The best Nanaimo Bar we ever had. It was delicious and to die for!…read moreMy sister bought some extra take back home (Toronoto). They are still delish after couple of days.

I heard from multiple sources that Red's Bakery serves the most mediocre Nanaimo Bars in Nanaimo,…read morebut since we were in the area (and a couple of other places were closed the day we were in town), we decided to walk on over. Red's has a kind of small town bakery feel, with old-fashioned almost eclectic decor, perhaps 60s/70s retro. Unlike some of the other bakeries, they prepackage some of their desserts in plastic, so it's difficult to tell how fresh they are. I suppose Nanaimo Bars keep well in the first place. We ended up trying Nanaimo bars from three different places, with my notes for Red's as below: Nanaimo Bar ($6) - This Nanaimo bar is much taller than the other two, probably around 50% taller than bar 3 and a full double of bar 2. It cuts very smoothly without much flaking off. The crumb base underneath is smooth, indicating that the coconut fibers are well blended to reduce strand length. It's almost like an Oreo base, with heavy Dutch processed cocoa flavor. There should be nuts mixed in, but they are crushed so finely that I can't really tell what nut is used. People on social media complain about the bottom layer, but I actually love it. For the other layers, the top icing is really sweet. It has a heavily roasted chocolate flavor and by far the darkest in color. The middle layer just tastes like standard icing. It's sweet but I think less so than the other bars. (4/5) Interestingly enough, I enjoyed the Nanaimo Bar from Red's more than both other bakeries. I think it's pretty good in quality and while sweet, has the heavy cocoa elements of the cookie base to help balance things out a bit. Washroom - I didn't see any available for customers.

Hidden Gem Alert! If you're in Nanaimo, you need to check out this cozy little bakery & cafe that's…read moreas cute as it is delicious! Bodhi's Artisan Bakery It is Locally owned and full of charm. They have a variety of Handcrafted pastries that melt in your mouth, Freshly baked bread you'll want to take home, and Coffee that feels like a warm hug. Whether you're craving a quick treat or looking for a spot to relax, this place is a total vibe! We got the cinnamon bun, strawberry and blueberry cheese danish, and almond croissant. Everything was truly delicious but the blueberry cheese danish stole the show. It was the best cheese danish I've ever had! Heads up, they only accept cash and debit. They also have limited seating available and tend to sell out fast. We went at 9:30am on a Saturday and of their items were gone and by the time we left at ~10:30 they were almost halfway sold out. Food 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 (very cozy and homey/local) Parking 4.5/5 Service 5/5

Excellent bread, rolls, danish, scones, etc. Multiple types of bread all from quality flour. You…read morewill not be disappointed!

Discovering another gem in Nanaimo! Lavender Art Cafe in Country Club Mall is the perfect cozy…read morespot for hanging out with friends, diving into a good book, or getting some work done. With a 5.0-star rating on Google, it's no wonder! Indulge in their delicious pastries and savor a wide selection of teas and coffees. If you're looking for a new favorite cafe, this is it! Make sure to try their traditional Persian breakfast dish and the apple cake. Food 5/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 5/5 Parking 5/5

From the owner: Signature LAvender Tea Signature Lavender Coffee and Lattes…read moreSignature Lavender Sweets Sweets Bakery

It's just awful. Not clean, zero service, horrible decor done super cheap, and the food is just ok…read more What irks me the most is that if you pay by credit or debit, there is a tip prompt before you pay. A tip? For what? Forget this place. Go to Serious Coffee instead.

Loved the atmosphere! Very artsy. Could sit in here for hours just soaking in all the art…read more Good customer service, very friendly. Food was average. The latte tasted watery... poorly made.

Nope... I will never buy my baked goods from Cobs again. The customer service is bizarre. Masks…read moreand visors and basically a hazmat suit? I want to see a smile from a cashier who does not still think that they are going to die from a cold. The baked goods are labeled "plant based".... common on? (eyes rolling.) Are you seriously going to virtue signal with a cinnamon bun? It's just pathetic. Pandering to the far left nutbars? I don't get it, you are just a bakery.... I don't need a side of politics with my bread so I will take my hard earned "bread" else where and vote with my cash and support a local business owner.

Tried the sourdough buns, sesame buns, scones, and French bread. It was all very good- and fresh…read more We love this place.

Wow! One of the best bakeries I've been to. The pastries are all very flavourful and the lamination…read moreis perfection. It's small inside so plan to grab and go or sit outside. We went early in the morning and was able to snag a mystery bag with day old patsteries. I highly recommend the mushroom pastry with its rich filling. I can't wait to try out more!

Stopped in on a weekday morning for a treat and so glad we did! The pastries were so buttery and…read moreflaky. We tried the bacon, mushroom and gruyere pain suisse. It was super savoury and one of our favourites. Also had the lemon blueberry danish. Again a flaky pastry with sour lemon curd balanced with the blueberries. The sourdough was also tasty. The crust wasn't too thick and the overall flavour was nice. We also were able to get mystery day old bags of pastries and those were still delicious. Honestly these pastries were very reasonably priced for the quality. I hiiiiighly recommend checking them out if you're in the neighbourhood (or even if you're not cause it's worth the trip!). I'll definitely be coming back when I'm in town!

Great coffee and a friendly team serving as well. There was a small incident where, during the…read moremaking of my latte, the barista had to jump around the counter to the front door to help a woman who was in the middle of a CRA tax scam call. The coffee shop hosts a bitcoin ATM and apparently they see quite a few victims come in to send money off to telephone confidence scammers. I jumped in to help explain the issue to the poor woman who was dealing with the callers (being in IT and dealing with business security as well). So I got a really nice latte *and we thwarted a virtual robbery attempt. I didn't get the barista names but she's worth a very very large tip.

Exactly what is needed in this little corner strip mall off Bowen. Delicious scones, fresh roasted…read moreorganic coffee (they roast in house), and extremely pleasant staff. They keep day olds (still yummy) for cheap and if you bring your own mug, they charge for a small cup. I like the homey feel and couches. Very unpretentious and friendly. Bonus- bitcoin atm that you can purchase bitcoin AND get cash for your bitcoin (harder to find). Love going after my workout at Driven:)