Last Updated on February 11, 2023 by MacNaughtan
Fancy grocery stores in Quebec City are my kryptonite. Sure, the aesthetic is appealing, but it’s more about the food selection and quality. Walking in the door and feeling the possibilities, despite my current culinary skill level. Triggering a foodie travel memory, or something from my childhood.
As a lover of food, a trip to the grocery store is not a chore, it’s a full-on adventure. Add a fancy grocery store with all of its possibilities, and I’m basically entering Heaven. God, I love a bougie ass grocery store!
While we do not have über fancy grocery stores in Quebec City (thankfully, my bank account cannot afford those), we do have some fabulous fancy ones stocked with gourmet foods, Québec terroir, artisanal cheeses, seafood, charcuterie, and International foodstuffs.
One of the best parts about these fancy grocery stores in Quebec City is that you never know what treasures you’ll find; sushi kiosks, a floor-to-ceiling cheese cave, a restaurant known for its succulent lobster meals.
here are my favourite fancy grocery stores in quebec city!
marché adonis
neighbourhood: lebourgneuf • 1700, rue bouvier • 581-890-9994 • groupeadonis.ca/en • delivery available • getting there: take a bus to galleries de la capitale and walk across to adonis. buses 61, 70, 75, 82, 85, and 185.
Have you ever walked into a grocery store and felt as giddy as a kid in a candy store? If you have, then you’ll understand the adrenaline that started pumping through my veins when I walked into Marché Adonis. A produce department sprinkled with hard-to-find items such as green almonds and honey dates.
Then there is the seasoned nuts counter, cheeses, labneh, and Lebanese Tzatziki. A bakery making pita bread, a pâtisserie, and beautiful displays of glistening baklava choices. When I noticed I could also buy shawarma wraps (or plates), I grabbed my friend’s arm and gasped with delight.
Spending a summer in the Mediterranean would be heaven, but if I have to stay home and settle for cooking Mediterranean food, I’m so happy there is a Marché Adonis in Quebec City.
iga de boischatel
where: boischatel • 3373, rue de l’hétrière • 418-872-4113 • iga.net/en • delivery available • getting there: driving is best, but you can take bus 800 to montmorency falls, then walk 7-10 mins to the store.
When a local B&B owner told me I could have a succulent lobster dinner at a grocery store restaurant, I was skeptical. In my experience, grocery stores with restaurants usually have mediocre food, and they rarely serve lobster.
IGA Boischatel is definitely one of my favourtie fancy grocery stores in Quebec City (it’s technically not in the city, but it’s in the Quebec City Region). The restaurant, Rachelle-Béry health boutique, and mini Chocolat Favoris on the second are definitely reasons to shop at this IGA, but there are more delights on the main floor.
This is one of my go-to grocery stores for Quebec terroir. Sure the meat department is quite good, but I’m more interested in the selection and quality of cheeses (especially those from Quebec), not to mention the seafood and sushi. The boulangerie/pâtisserie are known for their custom cakes and other sweet treats. The selection of hot sauces, herbs, spices, and International ingredients ignite my tastebuds every time I visit.
provigo le marché
neighbourhood: charlesbourg (quartier 4-6) • 4545, boul henri-bourassa • 418-622-7070 • provigo.ca • delivery available • getting there: buses 28, 39, and 803 have stops nearby
This is definitely the more beautiful Provigo in the Quebec City area, as well as one of the largest. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with deliciousness. The pâtisserie is filled with sweet treats that catch your eye before you step a foot near the fresh produce. True to Loblaws stores of its size across Canada, Provigo Le Marché has a deli serving hot and cold prepared foods, and the produce area also features prepared salads and fruit platters.
Their seafood section is large and fresh, but my eyes are drawn to the words Charcuterie where a large selection of cured meats can be found (Sadly, the meat behind the window is fake), and one cannot miss the massive wall of cheese. I mean, the cheese cave alone pledged my allegiance to this fancy grocery store in Quebec City.
The store’s Boucherie and poissonnerie are excellent, as is the health and wellness section. The Joe Fresh section is small, but a nice little bonus. This is my go-to for gourmet President’s Choice items, cheeses, big fresh salads, and non-perishables that are hard to find elsewhere.
avril supermarché santé
neighbourhood: lebourgneuf • 1033, rue des rocailles • 418-425-0255 • avril.ca/en • delivery available • getting there: driving is best, but you can take buses 64, 65, 85, and 185.
While all of the grocery stores above have healthy food sections, Avril is one of the biggest fancy grocery stores in Quebec City that is 100% focused on health and wellness. If you’re a vegan, vegetarian, celiac, or just someone who wants a large selection of healthy foods, this is the place to shop!
Bright and airy, Avril has all things healthy. When open, the Avril Bistro is a dreamy place for a healthy meal. One of the few places in Quebec City that caters to a variety of diets and food restrictions. Dine-in or grab some take-away, either option is yummy. The shelves are filled with plant-based foods and ingredients, and their gourmet food selections almost break my bank account, but are so worth the money!
The beauty department is remarkable, and I love the variety of non-toxic cleaning supplies available. Oh, and don’t get me started on all of the teas! (The coffees are quite wonderful, too).
