Visiting Old Quebec in Winter is like stepping into a fairytale wonderland. That’s the first impression we had of this historical Canadian city as wandered around its snow-coated cobblestone lanes.

We travelled to Quebec City just in time for Christmas. The streets were decorated with fern wreaths, mini Christmas trees and fairy lights, and there was a jovial feel in the air. The Quartier Petit-Champlain – home to some of the oldest streets in the city – was very picturesque.

The Breakneck steps are the oldest steps in the city. It’s a great place to stop, take in the view and get a photo.

The Chateau Frontenac is an iconic hotel that sits majestically at the top of the hill near the Quartier Petit Champlain. It can be reached by taking the Funicular or walking up a few flights of steep steps. The castle-like building is a truly magnificent piece of architecture and you can go inside and wander around the lobby if you like.

Here are some of our favourite places to eat from our trip to Quebec:

Le Billig

Le Billig is the place to go if you’re after authentic, home-style crepes and French bistro food. It’s located on the main street of Rue Saint-Jean in the heart of the Saint-Jean neighbourhood, which is about a 10 minute walk outside the gates of Old Quebec.

Le Billig is known for its sweet and savoury crepes, and there are lots to choose from on the menu. The savoury version is a Breton style crepe, made using buckwheat flour and served with salad. There are classic fillings like ham, egg and cheese, as well as crepes benedict which come with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. We go for the ham, cheese and mushroom crepe. It’s simple and cooked to perfection, with crispy edges and just the right thickness to hold the weight of the fillings. 

The sweet crepes have a wheat flour base which is thinner and lighter than the buckwheat crepes. There are so many delectable dessert options that it’s hard for us to choose just one (such as the La Suzette, which is flambeed with grand marnier; and the La Brulee, which is served crème brulee style). We decide to go for the La Tatin, which is topped with caramelised apple, salted caramel, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. This is heaven on a plate. The crepe itself is light and slightly spongey. The apples have a little bit of bite and the ice cream melts into the caramel to form a sweet, creamy sauce. Yum.

The bistro food is also worth a try. We have the cassoulet, which comes with a melt in the mouth confit duck leg, pork sausages and lamb atop a muddle of beans, tomato and carrot. It’s superb comfort food.

Website: https://www.restaurantji.com/qc/quebec/the-billig-/

L’Entrecote Saint-Jean

You can get your steak frites cravings satisfied at this restaurant inside the heart of Old Quebec. L’Entrecote Saint-Jean specialises in the quintessential French brasserie dish of steak and fries.

The lunch menu offers the best value if you’re after a full meal, as the price includes a soup of the day or a green salad, dessert, and tea or coffee. There are other options available for those who aren’t too keen on steak, like the poultry or fish of the day.

All steaks are cooking to your liking and come with a cute little toothpick on top which tells you how well the steak is cooked. It’s smothered in a secret mustard sauce which is creamy and tangy. The fries are irresistible – they’re thin and crispy and even the soggy ones are great for soaking up all of that special sauce.

These profiteroles are the perfect way to polish off our meal. They’re filled with vanilla ice cream and the chocolate sauce is not too rich or sweet. The toasted flaked almonds add a nice crunch.

Website: http://www.entrecotesaintjean.com/en/

Le Laupin

This restaurant in the centre of the Quartier Petit Champlaon specialises in rabbit dishes. It’s a small, cosy, eatery that exudes warmth and friendliness – a great place to stop for a meal if you’re sightseeing in the area.

Now this is a real french onion soup. Nestled underneath the blanket of melted cheese is a layer of bread croutons, which soak up all of the earthy flavours. The consistency is more like a broth than a thick soup, and there are small, sweet pieces of onion throughout.

We really enjoy this salad – it’s a great way to up our veggie intake after having lots of meals out over the past couple of days.

This is a yummy take on a traditional lasagne. Although the ragu is a little drier than a standard meat sauce, the chunks of duck are tender and tasty.

This hearty dish is perfect for a cold Winter’s day. The grilled pork chop is tender and goes really well with the sweet puree and golden roasted wedges. Yum.

Website: https://www.lapinsaute.com/#/english

Ciel! Bistro-Bar

This revolving restaurant and bar is a wonderful place to enjoy a nice meal and see Quebec from above. We made reservations for dinner on our last night. Sitting on the top level of Hotel Le Concorde, Ciel does one full rotation every 90 minutes, so you’ll get a full 360 degree view of the city while you eat.

Bread is complimentary and comes fresh and warm. It’s dangerously delicious – we try our best not to fill up on too much of it!

This is my first time trying arctic char and I really like it. It’s a slightly oily fish and has a taste and texture similar to that of trout. The accompaniments really help round out the dish – there’s springy lemon gnocchi, sauteed zucchini and mushrooms and a green kale sauce.

The duck is the butcher’s choice special and it’s served rare with a sweet balsamic sauce. There’s a hard, potato-like vegetable in the dish which we later find out is jerusalem artichoke – this is the first time we’ve had it and we quite like the unique texture.

The Mackerel is the fish of the day and comes with veggies and a tasty creamy sauce.

For dessert we share the pistachio creme brulee and chocolate tart. The creme brulee has a wonderful nutty flavour and a smooth, creamy consistency, while the tart is super rich and decadent.

Website: https://www.cielbistrobar.com/#/

Cantook Micro Torrefaction

Cantook café is a cute specialty coffee roaster in the Saint-Jean district. There’s coffee paraphenalia on the shelves and a small area where you can sit and enjoy a cup of coffee. As you’d expect from a speciality roaster, the coffee is delicious. The chai latte is also very good.

Website: https://cantookcafe.com/

Le Paingruel and Boulangerie Epi’Fanny

A morning tea break calls for freshly baked pastries! Paingruel and Boulangerie Epi-Fanny are two bakeries which are not too far from Cantook café. We try the chocolate and pear bread and a chocolate pastry from Paingruel, both of which are rustic, home-style specimens. We also get an almond croissant and pain au chocolate from Boulangerie Epi-Fanny, which have amazing layers and a nice, golden crust.

Casse-Crepe Breton

This is another great place for crepes in Old Quebec. It can get busy at times, but it’s well worth the wait if you’re in the mood for it.

All savoury and sweet crepes can be ordered with either a white flour or buckwheat base. You can build your own crepe or choose from one of the suggestions on the menu. There’s sure to be something to please everyone here!

The savoury crepes come folded into quarters rather than as an open galette. This is the first time I’ve had bechamel in a crepe and I love the creaminess it adds to the filling – it reminds me of a melty ham and cheese toastie. The crepe is crispy and has a nice earthy flavour. There’s a good ratio of filling to crepe.

These dessert crepes are a real treat. They’re the perfect thickness and filled to the brim with a mound of fresh strawberries. The humongous scoop of ice cream melts into a cool, creamy puddle that’s delicious paired with the sweet berries and sauces. It’s a great dessert to share or have all by yourself.

Website: https://www.cassecrepebreton.com/index_en.html

Hungry for more Canada eats? Check out my five favourite places to eat in Montreal here.