Restaurants in Nanaimo

“Absolutely amazing food and service. Best food in Nanaimo. If you haven't tried it yet be sure you do, you will not be disappointed. Every time we go back, we are not disappointed. Yum”

“We had an amazing treat at Ironworks Cafe & Creperie. So many tempting choices, both sweet and savoury. Three of us wanted to share two crepes, and asked if our choices could be cut into thirds. Renee plated the thirds individually with full garnishes. 🌟🌟🌟 We had the ‘Four Berries and Cream” (sweet) and the ‘Spinach, Artichoke & Brie” (savoury). Hmmmmm. Latte was excellent. 🌟 Locally owned, caringly staffed, local ingredients. So impressed. Thank you.”

“First time having a bar burrito. It was excellent, good value for your money. Very friendly staff. I will be back!”

“10/10 every time, whether you’re on a date or with a group, service is excellent & food is delicious. Cannot wait for their spring menu!”

“It is the best pub in the Island . The food are made to perfection 👌 Chef . the servers are nice and friendly.”

“Excellent friendly service paired with delicious food. This has become a regular spot for us. Delicious every time!!!!”

“Mille Grazie! Your food is always magnificent! Not only did you fit us in without a reservation on a busy weekend night, after I called the wrong restaurant; but you gave us a wonderful table with amazing staff! Very special mention to the Ceaser I enjoyed before dinner! Highly recommend it! May you have a wonderful 2024! You always make your guests feel like part of the family!”

“Oh Happy Bake made four different vegan cakes for our event. Holy moly were the cakes delicious and beautiful! Not only that, but they were wonderful to deal with. I highly recommend.”

“Wow! Great eggs Benny! I’ll be back soon!”

“Most delicious Indian food in Nanaimo. Reminds me of my Grandmothers cooking.”

“Gangsta sammich and truffle fries. ⭐️10/10”

“Sushi was THE BEST we have ever had!! Staff are super friendly and helpful!! Prices were reasonable, atmosphere was busy, and fun!!”

“Had an amazing birthday dinner this past weekend. Awesome service and amazing food, very well presented! Will be back very soon!”

“When we get home late from work after a super long day. It is so easy to ring up place an order for amazing food and then go home and relax. Keep up the amazing food.”

“food has always been great, the price is the best in town and the owners are lovely. Only place we will go for Sushi now.”

“The wraps are delicious and the chicken nuggets are really good, Crispy and not greasy at all. The place is very clean and staff is super friendly.”

“We always bring family and friends to Horang for celebrations and get together we absolutely love the food and service very friendly staff food is always fresh 😋”

“Food and staff were amazing, highly recommend”

“I just called twice and got hung up on both times before someone even took my order! Extremely poor service!”

“We were referred here by a contractor friend on the promise that the kimchi is SPICY. He was right; this is the most authentic and best priced Korean we have found so far and the spice level was absolutely satisfactory. The smoked duck, glass noodles, pork bulgogi, and kimchi stood out, but every dish was fantastic. Service was attentive, the location is quiet but central, and portions were ample.”

“Great attention to detail, they made sure that there was no dairy in my meal and informed me that the chicken burger bun had butter in the bread as well as brushing the chicken burger with butter. Thank you! Food was superb!”

“Great service. Amazing food. Would recommend the beetroot hummus appy.”

“Delicious place for Brunch. Had their Pulled Pork pancakes, so great. My wife had their hash and was very happy with it. If we are back in town, we would definitely be back. Place can be VERY busy, and it's seat yourself, so keep that in mind, especially on a weekend or long weekend.”

“Fish n Chips !!!?Got a smile.I told them i was use to eat Fish n Chips everywhere i seen sime to try.I am commercial Fisherman and High quality family oriented Fish market East Coast.Theses Fish and Chips are probably the BETTER ones i tried from Coast to coast of Canada.And the size worth it up. ☆☆☆☆☆”

“Ordered for the first time tonight , everything was so good. Highly recommend! Delivery was prompt and courteous.”

“I had the chicken tandoori and garlic naan takeout last night and it was delicious. Their food always exceeds expectations. I love it there”

“Sealand Pho offers an amazing Vietnamese dining experience with breathtaking Marina views. The staff was friendly, and the ambiance was warm and inviting. A must-visit for authentic pho enthusiasts and the perfect spot to enjoy delicious food with a stunning view. Highly recommended!”

“I wasnt really expecting much as this place looks very low key but my package of dynamite roll was amazing! The rice was just right! I will definitely be back. The price was great as well! Certainly some of the best sushi I have had in Nanaimo!”

“Food was good. Service was good. Black Current Pale ale was tasty”

“Absolutely amazing food & friendly staff!”

“The BEST cheesecake ever! Hawaiian highly suggested! Great service and was able to take it to go very easy! Can’t wait to travel back to Nanaimo and get another slice”

“I will gladly give this location a 5 star rating without hesitation!! The customer service has been good for me every visit that I have gone both inside & drive-thru. When I place via the mobile orders, it is always waiting & ready to go as soon as I walk in!!! Keep up the great work & amazing quality of service!!!”

“I recommend the food -but I really hate the fact that when I get A+W coupons in the mail and take them to your store, you won't accept them. I also dislike the fact that when I try to contact A+W Canada to complain, the "Contact Us" function NEVER actually works!”

“I need my java Ana espresso so why not !!!”

“I don’t review fast food restaurants often, but this latest experience deserved it.

I came for a quick lunch with my dad. We were told to take a seat and were brought the meal to our table. Food was placed like I was sitting at a sit down restaurant and was also served condiments without having to ask.

Good food, amazing service.”

“Good option to have a late dinner or just a coffee.
4 stars because sometimes it's a challenge to find a clean table, and the sanitizer container is usually empty.”

“I was here after the restaurant was already closed, but they took my order at the drive through window although l was on foot. This kind of service just makes me happy!”

“I go here when Wendy’s screws up. Always tastes like McDonald’s if that’s a good thing.

Update: car battery died in curbside delivery spot and staff (Brady) came out and tried to help and management seemed to encourage him to go above and beyond, didn’t have a beefy enough battery to get it started but construction crew onsite ended up boosting me with their truck. This was above and beyond examples of people being good humans, thanks everyone!”

“Our meal was ok. The one thing that is rather disturbing is we watched them putting our burgers together in the back without food safe gloves on. They were doing it all bare handed which in this day an age is not widely acceptable especially after the world event known as the pandemic (covid).”

“We were a group of three for lunch yesterday. I had been going to Greek restaurants in Vancouver for 40 years before I moved back to Ucluelet. The wonderful experience surpassed all of the past ones with the best authentic lamb souvlaki and tzatziki, exceptional service and welcoming atmosphere I have ever experienced. Huge kudos to a truly destination restaurant.”

“⁣ Tucked just off the main strip at Departure Bay Beach is: Felice Cafe ⁣ There’s so much character inside you can’t help but grab a seat with a hot coffee (americano for me this time) and take in all the personalized touches. I had a chance to chat with the owner, who shared that from opening up the space with renovations, to the hand-drawn details and décor, he and his partner did it all themselves. ⁣ If you haven’t been yet, head over to Departure Bay Beach, pop into Felice Café, and treat yourself to a hot bevvy and a cozy spot to sit!”

“A friend and I went to Jalapeño's for the first time yesterday and had a wonderful time. Friendly, helpful service; menu prices are more than reasonable; and the food was all delicious. We shared the choriqueso [like a cheese fondue with chorizo sausage in it] and it was fantastic. Melty, tasty, not overly spicy! We ate it as a starter and also put some of it onto our mains when those came out. We both ordered the taco trio [one carne asada, one carnitas, one al pastor] which comes with rice and beans. It was all good, but the beans were amazing! Feel silly saying that about beans, but they were the best refritos I've ever had. We also both had the hibiscus drink and it was fantastic, not super sweet and a nice floral taste. After our meal, we paid and each got one of their buñeolos [a crispy donut of sorts] to take home. That was crispy and coated in cinnamon-sugar. I'll definitely be back!”

