Chez Carlos Café specializes in authentic Colombian cuisine, centering its menu on traditional preparation methods and regionally inspired flavors. The kitchen focuses on staples such as arepas, empanadas, and hearty meat-based platters that showcase the diverse culinary landscape of the Andean region. Visitors encounter an environment designed for straightforward, casual interaction with South American gastronomy through ingredients like plantains, shredded beef, and savory corn-based doughs. Every dish reflects a commitment to classic flavor profiles, avoiding unnecessary fusion elements to preserve the integrity of national recipes. The establishment functions as a dedicated hub for those seeking genuine, high-quality snacks and robust entrees characteristic of home-style cooking. Consistent execution remains the primary objective, ensuring that each plate delivered maintains structural flavor balance and textural accuracy according to traditional standards of Colombian culinary arts.
Chez Carlos Café is widely regarded as an exceptional destination for authentic Colombian cuisine in Quebec City, frequently praised for its delicious, high-quality, and generous portions. Many patrons describe the restaurant as a hidden gem with a cozy, unpretentious atmosphere that captures the true essence of Colombia through dishes like flavorful empanadas, arepas, and hearty traditional plates. While the dining space is quite small and leads to wait times or requests for takeout, the overall consensus highlights excellent service and a passionate approach to cooking. Although one customer noted a negative interaction with a specific staff member, the vast majority of visitors commend the friendly team and consider this establishment a top-tier choice for those seeking a memorable and authentic Latin dining experience.
We viisted this place on a Sunday afternoon. This was our first time trying Colombian food. We ordered the vegetarian arepa & the picada colombiana-with chicken instead of beef. The place is pretty small & fills up very quickly. We arrived luckily when tables were still available but they got filled & there were 3 families waiting by the time we finished eating. They have two menus, in Spanish & in French. The food is quite healthy & filling I would say. The staff are really friendly, checking with us multiple times if we are enjoying our food. The green sauce was amazingly fresh. The red sauce was quite spicy for our taste. The mango juice was okay.
The only problem was the very loud music in the kitchen & the heat inside the restaurant for me.
I enjoyed trying something new.
Délice absolue!! Tous est tellement bon, coup de coeur pour les empanada végé, le sandwich arepa mixte chorizo & poulet & le spécial de la semaine chaudrée de fruit de mer!
Feb 14, 2026
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La nourriture est authentique & délicieuse. Sans contredit le meilleur restaurant latino que j'ai essayé dans la région de Québec. Le choix d'empenadas est varié & ils sont savoureux & bien croquants. Leur arepa (pain de maïs farcis avec choix de protéines & légumes) était tout simplement parfait & plein de saveurs. Un petit trésor caché à découvrir dans le quartier.
Je me suis enfin arrêté dans ce restaurant colombien de Limoilou. Ça en vaut le détour, croyez-moi.
C'est un endroit très humble & sans prétention. Durant l'été, c'est d'autant plus agréable car on peut y manger sur de petites tables installées à l'extérieur. Il y a un bon choix au menu & il est possible de commander un ou deux plats qui permettent de goûter à chaque élément du menu.
Plats traditionnels colombiens; la cuisine est très bien exécutée : empanadas, chicharon, churasco, arepa, petit pain de maïs & j'en passe... Bref, c'est à essayer absolument !
On n'y va pas pour le décor, l'ambiance ou l'expérience resto; mais bien pour la bouffe.
Notre restaurant préféré à Québec: simple, bon & généreux. On ne manque jamais d'y aller quand on retourne à Québec. & la qualité est toujours là. On a essayé des arepas dans la région de Montréal, rien n'égale ceux de Chez Carlos.
Auténtica comida colombiana sabe a la tierrita!! Mi esposo y nuestra familia vinimos de visita desde Ottawa y definitivamente volveríamos! Nosotros tomamos la bandida paisa, una arepa y las empanadas de carne 1000/10
Vraiment, que de bon repas de la Colombie, la bandeja paisa, estaba excelente, sabrosa, generosa, lis frijoles muy bien hechos tenía 2 carnes, huevo y, chicharrón, 🥑, plátano, frijoles, arroz. Miam miam Las arepas, también muy ricas y la picada excelente
Great place! It's pretty small (about 15 places total) & gets busy around late lunch on weekends. We tasted a little bit of everything & most of it was very tasty! The best were the chorizo (juicy & salty!), The fried (simple patacones) & green plantains were super good as well. The chicharron is a MUST; about 1.5inch thick cut with about 20% meat, 80% fat. Empanadas were nice & crispy, all 3 flavours were good, I preferred the beef one. The pork arepa was incredible! The meat was fatty & juicy & you had the freshness from the vegetables, it was a very nice combo of textures. Churros were crisp & fresh & came with a little dulce de leche dip (one churro & dip per order). The Bandeja Paisa is a big platter for the hungry! The steak (churrasco) was my least favourite, as it was tough, dry & lacked flavour in comparison to all the other dishes. Overall, great place & affordable.
