Food procurement in and around Quebec City

September 1, 2006 10:06 AM

I am flying to Quebec City (via Montreal) for a work trip later this month, and have two questions. I am on a mission to get good Quebec cheese for friends and family - where should I go? And I want to get bagels, help! There is...

I am flying in from Southern Ontario with a stop in Montreal for 1-2 hours before continuing on to Quebec City.

I am under orders to get some fresh cheese while I am there and bring it back - any suggestions on places to go that have a good selection of local cheeses? (bonus points for the best place to get some poutine, which I will eat and not share with anyone)

And I desperately want Montreal bagels, but I've been told there is no point unless you get them in Montreal, they aren't as good anywhere else in QC. True? If it's a Montreal only thing and I have to get them in Montreal, an hour stopover on my way back to Ontario doesn't give me enough time to get into the city from the airport to get them. Is there a place near the Montreal airport that I can get my bagel fix?

posted by Cyrie to shopping (12 comments total)

Define stopover for us a little. If you're not going to be able to get out from the "secured area" of the airport then you are done for. Not possible. If you are allowed to wander a bit then perhaps something can be arranged.
posted by cm at 10:28 AM on September 1, 2006

Sorry, by stopover, I mean that I have to stop in Montreal and transfer planes before continuing on to Quebec City (flying out of Hamilton instead of Toronto means there are no direct flights). On the way there, I have 1.5 hours between flights, on the way back, I would have 2.5 or 1 hours, depending on when I booked. I am not sure if I can leave the airport - I just assumed I would be able to do so, but maybe not (I haven't done a transfer of flights within Canada before).
posted by Cyrie at 11:03 AM on September 1, 2006

St Viateur in Montréal is the BEST bagelry I've ever been to.

Wish I could help with the cheese, though... I lived in Québec City... but only cheese shopped seriously in the banlieus north of Montréal.
posted by silusGROK at 11:04 AM on September 1, 2006

And you're hosed on the transfers...

Planes board 30 minutes before take-off... assume 30 mintes ( at least! ) for travel — one way — between the airport and anywhere worth going... and then the time in security on your re-entry to the airport.

Not enough time.
posted by silusGROK at 11:06 AM on September 1, 2006

It is a little frustrating to be told to bring Montreal specialties back from Quebec City, which although it is only 3 hours by road from Montreal is a quite different town.

I have heard recently that there are bagels available in Trudeau airport, although probably not in the secured area. There are some bagel places in the West Island (the neighbourhoods closest to the airport) but you would not likely be able to find them and get back within an hour.

As for poutine, Quebec has Ashton's, a small chain which is famous for its poutine and doesn't even exist in Montreal.
posted by zadcat at 11:08 AM on September 1, 2006

I second Ashton's for poutine.
posted by penchant at 11:30 AM on September 1, 2006

They recently opened a "dépanneur" in YUL, it's on the ground floor where international arrivals exit (e.g. the right side of the building if you are looking out on to the street). You might find some bagels there.

3rd for Chez Ashton's.
posted by furtive at 12:49 PM on September 1, 2006

( mm.... poutine... )

Ah man! Now I'm craving Mike's Pizza, too.

Not fair.
posted by silusGROK at 12:50 PM on September 1, 2006

As far as the cheese goes, there's always the bottom of the Saguenay fjord, but that might be a little more effort than you're looking to put into it.
posted by Johnny Assay at 2:31 PM on September 1, 2006

You can get Saint Viateur bagels in the airport, but not in the secured area; they're sold at a cafe in the departures area, just before you go through security. If you're willing to go out and come back in, you should be able to find them. The security guards will be sympathetic to your plight if you explain the reason you exited was bagels.
posted by louigi at 2:38 PM on September 1, 2006

In Quebec City there are tons of lovely cheeses to be found. There's the market (Marche du Vieux-Port) which has a fantastic cheese stall with helpful staff who will explain the cheeses and their origins. Next to it is the best sausage maker in the UNIVERSE! (Please bring me some of their vin, eschallots & dijon sausages. I live in Toronto.)

There's also a couple of shops on rue St-Jean that have yummy cheese, including the oldest grocery store in North America, JA Moisan. Both of these locations are frequented by tourists and local residents alike, so they are used to English-speaking people, mostly.

Lastly, if you have time, the ile d'Orleans is just a 10 minute drive from Quebec City. It is legendary in Quebec as home to what I can only describe as artisanal farms.

Please say hello to Quebec City for me!
posted by girlpublisher at 6:07 PM on September 1, 2006

Sorry, forgot to say: here's my favourite place for poutine in Quebec City, if you don't want fastfood -- Bonnet D'Ane.
posted by girlpublisher at 6:13 PM on September 1, 2006