“Best pizza around 🤌🏻 the sweet garlic dip is to die for 😮‍💨”

“A health care provider recommended this coffee shop while I was waiting for a friend at the hospital. Am so glad I tried it out! delicious muffin that was fresh out of the oven and a tasty iced vanilla latte! highly recommend”

“it gets busy at around noon so get in early for brunch. eggs Bennie is really good”

“I last went here shortly after it opened, and before I moved to the mainland. I came back today and the food was phenomenal! They've really settled into their place in the community, I'm glad to see they are still open and the food was delicious!”

“Cold front is back open! While possibly on the pricey side for just a cone this isn’t regular ice cream! This hand made gourmet gelato with lots of interesting and unique flavours - even for those who are vegan! Definitely worth a stop! You can even get pints or have them delivered! I’d highly recommend! Or have a sit down in the warm store. It’s never too cold for ice cream!”

“The vault is the coolest location in Nanaimo and going there is an experience. This spot is popular with locals and with tourists, as one of the best venues in town as well as just the coolest spot. The staff are amazing and the food is awesome. If it's poppin in there will you wait a bit? Yes, but that's because it is well loved.”

“Tried it from North Nanaimo for the first time. You’ve gained a new customer!”

“My "go to" restaurant. Last night had the Valentine's day special. Portions were generous and delicious. No room for dessert, so had to take the strawberry cheesecake home for later.”

“This is the best Korean food on Vancouver Island.”

“Very welcoming spot. The atmosphere is always relaxed and lively, and the staff are incredibly friendly. They make you feel like part of the place every time you visit. It’s the perfect mix of great beer and great people!”

“Tania's always serves up an excellent breakfast for us with phenomenal service too. We love this place and always stop by when we need brunch!”

“Definitely one of my favourite coffee shops. I visit regularly- the staff are very friendly and attentive, the atmosphere is always relaxed and welcoming. The coffee is first class!”

“came to this bistro for the first time on March 22, 2025 for a surprise 70th birthday for a family member. Found the setting comfortable, the staff knowledgeable, friendly and the service top notch. Ordered the platter for two and it was so good, the calamari was the best!! Our table numbered 15 people and all food arrived hot and all family was eating at the same time. This bistro is amazing!! As we travel to Gabriola Island fairly often, we will be stopping here for dinner again!!”

“On a brief trip to Nanaimo I was so pleased”

“very nice little cafe with lots of greenery.”

“excellent food. excellent service fast and efficient we love this place. Will come back 100 percent. Must try it you won't be disappointed. We came from port coquitlam found this place on Google. exceptional thank you all”

“It's a fun place to eat and be merry!!”

“🍕 I always buy pizza in Kindersley, Saskatchewan. Honestly, it's one of the best pizzas I’ve had in a while! The crust is perfectly balanced—crispy yet soft at the same time. The toppings are fresh and bursting with flavor. I will definitely be coming back!”

“The calabrese pizza. The onions. The sopresatta The crust is amazing. 1st time, and I’m so happy.”

“Feeling blue? Bar Luna has the answer to all your woes, with tacos and handhelds of the food in a blanket variety, I had the al pastor pork tacos with their spiciest offerings of in house hot sauce (hot enough to melt the tastebuds right off your tongue!) washed down with the Blue Island Iced Tea (with edible candied orange slice!) The perfect spot, nestled away in the quiet corners of Nanaimo BC 10/10 would recommend to anyone in the area, looking for a classy, comfortable, warm and inviting environment with all the tasty tacos and fixings for a spice aficionado like myself!”

“the Dim Sum here is amazing. Not too many options but they are great quality. I have not had soup dumplings this good since I was in Taiwan!”

