Café Bolt: Café, buvette & bikes in Knowlton

Bolt Café opened in Knowlton on April 29, 2021, much to the delight of residents in the Eastern Townships.

At this beautiful address, we meet two newcomers in the restaurant industry, Véronique Lacoursière and Pierre-Etienne Boivin. As for many people, the pandemic pushed them to leave the city and establish themselves in the Eastern Townships. Faced with the lack of cafés and bars in the region, Véronique and Pierre-Etienne—partners in life and in work—decided to open their own café. A place that is destined to become a true gourmet landmark in the Townships.

Véronique has a background in branding, while Pierre-Etienne worked as an entrepreneur in another life. Although their reality is quite different today, their respective experiences and expertise have been used to make Café Bolt a destination of choice in the Eastern Townships.

For the construction and decor of the space, the couple received help from their friends; Michelle Beauchamps for the architectural plans, and Simon Roy and Valery Lemay for the branding.

In July, the outdoor courtyard will host a biergarten to enjoy the summer in this beautiful region.

Since Café Bolt is located near the Vermont border, its clientele is mostly English-speaking. The owners wanted to give their cafe an English name that also makes reference to the neighbouring town of Bolton.

A confluence of passions

The couple brings their personal and shared passions to life here: coffee, wine, and cycling. Café Bolt is a place for all tastes and ages. One can drop by the café at any time of day for a coffee, beer, or wine (for now, only to take-out) with the feeling of always being welcomed like at home.

The owner is amused to say, “For everyone, it’s welcome home! We wanted to create a space as colourful as the Eastern Townships, a place where you just feel good. Cyclists in the area now have a place to stop for a coffee break or a drink after a hard ride.”

The menu is simple but well done. The owners of the café called on their catering friends Mona and Marie-Soleil, the duo behind Micro and Osé Traiteur. The homemade grilled cheese leads the way, in many different ways. The public’s favourites since the opening are the Knowlton with lake duck and the Bovino named after the owner’s family name, Boivin.

Beer, wine & more

Café Bolt evokes the chalet atmosphere of the area with its beautiful and large selection of wine to take-out. The wine list is mainly handled by Veronique under the supervision of Fred Ouellet (Joe Beef, Les Fillettes). The duo also delights beer lovers who can discover or rediscover goods from local microbreweries. The charming team remedies the impossibility of uncorking a bottle on the spot for the moment with its “picnic” option.

Congratulations to the owners for embarking on this delicious adventure and thank you for offering us a place like this in the Eastern Townships.

Written by Inès Duguen


Last update: September 23, 2022

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