Les Cafes du Soleil is one of the best coffee shops in Quebec City, and it was one of our favourites from our trip to Old Quebec. I first wrote this article in 2014 after our first trip to Quebec City, and I've decided to update it with lots of important information.
First, I'm so grateful to hear that Les Cafes du Soleil is still operating since our first time visiting Quebec City. I fell in love with this cute and cozy coffee shop, and I'm glad to hear that I can sip coffee there on my next trip to Quebec.
When I first wrote this article, Les Cafés du Soleil had no official website, social media presence, or anything like that. Nowadays, they've just launched an online shop so you can order their coffee from home. Back in 2014, it looked like a favourite place among locals and the kind of place that tourists would visit if they knew where to look.
Quebec City Coffee Shops
Established in 1993, Les Cafes du Soleil is located at 143 Rue Saint-Paul in Old Quebec's Lower Town. It's within walking distance from Quartier Petit Champlain, Place Royale, and the waterfront port where you can take the ferry to Levis. When you're feeling tired from walking around all day, treat yourself to an afternoon pick-me-up at this coffee shop in Old Quebec.
Quebec City seems to have a lot of chain coffee shops that you see in every city in Canada. I urge you to stay away from those boring, generic coffee shops and search out those small, independent cafes. Justin and I stumbled upon Les Cafés du Soleil because it was near our hotel in Lower Town. I recommend that you try one of the top Quebec City coffee shops.
Visiting Les Cafes du Soleil
Les Cafes du Soleil has an adorable exterior. Inside, it's a coffee lovers' paradise. You'll notice an assortment of coffee beans from around the world behind the front counter. They serve drip coffee, espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, and freshly baked pastries to satisfy your sweet tooth.
On the opposite wall, there's a large variety of coffee brewing equipment and accessories, teapots, and mugs. If you love tea over coffee, you'll be wowed by over 30 different types of loose leaf teas. As I am a coffee lover, I ordered an Americano that was bold and delicious. There are a few seats indoors and a couple of places outside if you'd like to enjoy the sunshine on the tiny patio.
About the Coffee at Les Cafés du Soleil
If you have the opportunity to try the coffee at Les Cafés du Soleil, you are in for a treat. They roast their coffee beans by hand and have for over 25 years using the TAG roasting method (Torrefazione Artigianale Granito). This method allows you to roast single origin coffee beans to their full potential, allowing for the complete caramelization of its sugars.
It's similar to the fine art of winemaking. Every coffee bean has unique characteristics that it draws from its soil, environment, climate, altitude, and the way it is harvested. The coffee roasters at Les Cafes du Soleil have almost four decades of expertise when it comes to choosing green coffee beans and roasting them to their full potential.
In doing so, they create micro batches of coffee and tea that's harvested with respect to the environment. They also have great relationships with these small tea and coffee growers. When you visit Les Cafes du Soleil, you can enjoy a beverage at the coffee shop or buy some freshly roasted beans to bring home with you.
Enjoying Coffee at Home
You don't need to visit Quebec City to enjoy this coffee at home! Back when I first wrote this article, I figured that I could only taste this delicious coffee in Old Quebec. Nowadays, I can order it online and have it shipped right to my house!
At the online shop for Les Cafes du Soleil, you can order this amazing coffee and ship it anywhere within Canada. Right now, there is free delivery to Ontario and Quebec if you spend over $50. I recently had the opportunity to brew coffee that came from all over the world at home, thanks to Les Cafés du Soleil.
Coffee Beans From Around the World
There are numerous varieties of coffee beans to try at home. Here are a few that you can order:
- Tanzania Kilimanjaro (grown at an altitude of 1700 meters on the volcanic slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro)
- Galapagos Islands (organically grown coffee trees that benefit from a microclimate)
- Papua New Guinea (high quality, well balanced)
- Peru Selva (grown at an altitude of 1600 meters in the Amazonian province of Rodriguez de Mendoza)
- India Black Roast Plantation (from the Shevaroys region of India, grown at 1600 meters)
- Guatemala Antigua Specialized Roast (altitude of 1350 meters on the southern slope of the Antigua Valley)
- Indonesia Flores Watujaji (produced in small quantities by a local cooperative of around thirty families)
There are more to choose from as well. As you can see, you can try coffee from all over the world to discover your favourites. I am currently drinking the Tanzania Kilimanjaro coffee and it's rich, flavourful, and so delicious. It's instantly one of my new favourite coffees.
Whether you are able to visit Les Cafes du Soleil in person or order some of their coffee beans to try at home, you're in for a treat. From one coffee lover to another, you're going to want to sample this coffee ASAP!