“I was so pleased with out recent dinner (take out) from Flavours of India. The order was ready on time, it was correct and the food was definitely some of the best I've tasted! I kept saying 'this is so good!' Lots of left overs for lunch tomorrow. yumm”

“My favorite restaurant in all of Nanaimo. Amazing service, delicious food, I cant recommend it enough. 10/10”

“Picked up take-out here tonight have a few times. Miso soup, Sunomono salad, several rolls, Las Vegas roll, Moksha with brown rice to name a few. Consistently good sushi, will be back.”

“Excellent food great service”

“Always the best poke bowl I’ve ever had. Every time I visit the island I make sure to have at least one poke bowl here. The ingredients are fresh and portion is amazing. Must try!

They recently added 3 new protein options (chicken, beef and something) but note that this protein option equals to two typical protein options.”

“Great pizza here! Fresh ingredients and delicious crust. The mega thick crust is also thin but slightly thicker than tortilla thin. So many varieties and options for base sauce, cheeses, toppings, meat, spices and sauces.

Service is excellent. The staff are very welcoming, professional and friendly. They are community-focused and support local causes and schools as well.

The atmosphere is wonderful. I see all ages here. Comfortable seats, good lighting, and good music (not loud, good taste)

The cakes are good too!”

“Great food, friendly loved it.”

“Excellent customer service!”

“Pretty much the best take out in Nanaimo. If you like perogies you will LOVE this place.”

“Nice location easily accessible by bus [route #1] and with many other shops in the same mall/area. Very friendly and helpful staff, you can clearly see all of their items on display in the shop and they slice your bread when you buy it. The baked goods are incredibly fresh, picked up a pack of apple cinnamon hot cross buns [multiple flavors/varieties available!] and a loaf of bread, both were baked earlier today. The hot cross buns are amazing! Will definitely be back again to explore more of their offerings.”

“Very nice restaurant to experience teriyaki meals.”

“I used A Wee Cupcakery for my wedding to provide vegan and gluten-free cupcakes. They made six of each of four flavors, and the chocolate coconut was absolutely to die for! Even guests without dietary restrictions couldn’t resist. Attached is a photo of a happy bride who sampled each flavour. 😄 Delicious treats and fantastic service—I highly recommend them!”

“The place is 😎.Coolio. I likes the bathroom sign by the back wall. Check it out when you go talk to the coolest barista's in Nanaimo! Lol
Seriously.....had asked for directions today.....I'm from Windsor Ontario.....they totally helped me out with building markers and exact corners to turn. AWSOME!!!
Excellent prices and quality products. Coffee is ......well.coffee.....but it's gotta be hottt and fresh!
Absolutely positively was !!!
Thanks girls”

“A health care provider recommended this coffee shop while I was waiting for a friend at the hospital. Am so glad I tried it out! delicious muffin that was fresh out of the oven and a tasty iced vanilla latte! highly recommend”

“Today was our first time trying out Waffle🧇 Magic🪄and it was absolutely DELICIOUS😋 Definitely the first of many more🙂Hidden gem💯”

“the best burger I have ever had ...”

“Very good sushi, friendly staff who accommodate my allergy, and usually very little wait time.”

“This place is great!!! Food is awesome, service is great and reasonable prices! Highly recommended”

“The best sandwiches in the world!! Don’t forget to try the carrot cake!”

“This is our go to coffee shop! Great cinnamon buns and muffins! Lovely atmosphere and staff!”

“Enjoyed wonton soup really delicious”

“i went to this a&w and their service was great and i had a great experience. i will come here again. Highly recomended”

“The food was OK....but was not impressed with the dust on the rungs of the chairs and the dividing glass on the booths were pretty dirty...especially when the sun shines through the dirty windows.”

“No service I know the food is good, but I was tired of waiting and left. Nice joke, folks.. You won’t be seeing me again anytime soon I really did like your food though.”

