Paul Pizza: The New York-Inspired Sourdough Pizza Finding Its Place in Quebec City

In Quebec City, good pizzerias are plentiful, but spots making New York-inspired sourdough pizza remain rare. On 3e Avenue in Limoilou, Paul Pizza has been devoted entirely to the style since spring 2026, with generous 18-inch pies that are also sold by the slice at lunchtime. Behind the counter, young chef Jacob Lemire and his team make the style their own with a deliberately short menu.

From Mastard Back to His Hometown

A cooking school graduate in Quebec City, Jacob went on to spend four years in Montreal in the kitchens of Michelin-starred Mastard, alongside chef Simon Mathys. Those formative years shaped his technique and sparked his interest in wine. The wish to be closer to his loved ones eventually brought him back to his hometown. Still young and without too many obligations, he felt the timing was right to strike out on his own.

Why pizza? “Simply because it’s what I like to eat most. I’ve tried pretty much all of them in Montreal. I used to eat at Pizza Toni a lot, but my favourite would be Maps.” — Jacob Lemire

Back in Quebec City, he saw an opening for this style. That said, he has no intention of being boxed in by the label. “We say New York-inspired so we don’t lock ourselves into a category,” he explains.

A Baker Without the Baker’s Hours

At Paul Pizza, everything starts with a sourdough crust made from three Quebec flours. “Making pizza is pretty much making bread. It’s being a baker without a baker’s hours,” Jacob sums up with a laugh. The menu shifts gently with the seasons and his ideas: a limited-run pizza with Quebec vegetables in summer, a new addition in the fall, and right now a garlic bread he’s fine-tuning before it goes on the menu.

The pizzas range from classic cheese and pepperoni to creations like house-made sausage with pickled peppers, or cacio e pepe. The crowd favourite, though, remains the mushroom pizza: a white pie topped with cream, mozzarella, maitakes, fior di latte, garlic and chives. The cream is made with parmesan and Louis d’Or rinds, a fine example of the Quebec touches Jacob likes to work in whenever he can. His own soft spot is the potato and ‘nduja, made with pork from Ferme Beau Rivage in Beauce, which supplies all of the house charcuterie.

Bomba Dip and Olive Oil Soft Serve

Every pizza comes with a house-made dip of your choice. The bomba stands out: an emulsion of confit finger hot peppers, mushrooms and shallots, brightened with a good hit of vinegar. To finish, there’s house-made soft serve, with flavours that change with the chef’s whims. On our visit, it was white chocolate and olive oil. A small selection of natural wines sourced through private import, a few microbrewery beers, including some from nearby La Barberie, and the timeless Laurentide round out the offering.

A Corner Spot on 3e Avenue

3e Avenue was the natural choice, lively without being too touristy. The corner space seats about 20, plus a terrace of similar size. The decor is modest, and the big windows create a lively room for counter service, where Biggie gets as much airtime as Justin. Delivery is available, but guests are encouraged to pick up their order instead, which spares both sides the platform fees. In the evening, takeout makes up a good share of service.

Why “Paul”?

Why Paul? “All my close friends call me that! As a teen, I worked at a day camp, my camp name was Apollo, and it got shortened to Paul.” A way, he says, to make the project personal without putting his first name front and centre. “And Paul Pizza just sounds good.” — Jacob Lemire

“The goal isn’t to become a monster,” says Jacob. He wants to keep production small-scale and done with care. The comment he hears most often: finally, someone is doing this in Quebec City. No wonder the city is talking about it so much; the Chouchou Limoilou team even singled it out as one of their favourites. A wonderful addition to the neighbourhood!

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by La Compagnie Club / Alexandra Thibault

Updated on September 28, 2026

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