Coffee + books = happiness

La Brûlerie d’ici (Rimouski)

Opened 25 years ago, La Brûlerie d’ici has the decor of a European bistro, but in the heart of downtown Rimouski. It’s the kind of warm, welcoming place where you can imagine yourself spending many happy hours.

Under the dark woodwork, you sip freshly roasted coffee from meticulously selected beans. You may well devour your book in a single sitting.

What do you read? The brand-new botanical essay by Rimouski native Boucar Diouf, entitled Ces esprits qui dorment dans les semences.

Chez Casgrain (Kamouraska)

Chez Casgrain extracted its first full-bodied coffee in 2022, but word has spread fast. And not just in the village! In a cozy setting, a young couple offers a black nectar from a Rimouski roaster.

As one of the few year-round businesses in Kamouraska, it’s the place to go when you’ve got a poignant novel to finish. Please do not disturb… except for a stove!

What do you read? Bonjour mon cœur, Fanny Britt’s first novel for teenagers, set partly in Kamouraska.

Amarante (Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac)

In the Cabano sector, this eco-friendly grocery store and café is the place to stop when you’ve got a few pages to turn or a few documents to finish.

Not only are the dishes tasty and colorful, but the atmosphere is also perfect for personal or professional reading, while sipping espressos.

What do you read? We don’t read, but while we peel back our e-mails, we listen to Ludmilla, the new album by Ingrid St-Pierre, inspired by her childhood in Cabano.

Le Farinographe (Rimouski)

There’s something literary and evocative about the name of this artisan bakery. Since its move to rue Saint-Germain last summer, we’ve adopted its tables overlooking downtown, perfect for losing ourselves in thought between two well-turned verses.

The bread menu, which reads like poetry for gourmets, makes your mouth water.

What does it read? The collection Mouron des champs, by Marie-Hélène Voyer, professor of literature at Cégep de Rimouski.

Le Café culturel de la Pointe (Rivière-du-Loup)

It’s hard to find a warm chair closer to the river than here… When you sip your cuppa, comfortably slumped in front of the high windows, you almost feel like you’re floating on water.

Located at the entrance to the picturesque Parc de la Pointe, this café is the best place to connect with the St. Lawrence, while enjoying a dark juice and a documentary on our sea.

What does it read? Portraits du Saint-Laurent / Histoires des pêches et récits maritimes, by Hélène Raymond, who is passionate about our river.

Le Kwé Café (Pohénégamook)

Having opened its doors in autumn 2023, this inn offers food and drink, with the intention of introducing visitors to the richness of First Nations culture, particularly that of the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk, of whom the owner is a proud descendant.

Moccasin Joe’s beans, served in espresso or filter mode, come from an artisan roaster on Mohawk territory. On daring days, try the intriguing café champignon and, if you’re on a ketogenic diet, order a cup of buttery Bulletproof.

What does it read? La terre maternelle, an autofiction novel by Témiscouata native Anne-Marie Turcotte.

Le Café créatif de la Maison de la culture (Rivière-du-Loup)

Do you borrow books from the Françoise-Bédard library? Now you can dive right in, with a creamy latte, without even having to set foot outside!

The City of Rivière-du-Loup has opened an unpretentious café just above its stacks, where you can stretch out your time in peace and quiet. A small counter allows you to stock up on snacks and hot drinks, before settling down at a bistro table for a few minutes or several chapters.

What does it read? La ricaneuse, a new historical novel by writer Éric Dupont, who lived in Rivière-du-Loup.