Aries - La Pêche

We were visiting at the nearby ski hill and slipped into town for a coffee and a quick bite to eat. Not being from the area the most confusing part was where could we park. After that was solved we went in. The coffee was fresh and very good and the bistro type menu was interesting and the food superb. The place looks a little run down but as a ski hill escape it was great.

Located on Main Street in Wakefield, Quebec, this small cafe has a rustic charm with patio tables made from sliced tree trunks. The menu includes options for breakfast and lunch, such as vegan waffles with homemade strawberry jam and pure Quebec maple syrup, as well as a Pork panini with banana ketchup, sautéed mushrooms, and caramelized onions. The cafe is a pleasant spot to stop on a summer day, and the staff is friendly and efficient.

Last year 2017) this was my go to place in wakefield, but not this year. Dirty halls to the wash rooms, messy behind counter, bowl of lemons and limes on counter that were being used, but pitiful looking. The side of the restaurant outside was in bad repair); the parking beside the restaurant had big pot holes. And the food not like in the pictures, it was tasteless, bad presentation, and expensive $9). don't know what happened in the last year but we are within weeks of hitting peak season and this place is a mess.

Stopped for a quick lunch in an off-season day trip. Location is good. The decor and service are comfortable and casual. Lunch was over-priced and not that good. My partner had the grilled cheese and salad. The grilled cheese was just some cheese melted on a half baguette. This was as described, I suppose, but I just fine. The salad though was overpriced and underwhelming. It was a skimpy portion of greens (about 0.5 cup) that looked to have come directly from a bad of greens from the grocery store with a beet dressing. Not worth $4. Mine was a panini sandwich with the weekly roast. Roast was tough and with both halves of the sandwich, I got the entire slice of meat with my first bite because I couldn’t actually bite through it. I ate it all up along with one of those tiny side salads and left hungry. All things considered, it was fine... just not what I would have expected. With a coffee, bill was about $35 all-in. Looked like a decent place to stop for a coffee. I get that it must be tough to keep fresh, quality ingredients in the off-season. I wouldn’t rule out giving it a go again in mid- summer.

This is an easy stop for a coffee or other beverage while strolling around Wakefield. Staff is friendly and the view is nice overlooking the river.