Good, fresh, healthy food with gluten free chowder as a BONUS! Love it!! I can never find a gluten…read morefree chowder in my locality.

Perfect spot to stop in Nanaimo. Great menu selection. Food came hot and fast. Server was…read morefriendly. Nice outside seating for a sunny day.

We were hesitant to enter the restaurant upon seeing that it's situated in a hotel. Hotel…read morerestaurants are often over priced, in my opinion. However that was not the case. The Breakfast Nook was reasonably priced and we were very satisfied with our orders. We both chose the steel cut oats, mine with berry compote and hers with fruit. We were getting tired of bacon and eggs so this was just right. The service was well above average with servers who seemed to be pleased to greet and serve us. Our coffee cups were kept topped off. The cafe was full after we were seated. That may be because it's fairly close to the ferry to Horseshoe Bay. