Quebec City, Quebec, a predominantly French-speaking province in Canada, sits on the Saint Lawrence River. The UNESCO World Heritage site has become well-known over the last few years for its spectacular three-day-long New Years Eve celebration. Naturally, I had to visit.

Stay

Auberge Saint Antoine

Auberge Saint Antoine is a luxury, boutique hotel located in Old Quebec City on a quiet street off of Le Champlain, the main retail and dining strip. The hotel and its immediate surroundings are quaint and historic, and the hotel is even set up like a small museum with local artifacts and information. We had such a lovely stay here with many thanks to the staff and amenities. Our room was very spacious; there was a hallway with closet space and a fully stocked mini-bar, a master bathroom with two sinks, a large tub, a huge walk-in shower, and a king size bedroom. Two french doors opened to views of the Saint Lawrence River which was frozen but incredible to see. Whenever we’d return back to our room, there had been turn-down service, jazz music playing on the stereo, and a sweet of some sort. The hotel bar and lounge were also cozy and welcoming.

Eat & Drink

Breakfast/Brunch

Cochon Dingue Champlain

First things first: food. After dropping off our bags at the hotel, we walked over to Cochon Dingue Champlain and the line was out the door (a notable sign that the place would be worth the wait). Most of the dishes on the menu were inclusive of both a savory and a sweet side. We got The Country Special and The Delicious One. Both mains were delicious, the potatoes were seasoned really well, and the desserts perfectly complemented each of our meals: a warm apple crepe and cranberry french toast.

Le Pied Bleu

As we do on every trip, we wanted to have a traditional breakfast to the region and decided to visit Le Pied Bleu. The restaurant was behind a curtain of a well-known butcher shop, and the mainly French-speaking staff were extremely kind and helpful. We ordered the Quebecios which included ham, sausage, eggs, and potatoes, and one of the daily specials which included meatballs baked in a tomato sauce with eggs. The coffee, tea, toast and jam were all unlimited and self-serve (just the way we like it!).

Chez Muffy

On New Years Day we had to catch our flight back to NYC, so we decided to do breakfast at the hotel. A lot of guests had mentioned to us that they had really enjoyed it, so we thought, why not? Chez Muffy is the reservation-only restaurant attached to our hotel that both hotel guests and other patrons can enjoy. The restaurant was resembled a beautiful country cabin with flannel couches and comfy arm chairs. There was a fire place in the middle of the room which we had the pleasure of sitting next to. The Sunday brunch was an awesome buffet of artisan cheese and charcuterie boards, eggs almost every way, quiche, breakfast meats, soup, fruit platters, veggies, and pastries. You could even request eggs benedict and a few other dishes made-to-order. This was the perfect end to our stay in Quebec City.

Lunch

Bar Artefact

Bar Artefact was a few steps below the lobby of our hotel and served up a great burger and cocktails. It’s actually known as one of the better cocktail bars in the city. We had to believe this was true, not just from our experience but, because two guests sitting next to us had been sent there by the hotel they were staying at in Montreal (a two and a half hour drive). Their cocktail menu was really well-rounded, and I even had a spiked cappuccino-style drink. (Yum!)

Snack Bar

We were nearing the end of our trip when we realized we hadn’t had poutine yet - a native dish of french fries, gravy and optional additional toppings. We took a cab to what’s considered one of the best poutine eateries in town, Snack Bar, and although we hadn’t tried any others, we were thoroughly pleased with this lardy goodness. We opted for the original poutine and the bacon poutine; both were very low in calories (not), and the perfect savory snack on a cold afternoon in Quebec.

Dinner

Ix Pour Bistro

Hidden in the residential outskirts of Quebec City sits an approximately 20-seat, reservation-only restaurant, Ix Pour Bistro. To say this was the best restaurant I’ve ever been to would be an understatement. This culinary experience is run by two partners who take care of everything from the personal greeting upon entry to the cooking and delicate plating. The chef prepares a new menu daily, and the extensive wine list was written across the four chalkboard painted walls that encompass the space. We were given a thorough walk-through of both the food and wine menus by the maitre' d/sommelier. We each had the signature Loretta French onion soup (the chefs grandmothers recipe) which is everything you never knew you needed in a bowl of soup, a lamb shank with feta cheese topping, pork belly, and for dessert a foie gras unlike any other. You can truly feel the amount of care, love and appreciation for their craft in every bite and sip. (#mouthwatering)

Le Champlain (at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac)

The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is a historic, castle-like hotel perched on a hill in Old Quebec City. We made reservations at their signature restaurant, Le Champlain, and had the most perfect seats overlooking the snow falling over a quiet town square. Our meal was good, and the service and view were great, which made for a really romantic evening.

Drinks

1608 Wine and Cheese Bar

We were able to score hard-to-come-by seats at the bar next door to Le Champlain, 1608 Wine and Cheese Bar. The music was great and the cocktails were excellent. It was a perfect, lively night out for couples, but I would recommend it for a girls-/guys-night-out, as well.

L'Oncle Antoine

L'Oncle Antoine became our go-to spot for cozy, casual drinks and light bites. They had a great beer list, a few wines, great cocktails and shots of maple whiskey. The entire bar was arched with stone-covered walls, flannel blankets and two fires roaring.

Things to Do

Explore the Old City

We spent the day (trying) to walk the city. With temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, it was hard to stay outside for more than 5-10 minutes at a time, but, believe it or not, this made the trip that much more charming. Having to pop into coffee shops, bars, libraries, and stores along the way to warm up allowed us to explore more places than we likely would have.

Siberia Station Spa

Wanting to end 2017 on a great note and start the new year off right, we knew we needed a spa day on this trip. We found Siberia Station Spa which is an indoor and outdoor spa including ice cold waterfalls, hot tubs, infrared saunas, and a natural creek. There is also a cafe on premise providing coffee, snacks, and sandwiches. The spa provided a robe, but you have to bring your own swimsuit and sandals. The idea is to jump from hot, to cold, to steam for ample wellness, so we went from hot tub, to waterfall (ice bath), to sauna, and did that over a few times. It seemed a bit crazy at first, but was incredibly rejuvenating and made for a really fun memory.

New Years Eve

The grand finale of our heartwarming trip to Quebec City was New Years Eve. The town square completely shuts down with rides, outdoor ice bars and a huge street-wide fair and party. We had reservations at L'Atelier which had great food and turned into a club closer to midnight.

Transportation

We flew Air Canada from JFK to Montreal, a 1 hour and 45 minute flight, and transferred to a smaller flight to YQB (Quebec City), which was about another 40 minutes. Overall, the trip was smooth and I would recommend flying over driving from NYC if you're pressed for travel time.