“The service is excellent and quality of the food preparation was very good with some vegetarian choices. Overall, a pleasurable dining experience. Would recommend this restaurant”

“came to this bistro for the first time on March 22, 2025 for a surprise 70th birthday for a family member. Found the setting comfortable, the staff knowledgeable, friendly and the service top notch. Ordered the platter for two and it was so good, the calamari was the best!! Our table numbered 15 people and all food arrived hot and all family was eating at the same time. This bistro is amazing!! As we travel to Gabriola Island fairly often, we will be stopping here for dinner again!!”

“On September 1st 2023 My friend and I went for lunch and sat out on the patio. The food was terrific and our waitress was amazing. We were reluctant to go there, but we decided to take a chance, and we are so glad that we did. This jewel of a pub will be our go to for our outings. I can't say enough about the great service we received. Thank you so much, it was a real treat.”

“I can honestly say that these were the best cod fish and chips I’ve ever had! Excellent quality and proportion of cod to batter. This will be my go to restaurant for fish and chips from now on! Thank you for a great meal.”

“Everything was spot on , Pho fabulous .Fair prices , quick Service. Will be back.”

“I did a review a couple of weeks ago that wasn't very good but since then I have re tried them and was pleasantly surprised that it was as good as I was used to before. I wish I could take back my old review but this one will hopefully make up for it. Tks Guys Ivan”

“Best teen burgers & onion rings in town! Beats the other A & W franchise hands down.”

“My daughter and I go there every morning to have breakfast, and we are treated with a great smile and service that we have not experienced anywhere else. The staff is amazing and so is the food! WE highly recommend this location !”

“Best Indian food in Nanaimo. Meat, chicken, and vegetable curries with delicious naan bread. If you are lucky enough to get there when they have their homemade samosas, they are heavenly. My husband and I have traveled a lot and sampled curries around the world. This is up there with the best. Very reasonable prices ( low ) and delicious. Lovely owners, great service. Highly recommend.”

“Absolutely amazing food and service. Best food in Nanaimo. If you haven't tried it yet be sure you do, you will not be disappointed. Every time we go back, we are not disappointed. Yum”

“Delicious food, waiters are very attentive, and super nice atmosphere. Plus it’s all at an affordable price. Can totally recommend it and will definitely come back again”

“The BEST cheesecake ever! Hawaiian highly suggested! Great service and was able to take it to go very easy! Can’t wait to travel back to Nanaimo and get another slice”

“The food was delicious, but our server was the best. Kyla made our experience fantastic. Any establishment would benefit from the skills, knowledge, and personality like Kyla. Don't miss the opportunity to visit especially if she is working.”

“The vault is the coolest location in Nanaimo and going there is an experience. This spot is popular with locals and with tourists, as one of the best venues in town as well as just the coolest spot. The staff are amazing and the food is awesome. If it's poppin in there will you wait a bit? Yes, but that's because it is well loved.”

“The food was OK....but was not impressed with the dust on the rungs of the chairs and the dividing glass on the booths were pretty dirty...especially when the sun shines through the dirty windows.”

“Excellent customer service!”

“We had an amazing treat at Ironworks Cafe & Creperie. So many tempting choices, both sweet and savoury. Three of us wanted to share two crepes, and asked if our choices could be cut into thirds. Renee plated the thirds individually with full garnishes. 🌟🌟🌟 We had the ‘Four Berries and Cream” (sweet) and the ‘Spinach, Artichoke & Brie” (savoury). Hmmmmm. Latte was excellent. 🌟 Locally owned, caringly staffed, local ingredients. So impressed. Thank you.”

“First time having a bar burrito. It was excellent, good value for your money. Very friendly staff. I will be back!”

“Amazing food! The fried rice is an absolute must! Not to mention came so very fast! Mehar is very good at his job and made us feel so welcome! Definitely worth your time!”

“Best pizza around 🤌🏻 the sweet garlic dip is to die for 😮‍💨”

“Arrived at 2 so had options from the regular and happy hour menu. The street corn dip was fantastic. Combo plates included enchiladas and our favourite dish - Chile Rellenos. Great staff, funky atmosphere and amazing food. Can't wait to come back!”

