Baloney: a colourful sandwich shop in Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Baloney Sandwicherie
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545 Rue Saint-Jean Québec G1R 1P5
+1 418-380-1666 -
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
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In the Saint-Jean-Baptiste neighbourhood — known among other things for Buvette Scott — a new address quietly slipped in at the start of February 2026, just outside the gates of Old Québec. It’s called Baloney, and you really can’t miss it: colourful storefront, a bold palette, and that little extra bit of audacity the sandwich scene in the old capital had been missing. Barely a few months after opening, the spot has already found its footing, with around twenty seats inside and, most excitingly, an interior terrace tucked out back — a hidden courtyard of about fifteen seats that the team is polishing up for summer (we can’t wait).
Behind the project, a trio that didn’t come out of nowhere: Benoît Lacourse, Carl Dumas and Joffrey Beaulieu. The latter two own Le Cendrillon in Limoilou. The first, Benoît (Bear to those who know him), was chef at Cendrillon for nearly ten years, after a notable stint at the now-defunct Toast by Christian Lemelin. All three trained under that same restaurateur, at different points in time — an extended family of sorts, finally reunited on the same project.
Baloney is an old idea that had been simmering since Benoît was 21. “Throughout my career, I’ve had 14,000 ideas for opening a restaurant, but there was one that never went away.” Fifteen years later, the idea came to life. The trigger? The pandemic. When Cendrillon pivoted into an emergency sandwich shop, he realized that a fine dining background could translate just as well between two slices of bread.
The menu features about a dozen sandwiches: hoagies, texans, the “not-a-sandwich” section (including a roti and a hot dog), and the star of the show — the Baloney, which is in a category of its own. Four untouchables, including the namesake baloney, the cold cuts, the cheddar cheese and the brunch sandwich. Four on permanent rotation, where the protein stays (a hot dog, a fried chicken, a roti) but the recipe gets to play. And four others that come and go with the team’s whims. For Bear, one priority never wavered: creative freedom, without ever compromising the regular sandwiches.
On the drinks side, they’ve embraced a counter-intuitive direction — no coffee here. “Coffee is brown, beige… we’re colourful!” The team has chosen instead to lean into their house-made lemonades — generous pours, rotating flavours, and a shot of gin if you’re feeling festive — alongside a single beer brewed exclusively for them by Les Grands Bois. “IPA fans will happily drink a good pilsner if they want a beer.” For those who truly need their caffeine fix, l’Orangerie and Cantook are three doors down, and Benoît is happy to send people their way. And we’d also suggest a quick stop at Chouquette for a coffee and a chouquette before heading over to Baloney for a sandwich.
Baloney wants to be a sandwich shop with bite — one that overflows the frame and isn’t afraid to commit. No reinventing the wheel here: just doing things right, with a festive, colourful edge. Rare, and very welcome in Québec City. Bon appétit!
Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Maxime Maltais