If you aren't a fan of coffee or tea, they also have hot chocolate, too! I also love how every bag of coffee beans comes with its own matching square of dark chocolate. Plus, if you love coffee and chocolate, try their chocolate covered espresso beans. Yum!
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Katie says
This shop looks adorable, I am a huge coffee lover as well, and I think Quebec City is a place I really need to visit, SOON!
Katie
Lauren says
You definitely need to go and check it out!!!
Margherita @The Crowded Planet says
Oh my goodness, there are so many kinds of coffee! Unbelievable! I think I could spend the whole day there...
Lauren says
So many different kinds to try! Loved it there!
Raphael Alexander Zoren says
Great place, gotta love the French heritage of Quebec!
Lauren says
Definitely! Great place to walk around and absorb everything around you!
East Meets West Veg says
What a cute place! I am not a big coffee drinker, but I would like to go here.
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
It was super cute! And there were lots of other beverages to enjoy. I wish I had taken note of them more, but I was really focused on drinking my coffee!
Mytanfeet says
I'm actually craving coffee so bad right now and this just made it worse haha
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
Oh I'm sorry!! You will just have to have one! :)
Alli Blair says
This looks like such a quaint and adorable place to enjoy a nice cup of coffee :) Have you ever tried Greek coffee! Now that is some serious grind :)
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
That is so funny that you mention it! I was at a Greek restaurant the other day with Justin and his parents and I saw that there was Greek coffee on the menu...I asked his mom if she knew what it was, and she was guessing it was a really really strong type of coffee or espresso. I haven't tried it, but I would love to! I didn't that day since it was getting to be late at night...but I'll have to for sure at some point :)
Hannah Logan says
Oooh I'll have to tuck this name away. Planning to re-visit in December- thanks for the tip :)
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
Awesome that you're going in December!! :) Oooh I can only imagine how they might have some lights and things out for Christmas? Can't wait to hear about your trip!
Claudia Luxembourg says
Mmmmmmmm coffee! I am an addict myself. There is only one kind of coffee I refuse to drink: instant coffee. As for the rest, I love them all as long as they are good quality ones: Italian style espresso; Italian coffee pot; Turkish coffee; French press; American filter... I even drink decaf so I can have more of it :)
We don't have chain coffees here in Italy (Starbucks, Costa and the rest are LUCKILY not here). But, we don't even have these independent coffee houses that have a million kinds of coffee. We have several kinds of coffee in terms of what you can get: espresso, macchiato, macchiato freddo, corretto, al vetro, lungo, etc... In our culture, a coffee is more of a fast thing: get inside a "bar", order an espresso, gallo it down (well, it is hardly a sip) then leave.
You may have given me a good business idea :D
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
Well, if you end up opening a coffee shop, I will have to come by to visit! :) I've been reading about coffee in Italy, what is acceptable to order, how it is usually drank standing up by the bar, and so on...very interesting, and very different from here! I like all sorts of coffees as well, I don't ever have the instant variety either, I like a better quality one :)
Karyn @ Not Done Travelling says
Guys I'm so sorry I've been AWOL from commenting! I've been obsessed with my studies and it's taken me a little while to get back around to everybody! Hopefully I'll be able to comment a little more now.
Anyway, this looks like such a beautiful little coffee shop! I think that crappy coffee is abhorrent, so any place that gets it right gets a big thumbs up from me. Plus, I think it's amazing for a business to have neither a website nor a Facebook page in 2014. They are clearly doing something right if their business is thriving without these things!
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
Oh my goodness no worries at all! I feel like I've been slacking lately in the comments department on blogs as I've been really busy too! I've also been sick the last couple of days with this awful cold that leaves me feeling weak and like not doing anything at all...blah! I was quite amazed to see that they had no website or Facebook page, but they must be doing great business just via locals and word of mouth!
Megan Claire says
I'm really not a coffee drinker, though I would sit down for a cup of hot chocolate with those street views!
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
I'm sure they make a great hot chocolate there! :)
Chris Boothman says
Love my morning coffee and always like to find local establishments when traveling. This looks like a spot right up my alley for a morning mocha or latte!
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
Sounds delicious and I think this would be a great spot for it!
Reasons to Dress says
Looks like a beautiful place to stop in for a coffee and the selection is so BIG! In so many ways I agree with you about wanting coffee rather than alcohol. A good coffee leaves you satisfied in a way that a drink cannot.
Great photos as usual!
Lauren | Justin Plus Lauren says
Thank you! I do love my coffee and glad you agree with me on the coffee vs alcohol thing :)