describes ordinary service without reservations and separate large-group conditions.
    Source and date: Le Chic Shack describes ordinary service without reservations and separate large-group conditions.
    https://www.lechicshack.ca/ Checked 2026-09-29 Dated information; check the source before travelling

Choose whether poutine is the main meal before adding another substantial order. Ask about the portion and toppings at the selected restaurant, then decide whether you need a side, a burger or simply the poutine itself. A classic preparation and a fully customized plate are different choices; explain which experience you want before ordering. Poutineville's branch page describes a range of sauces and toppings, while Le Chic Shack maintains its own menu. (Poutineville Vieux Québec, checked 2026-09-29, Le Chic Shack menu, checked 2026-09-29)

For breakfast or brunch, check the service period rather than assuming every morning dish is available at dinner. Don's linked menu sets out weekend brunch separately from weekday lunch and other dishes. Its weekend schedule includes a break between daytime and evening service, so a continuous all-day opening assumption can lead to a poorly timed visit. Confirm the sitting you want with the operator. (Don, checked 2026-09-29)

At Café Krieghoff, decide whether the stop is coffee or a full bistro meal. Use the corresponding menu and table arrangement, leaving enough space in the day for the choice you make. A café break does not need to become a second full lunch simply because several dishes sound interesting. (Café Krieghoff menus, checked 2026-09-29)

Follow the selected restaurant's booking model. Le Chic Shack describes ordinary service without reservations and separate arrangements for large groups. Don and Poutineville provide reservation links. Bring a group's preferences together before making the booking, particularly when some diners need specific preparations. This guide records no universal tipping percentage or payment policy across Québec City restaurants; ask about the final bill or conditions at the actual venue.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · poutineville.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.lechicshack.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.lechicshack.ca

Check menu options and explicit restrictions together

Vegan
Don describes entirely vegan food, with possible traces of nuts, soy and gluten noted separately.
Source and date: Don describes entirely vegan food, with possible traces of nuts, soy and gluten noted separately.
https://donresto.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Web_Don_Menu_mai2026-1.pdf Checked 2026-09-29 Dated information; check the source before travelling
Nut allergy
Le Chic Shack says it declines service for nut allergies because products may contain or contact nuts.
Source and date: Le Chic Shack says it declines service for nut allergies because products may contain or contact nuts.
https://www.lechicshack.ca/menu Checked 2026-09-29 Dated information; check the source before travelling

Don identifies its food as entirely vegan, making it a direct plant-based restaurant choice. Its linked menu nevertheless asks diners about restrictions and notes possible traces of nuts, soy and gluten. Vegan food and allergen-free preparation are different questions. Tell the restaurant exactly what you need before selecting a dish, including the sauces, toppings and accompaniments. (Don menu, checked 2026-09-29)

Le Chic Shack's homepage mentions vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Its menu also explicitly says products may contain or have contacted nuts, gluten, dairy or garlic, and that the restaurant will decline service for allergies to those ingredients. Read both statements before deciding it fits your needs. A gluten-free bread option does not erase the operator's stated allergy policy. Contact staff about other restrictions before planning the meal. (Le Chic Shack menu, checked 2026-09-29)

Poutineville Vieux Québec describes vegetarian and vegan options, but the exact gravy, cheese alternative and toppings still need confirmation. Ask about the version you intend to order. Do not adopt a reviewer's claim about a dedicated fryer as an operator guarantee; the branch page includes visitor reviews as well as its own information. Café Krieghoff's accessible menu categories do not establish a particular dietary certification. (Poutineville Vieux Québec, checked 2026-09-29)

For a mixed group, share the current menus before choosing the venue. Explain whether the requirement concerns an ingredient preference, an intolerance or an allergy, then ask what the operator can offer for that sitting. If the restaurant cannot provide the requested arrangement, select another meal plan before everyone travels there. No blanket halal, kosher or allergy-free label is assigned to this shortlist.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.lechicshack.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · poutineville.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.cafekrieghoff.qc.ca

Avoid old promotions and branch assumptions

  • Do not assume Don serves continuously on weekends; it lists a break from 2pm to 5pm.
    Source and date: Do not assume Don serves continuously on weekends; it lists a break from 2pm to 5pm.
    https://donresto.com/ Checked 2026-09-29 Dated information; check the source before travelling

Do not order a Poutineville special simply because it appears in an old article on the branch page. That page includes historical promotions, including a Poutine Week entry, alongside the current location information. Use the linked Québec menu and ask about the available dish for your visit. Make sure a booking or pickup order specifies Vieux Québec at 810 Avenue Honoré-Mercier rather than another restaurant with the same brand. (Poutineville Vieux Québec, checked 2026-09-29)

Do not assume Don is continuously serving between its weekend daytime and evening sittings. The operator publishes a break from 2pm until 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Plan the meal for the actual sitting, and check which menu is served before making brunch the reason for the trip. (Don, checked 2026-09-29)

Do not use Le Chic Shack's listed dietary options as a promise that it accepts every allergy requirement. Its menu has explicit service limits for certain allergies. Resolve those conditions before joining the group for a meal. Likewise, a plant-based restaurant can still use nuts, soy and gluten; Don's menu makes that point directly. (Le Chic Shack menu, checked 2026-09-29, Don menu, checked 2026-09-29)

Finally, keep regional excursions distinct from city restaurant meals. Spring maple traditions do not establish the date or availability of an unverified sugar-shack outing. Pick a regional dish from a current city menu if that fits the day better, then leave a rural visit for a separately arranged plan. Compare the current menus and food included before setting the meal budget, and confirm availability when a particular dish is central to the plan.

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · poutineville.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.lechicshack.ca

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · donresto.com

Checked 2026-09-29 · Official site · www.quebec-cite.com

Common questions

What is poutine?

The official tourism guide describes fries and fresh cheese curds topped with hot gravy. It is a Québec tradition available in Québec City.

Where is the selected Poutineville branch?

Poutineville Vieux Québec is at 810 Avenue Honoré-Mercier, Québec City, Quebec G1R 5N4.

Is Don entirely vegan?

The operator describes an entirely vegan restaurant. Its menu separately notes possible traces of nuts, soy and gluten, so discuss other requirements with staff.

Can I visit Don during the weekend afternoon break?

Its published weekend schedule has a service break from 2pm to 5pm. Choose a daytime or evening sitting and reconfirm before visiting.

Does Le Chic Shack take ordinary table reservations?

The operator describes ordinary service as without reservations, with separate arrangements for larger groups.

Where is Café Krieghoff?

The café-bistro and small hotel are at 1089 Avenue Cartier, Québec, G1R 2S6. Use the restaurant menu and booking information for a meal.

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Quebec City