café Olive — Restaurant in Quebec

TLDR: Great coffee, service started ok and ended rudely. Will not come back.

First off, the coffee is excellent. We ordered a cortado and a coldbew-lemonade and both were great: they clearly know how to make good coffee.

That being said, the service went from nice to rude fairly quickly. They welcomed us kindly apologizing they were fairly busy, and said they needed to get some orders out there before taking ours, or else people think they are not working. We said no problem, as they were clearly very busy.

They took our order and invited us to go outside to wait for it. Trying to help since they were busy, I stayed to wait for the order and chat with other customers while my partner got a seat.

In the end, there were no sests outside, but there was a pile of stools down a short flight of stairs, so my partner grabbed 2 but slightly bumped his head coming back up. One of the baristas then proceeded to rudely scold my partner, saying this is why they tell customers not to go there and blah blah blah. But there were no signs saying not to go there and no one told us either. It actually looked like a place where there could be a bathroom too.

Then, when my order looked ready, I said thank you with a smile and went to grab it, but then I was rudely told off that we always want things too fast and they had told me to wait outside, etc, all because there was an orange peel missing on the side of the glass.

We were just trying to help, as the two baristas were working hard to offer good products in a timely manner. All of this could have been said to us nicely. Tourists, please know this is not on par with the quality of service...

I heard about Café Olive from a friend in Québec and saw a TikTok by Olivier Primeau, so I had to check it out. And honestly? What a gem.

I got a flat white and a cheese pastry—both excellent. The coffee beans are from Denmark, and the taste is smooth, fruity, and beautifully balanced. They offer regular and oat milk, which is always a win. You can either stand inside for a quick sip or sit outside and soak in the vibe.

But what really stuck with me was the service. The barista casually asked where I was from and how long I was visiting—just enough to feel welcomed without overstepping. But what really got me? He knew every regular by name and their order by heart. That kind of attention makes a place feel special.

I also loved eavesdropping on customers discussing the coffee’s flavor—throwing around words like round in the mouth and fruity with a muted acidity. Their passion was contagious.

If you love coffee, this spot is worth the detour. Just don’t even think about asking for sugar—it’s literally written...

Amazing local coffee spot with great brews and pastries.

Stumbled upon this place while walking around the neighborhood for some good local spots. The shop was run by two guys who clearly live and breathe coffee. A small counter-service setup, minimalist and focused, serving exclusively beans from La Cabra. I’d only known La Cabra as a bakery in New York, so I was surprised to learn it actually originated as a renowned roastery in Denmark.

Never been fully sold on filtered coffee, but the barista here changed my mind. I tried two different brews. Kenyan and an Ethiopian blend. The Kenyan had a light floral finish that felt complete on its own, while the Ethiopian was fruitier and paired perfectly with the chocolate praline tart I had on the side.

Highly recommend giving them a try. And if you’re curious about coffee blends, linger by the counter and chat with...