Carrera Café · Summer · Iced Drinks
Espresso tonic in Quebec City: why everyone orders one in Petit-Champlain
Bitter, sparkling, cold. The summer drink we didn’t expect.
Espresso tonic has become one of the summer trend drinks in specialty cafés. A shot of espresso poured over tonic water with ice cubes. Simple in appearance, surprising on the palate. At Carrera Café in Petit-Champlain, it's our answer to iced latte when it’s really hot.
See the summer menuEspresso tonic is a double espresso poured directly over cold tonic water and ice cubes. The espresso sinks into the glass, creating swirls in the sparkling liquid, then gently mixes. The first sip is a surprise: bitter, fresh, slightly sweet from the tonic's quinine. A combination we wouldn't have invented, yet here it is.
The trend comes from Nordic cafés — Sweden, Denmark, Finland — where specialty coffee and refreshing drinks naturally coexist. It crossed the Atlantic and settled in the best cafés in Quebec. At Carrera Café, it has its place on our summer menu.
Espresso has a natural bitterness. Tonic water does too, thanks to quinine. But this double bitterness doesn't add up: it nuances. The sparkle of tonic water aerates the coffee, brings out its fruity and floral notes, and softens the finish. The result is lighter than a classic espresso, more complex than an ordinary iced coffee.
Not all espressos are suitable for espresso tonic. A coffee that is too roasted becomes too bitter with tonic. We look for a bean with fruity or floral notes, a precise extraction, slightly shorter. The tonic brings out the best in the coffee. Choose your starting bean well.
Tall glass, quality ice cubes.
Premium tonic water poured first: about 120 ml.
Double espresso extracted separately, poured gently on top.
No stirring: let the coffee settle on its own.
Serve immediately, with or without a straw.
The order of pouring matters. If you pour the tonic over the espresso, the bubbles disappear too quickly and the result is flat. Espresso poured over the tonic keeps the fizz and creates that beautiful visual movement in the glass. It's also more pleasant to photograph, for those interested.
Our summer menu offers several iced options. The iced latte remains the classic: smooth, creamy, satisfying. The cold brew is for those who want maximum caffeine with minimal acidity. And for something in between, the espresso tonic is often the best surprise of the day.
In summer, our terrace at Petit-Champlain is the perfect place to discover the espresso tonic. The neighborhood is lively, the river is visible in the distance, and a cold glass in your hands is exactly what you need after a walk in Old Quebec under the July sun.
The espresso tonic is one of those drinks you have to try at least once. Come see us at Petit-Champlain, on the terrace or inside. We'll prepare it just right for you.
See the menu
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