There are so many good things happening around Nanaimo that to be the best, well, that really means something.
We at the Nanaimo News Bulletin are happy to present our 18th annual Best of the City magazine: a collection of favourite places to eat and drink, the very best shops and services in town, and some other places to go and things to do.
Although we did a lot of the work putting it together, Best of the City isn’t a reflection of our favourites – it’s a tabulation of yours. Earlier this spring, we put out the call for votes in our print issues and on our website and our readers came through in greater numbers than ever before. We’re thrilled with the ‘voter turnout,’ because it’s a greater show of support for this year’s Best of the City winners. There are worthy winners on this list, and we hope you’ll consider checking them out and finding out why they’ve attained their status.
The following pages show winners and runners-up in 124 categories, but we recognize that barely scratches the surface of Nanaimo.
This is a sampling of the best, some of the bits and pieces that help to define just why we like it so much here.
Best Performing Arts School
1. Vibrant Studios (Vibe)
2. Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts
3. Kismet Theatre Academy
Best Place to Get a Nanaimo Bar
1. Red’s Bakery
2. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
3. Bocca Café
Best Asian Food
1. Huong Lan Vietnamese Restaurant
2. Nori Japanese Restaurant
3. Saigon Kitchen
Best Bakery
1. Cobs Bread Bakery
2. Columbia Bakery
3. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
Best Breakfasts
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Cafe
2. Tania’s Restaurant
3. Ricky’s All Day Grill
Best Catering Business
1. Spice of Life Catering
2. Coco Café
3. HeavenScent Catering
Best Chicken Wings
1. Landlubber Pub
2. The Oxy Pub
3. Quarterway Pub
Best Cinnamon Buns
1. Cobs Bread Bakery
2. Red’s Bakery
3. The Bee’s Knees
Best Deli
1. Nesvog Meats & Sausage Co.
2. Nellie’s European Deli
3. Country Grocer
Best Family Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. Ricky’s All Day Grill