“Delicious place for Brunch. Had their Pulled Pork pancakes, so great. My wife had their hash and was very happy with it. If we are back in town, we would definitely be back. Place can be VERY busy, and it's seat yourself, so keep that in mind, especially on a weekend or long weekend.”

“A friend and I went to Jalapeño's for the first time yesterday and had a wonderful time. Friendly, helpful service; menu prices are more than reasonable; and the food was all delicious. We shared the choriqueso [like a cheese fondue with chorizo sausage in it] and it was fantastic. Melty, tasty, not overly spicy! We ate it as a starter and also put some of it onto our mains when those came out. We both ordered the taco trio [one carne asada, one carnitas, one al pastor] which comes with rice and beans. It was all good, but the beans were amazing! Feel silly saying that about beans, but they were the best refritos I've ever had. We also both had the hibiscus drink and it was fantastic, not super sweet and a nice floral taste. After our meal, we paid and each got one of their buñeolos [a crispy donut of sorts] to take home. That was crispy and coated in cinnamon-sugar. I'll definitely be back!”

“This place is very comfortable,friendly and not only with the staff but also the other customers! I was here on super-bowl. The food was very good and happy hour was great too with prices and the one thing I was really impressed with was the happy hour dishes were not smaller portions and were the same size as usual! Clean restrooms, lots of parking!”

“Wow! Great eggs Benny! I’ll be back soon!”

“Thank you for The great day. And for wishing me a happy 24th birthday. You are the best. May the tips bring such joy. Please keep up with the work. Bring beef Wellington and steak and friits”

“I grew up in East Van when pizza garden was 99 cents a slice (they started the whole new style of Vancouver pizza with the game changing larger ham slices, and larger pepperoni, and Capicola) . The original lady from there owns 4 brothers pizza now and works at the second location, beside Fire Pizza. Both best in Vancouver area imo both in their own ways. (Gotta get them fresh though)

Their pizza here at Paisanos is the best I've ever had. Hands down, in every way and every ingredient. Wouldn't pick a pie anywhere else, no matter how fancy they claim it is.

Super grateful to have a labour of love like theirs and a pizza by the slice shop in Nanaimo.

Never change Paisanos <3”

“Very impressed with this restaurant, the food was yummy, especially the salt and pepper tofu. We ordered take out, but the restaurant itself when we picked up our order was clean and bright, and the staff, who I believe were the owners were very friendly. They’ve been there about a year and we wish them good luck moving into their second year. Would definitely recommend. Although we spent more than usual for Chinese food, it will easily give us a nice left over meal.”

“Kind staff, fresh from the oven gluten-free scone (!), great coffee. Thank you!!! 😊”

“sooo good. the spring roll was INCREDIBLE. service was fast, the sub tasted extraordinarily fresh. the atmosphere of lanterns was GORGEOUS!!! and the free candies was a nice touch. heavily enjoyed this place. barely anybody there!”

“As a group of six we were delighted to find such a lovely place to stop for brunch. Dropping our son at university was the reason for our visit. Rick the manager went out of his way to chat with us and help explain what was available. Three of us had breakfast ciabatta, a ham/cheese panini and two lots of waffles. All delicious. Drinks were good, place was spotless. Staff not overly engaging but polite. Rick thanked us for visiting which was a really nice touch. We will return. Many thanks.”

“My favorite restaurant in all of Nanaimo. Amazing service, delicious food, I cant recommend it enough. 10/10”

“I love Donair Dude since I tried it for first time in Vancouver, it’s my always favourites street food 😍
Thanks for bringing it to Vancouver island!”

“Great place for a beer. Staff is really nice as well. They keep the place very clean.”

“First time ordering. The 5oz Cheeseburger, onion rings and strawberry milkshake were all excellent. I appreciated that my burger was wrapped in foil before putting in my take out box. Small detail went a long way. Recommend!”