Chez Temporel serves as a hub for artisanal sandwich preparation and stone-baked pizza within a classic European-style environment. The establishment focuses on the assembly of pressed sandwiches utilizing crusty, freshly delivered breads and high-quality deli components. Pizzas feature thin, crisp bases topped with balanced tomato-based sauces, melted mozzarella, and selected seasonal vegetables or cured meats. The interior environment emphasizes functional wooden furniture and a focused layout designed for efficient service and straightforward consumption. Patrons interact with a menu defined by traditional cafe staples and consistent culinary execution. This space maintains a high standard of consistency, ensuring that each meal adheres to established recipes and professional food handling protocols. The atmosphere remains centered on the preparation of snacks and light fare intended for immediate consumption by local residents and visitors.
Chez Temporel is a highly regarded, charming bistro tucked away on a quiet street in Old Quebec City, offering an authentic and cozy atmosphere that feels like a local hidden gem. Guests consistently praise the exceptional quality of the French-inspired menu, with standout dishes like the mushroom risotto with duck confit, beef tartare, French onion soup, and fresh seafood selections. While the space is intimate and can become busy, the service is frequently described as warm, professional, and genuinely attentive, making visitors feel welcomed and well-cared for throughout their meal. Although experiences are overwhelmingly positive, with many diners considering it the highlight of their trip, prospective patrons are encouraged to make reservations to ensure a spot in this delightful, well-rated establishment.
Fabulous restaurant not far from the main street.
Staff are attentive & friendly & happy to chat (despite how busy & popular the place is) & help with choices.
We both had French Onion Soup to start - a huge portion & incredibly tasty! We then had bavette & confit duck salad - again fabulous.
If you have room for dessert try the maple syrup pie - delicious!!
Totally recommend this exceptional find!
Charming little place with staff who genuinely care about their clientele. Beef tartare was very good. Salmon was exquisite. Mushroom risotto with duck confit added was rich & delicious. Nice selection of wines by the glass. Gets very busy, so a reservation is recommended.
The foie gras was incredibly creative & a pleasant surprise. I never would have imagined pairing foie gras with apple, but it worked beautifully. The foie gras was silky smooth & melted in my mouth, while the apple added just the right amount of freshness to cut through the richness.
The beef tartare was seasoned with a blend of ingredients I couldn't identify, creating a unique, well-balanced flavor that was both complex & delicious.
The duck confit risotto was rich with stock, creamy, & packed with savory flavor.
Jun 26, 2026
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My partner & I were in Quebec City off season (early april) & stumbled into this place on our first day for lunch. The atmosphere is so charming & cozy I remember it very fondly, & that includes the dishes. Coffee was ok & the breakfast croissant was pretty good (with my favorite croissant I tried in Quebec City/Montreal but I'm not an expert) but it was the duck confit salad we still reminisce about. It made me want to eat salad for every meal, light & rich at the same time! Definitely worth a stop by if you get the chance, especially since it is in a very charming part of the old city too.
A Yuletide Elegy for Chez Temporel: Ode to the $89 Festive Fiasco
Oh, Chez Temporel, thou hidden'gem' of Vieux-Québec,?We ventured forth on Christmas Day, hearts full of cheer & check,?Dreaming of French finesse, of flavors divine & grand-?Instead, we paid a king's ransom for culinary contraband!
The soup arrived, a creamy squash affair,?'OK,' we whispered,'nothing special-fair.'?A lukewarm shrug in a bowl, like melted snow from the street,?The only course that didn't beg for immediate defeat.
Then came the pork rillette, oh what a thrill!?A grayish pâté blob, tasteless as a bill.?We poked it warily-could this be dog food in disguise??Faces around us twisted in collective, horrified surprise.?'Is it… edible?' one table pondered with a frown,?While we awarded it half a star-generously, not to let it down.
But lo! The main event: the duck breast, pink & proud,?Promised blueberry bliss, yet delivered a chew-fest loud.?So tough, so rubbery, our knives wept in despair,?Sawing futilely like lumberjacks in thin air.?This poor bird gave its life for such a grievous sin-?Overcooked by a chef who's clearly never been… within?A kitchen worth its salt. The duck, from beyond the grave,?Must be quacking curses:'Avenge me, for pity's sake!'
The dessert? A praline chocolate'success' cake, we suppose-?But success eluded us; it vanished in mediocrity's throes.?The rest? A solid one-star symphony of'meh' & regret,?For $89 a head-plus wine pairing, lest we forget!
If this is'high-end' holiday haute cuisine in Québec's embrace,?Then color us deeply disappointed-nay, utterly disgraced.?Worst Christmas feast ever; we'd have fared better with takeout from the mall.?Save your souls (& your wallets)-avoid Chez Temporel this y'all!
The best place we ate on our trip, & it wasn't close. The salmon & the risotto with duck confit were both some of the most fantastic dishes I've had in recent memory.