3. Montana’s
Best Fast Food
1. Wendy’s
2. A&W Canada
3. Baby Salsa
Best Fish and Chips
1. Troller’s Fish and Chips
2. Pirate Chips
3. Cod Squad Fish & Chips
Best French Fries
1. Pirate Chips
2. McDonald’s
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Hamburgers
1. Mrs. Riches Restaurant
2. A&W Canada
3. White Spot
3. Landlubber Pub
Best Kids Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. Pirate Chips
3. Ricky’s All Day Grill
3. Montana’s
Best Lunches
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Cafe
2. Delicado’s Deli
3. Nellie’s European Deli
Best Mediterranean Food
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Alexandra’s Bistro
3. Zougla Restaurant
Best Nachos
1. Gina’s Mexican Cafe
2. Longwood Brew Pub
3. Baby Salsa
Best Pasta
1. La Stella Trattoria
2. Milano’s Ristorante
3. Boston Pizza
Best Place to Buy Craft Beer
1. White Sails Brewing
2. Longwood Brew Pub
3. Lucky’s Liquor Store
Best Desserts
1. Burnt Honey Dessert Company
2. Red’s Bakery
3. Nanaimo Bakery & Confectionery
3. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
Best Place to Meet for Coffee
1. The Buzz Coffee House
2. Drip Coffee Social
3. Starbucks
Best Martini
1. Cactus Club Cafe
2. Nanaimo Bar
3. Modern Cafe
Best Place for Cocktails and Shots
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Pub
2. Cactus Club Cafe
3. Nanaimo Bar
Best Pub
1. Longwood Brew Pub
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Pub
3. Landlubber Pub
Best Sports Bar
1. Old City Station Pub
2. Landlubber Pub
3. Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Pub
Best Place for Birthday Parties
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Pub
2. Oliver Woods Community Centre
2. Jumpin Jiminy’s
3. Brechin Lanes
3. 4Cats Arts Studio
Best Restaurant Overall
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Gabriel’s Gourmet Cafe
3. La Stella Trattoria
Best Patio Restaurant
1. Cactus Club Cafe
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Pub
3. Longwood Brew Pub
Best Pizza
1. Mambo Gourmet Pizza
2. Milano’s Ristorante
3. Ali Baba Pizza
Best Place to Buy Meat
1. Nesvog Meats & Sausage Co.
2. Meat Craft Island Butchery
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Place to Buy Produce
1. Thrifty Foods
2. Country Grocer
3. Cedar Farmers Market
Best Place to Buy Seafood
1. Seadrift Fish Market
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Troller’s Fish and Chips
Best Romantic Restaurant
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. La Stella Trattoria
3. Mahle House
Best Seafood Restaurant
1. The Bold Knight
2. Troller’s Fish and Chips
3. Asteras Greek Taverna
Best Steakhouse
1. The Keg Steakhouse and Bar
2. The Bold Knight
3. Beefeater’s Seaside Bar & Grill
Best Sushi
1. Nori Japanese Restaurant
2. Umai Sushi
3. Firehouse Grill
Best Tacos
1. Baby Salsa
2. Gina’s Mexican Cafe
3. Jalapenos Mexican Food
Best Vegetarian Food
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Cafe
2. Delicado’s
3. Eve Olive
Best Art Gallery
1. Nanaimo Art Gallery
2. Gallery Merrick
3. Yellow Bird Arts Gallery
Best Theatre Company
1. Nanaimo Theatre Group
2. Schmooze Productions
3. TheatreOne
Best Karaoke
1. Quarterway Pub
2. The Oxy Pub
3. Wellington Pub
Best Music Trivia
1. Landlubber Pub
2. Wellington Pub
3. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Best Open Mike/Jam Session
1. The Queen’s
2. Vault Café
3. Landlubber Pub
Best Place for Live Bands
1. The Queen’s
2. Vault Café
3. Nanaimo Bar
Best Place to Dance
1. The Queen’s
2. LevelTwo Nightclub
3. Vibe Dance Studio
Best Flower Shop
1. Turley’s Florist
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Ladybug Floral
Best Bathrooms
1. Woodgrove Centre
2. Cactus Club Cafe
3. The Home Depot
Best Bike Shop
1. Arrowsmith Bikes
2. Rock City Cycles
3. Coal City Cycles
Best Consignment or Thrift Store
1. Charlie’s Closet
2. Nanaimo Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store
2. Salvation Army Thrift Store
3. Funk Your Fashion
Best Customer Service
1. Thrifty Foods
2. Costco Wholesale
3. KC’s Boutique and Petites
Best Floor Covering Store
1. United Floors
2. End Of The Roll
3. Abba Floorcoverings
Best Furniture Store
1. The Brick
1. Dodd’s Furniture & Mattress
2. La-Z-Boy
3. ScanDesigns Furniture
Best Plumbing Business
1. 250 Plumber
2. Archie Johnstone Plumbing & Heating
3. Norm’s Plumbing and Heating
Best Jewelry Store
1. Peoples Jewellers
2. Bastion Jewellers
3. Keller’s Jewellers
Best Home Improvement Store
1. Home Depot
2. Lowe’s
3. Nanaimo Home Hardware
Best Housewares/Linen Store
1. HomeSense
2. Hudson’s Bay
2. Flying Fish
3. JYSK
Best Kids Clothing Store
1. Carter’s Oshkosh B’Gosh
2. Once Upon A Child
3. Pumpkin Pie Kids
Best Lingerie Store
1. My Undies
2. La Senza
3. La Vie En Rose
Best Marine Supplier
1. Harbour Chandler
2. Parker Marine
3. Marine Parts Supply
Best Mattress Store
1. Sleep Country Canada
2. John’s Bedrooms
3. The Brick
Best Lighting Store
1. McLaren Lighting
2. Home Depot
3. Illuminations Lighting Solutions
Best Outdoor Garden Centre
1. Art Knapp Plantland
2. Green Thumb Garden Centre
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Paint Store
1. Cloverdale Paint
2. Home Depot
3. Sherwin-Williams
Best Pet Supply Store
1. Bosley’s by Pet Valu
2. PetSmart
3. Olivers Pet Supplies
Best Place to Shop
1. Woodgrove Centre
2. Downtown/Old City Quarter
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Sewing Notions Store
1. Snip & Stitch Sewing Centre Ltd
2. Serge and Sew
3. Michaels
Best Shoe Store
1. A Step Ahead
2. SoftMoc
3. Hudson’s Bay
Best Optical Store
1. Highview Optical
2. Costco Optical Centre
3. LensCrafters
3. Iris
Best Store for Ladieswear
1. KC’s Boutique and Petites
2. Quintessential
3. Hudson’s Bay
Best Store for Menswear
1. NYLA Fresh Thread
2. Mark’s
3. Hudson’s Bay
Best Store to Buy Tools
1. Midland Tools
2. Home Depot
3. Canadian Tire
Best Sporting Goods Store
1. Sport Chek
2. Kirby’s Source For Sports
3. Cabela’s
Best Store to Buy Books
1. Chapters
2. Literacy Central Vancouver Island
3. Window Seat Books
Best Tile Store
1. City Tile
2. Cornerstone Tile Ltd
3. Home Depot
Best Toy Store
1. Kool & Child
2. Toys R Us
3. Children’s Treehouse
Best Vitamin/Health Food Stores
1. Pomme Natural Market
2. Charlie Brown’s Health Foods
3. Popeye’s Supplements
Best Accounting Firm
1. MNP LLP
2. Church Pickard Chartered Professional
Accountants
3. Benson Seymour LLP
Best Auto Detailer
1. VI Precision Detailing & Car Care
2. Harris Mazda
3. Auto Smile
Best Auto Servicing
1. Bavarian Imports Auto Repair
2. Supertech Automotive
3. Midas
Best Banking Institution
1. TD Canada Trust
2. RBC Royal Bank
3. Coastal Community Credit Union
Best Barbershop
1. Sports Barbers
2. Shear Agony Barber Shop
3. Four Crows Barber & Shave Co.
Best Beauty Salon or Spa
1. Breze Aveda Concept Salon & Day Spa
2. Maffeo Salon & Day Spa
2. Kiyo Salon & Day Spa
3. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre & Spa
Best Carpet Cleaners
1. Classic Care Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning
2. Citrus-O Carpet Cleaning
3. Suck It Up Carpet Furnace
Best Daycare Centre
1. Kids Kompany Small Fries
2. Jolly Giant Childcare Ltd.
3. Katies Korner Childcare
Best Dentist
1. Diver Lake Dental Clinic
2. Lantzville Dental Clinic
3. Harewood Dental Clinic
Best Electrical Contractor
1. DenMar Electric
2. Mazzei Electric
3. Walls Electrical Ltd.
Best Estheticians
1. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre & Spa
2. Breze Aveda Concept Salon & Day Spa
3. Kiyo Salon & Day Spa
Best Financial Planner
1. Sun Life Financial
2. Investors Group Financial Services
3. RBC Royal Bank
Best Fitness Centre
1. Driven Performance Fitness
2. Planet Fitness
2. Fit4Less
3. Jumpstart Outdoor Fitness
Best Gas Bar
1. Mid Island Co-op
2. Mobil
3. Chevron
Best Hair Salon
1. Aura Hair Boutique
2. Maffeo Salon & Day Spa
3. Salon Muse
Best Heating Business
1. Archie Johnstone Plumbing & Heating
2. Norm’s Plumbing and Heating
3. Coastal Energy Ltd.
Best Insurance Agency
1. BCAA
2. Hub International
3. Coastal Community Credit Union
Best Landscaper
1. Neat & Tidy Landscaping
2. Island Eco-Scapes
3. VI Outdoor
Best Law Firm
1. Ramsay Lampman Rhodes
2. Duncan Allen Law LLP
3. Heath Law LLP
Best Massages
1. Knead Registered Massage Therapy
2. Island Optimal Health & Performance
3. Solace Wellness Centre
Best Moving Company
1. Take A Load Off Moving
2. Clydesdale Moving and Hauling
2. 2 Burley Men Moving
3. Minute Men Moving and Storage
Best Painting Contractor
1. Pride Painting
2. Sloan’s Painting
3. Sonshine Girls Painting
Best Personal Trainer
1. Miguel Diaz, Driven Performance Fitness
2. Lee Surinak, Punisher Training
3. Brian Schick, B-Fit Bootcamp
Best Pet Grooming Business
1. Nanaimo Pet Services
2. Dog & Suds Pet Services
3. Happy Hound Dog Care
Best Photographer
1. Concept Photography
2. HA Photography
3. Rachel Kirk Photography
Best Place to Buy a Used Vehicle
1. Galaxy Motors
2. Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln
3. Bouman Auto Gallery
Best Place to Get Tires
1. Cedar Tireland
2. Kal Tire
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Place to Get a Tattoo
1. Relegation Tattoo
2. Electric Umbrella
3. Black & Blue Tattoo
Best Retirement Community
1. Berwick on the Lake
2. Origin at Longwood
3. Nanaimo Seniors Village
3. Deerwood Estates
Best Roofing Company
1. Erickson Roofing
2. Usher Roofing Systems
3. Milne Roofing
3. Allterrain Roofing
Best Tanning Salon
1. Golden Sands Tanning Studio
2. Divine Glow Tanning Salon
3. OrganicTan
Best Travel Agency
1. Flight Centre
2. Marlin Travel
3. Imagine Cruise & Travel
Best Veterinary Clinic
1. Chase River Veterinary Hospital
2. VCA Canada Island Animal Hospital
3. Petroglyph Animal Hospital
Best Wine Making Store
1. Wine Kitz
2. Wine Works
3. Rainy Crick Wine
Best Yoga Studio
1. Modo Yoga
2. OmTown Yoga
3. Oxygen Yoga and Fitness Nanaimo
Best Local Campground
1. Living Forest Oceanside Campground
2. Brannen Lake
3. Westwood Lake Campgrounds
Best People Watching Spot
1. Maffeo Sutton Park
2. Harbourfront Walkway
3. Sway’A’Lana Lagoon
Best Place for a Picnic
1. Neck Point Park
2. Pipers Lagoon
3. Westwood Lake
Best Place for Paddling
1. Newcastle Island/Saysutshun
2. Westwood Lake
2. Long Lake
3. Departure Bay
Best Place to Swim Outdoors
1. Nanaimo River
2. Westwood Lake
3. Departure Bay Beach
Best Place to Take Guests
1. Pipers Lagoon
2. Harbourfront Walkway
3. Sway’A’Lana Lagoon
Best Place to Jog, Hike, or Walk
1. Westwood Lake Trails
2. Neck Point Park
3. Colliery Dam Park
Best Place to Walk Your Dog
1. Westwood Lake Trails
2. Colliery Dam Park
3. Neck Point Park
Best Place to Watch Birds
1. Buttertubs Marsh
2. Morrell Nature Sanctuary
3. Neck Point Park
Best Playground
1. Beban Park Altrusa Playground
2. Oliver Woods Community Centre
3. Maffeo Sutton Park Playdock
Best View of the City
1. Mount Benson
2. Sugarloaf Mountain Park
3. Vancouver Island University
Best Place to Mountain Bike
1. Doumont trails
2. Mount Benson
3. Westwood Lake trails
editor@nanaimobulletin.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
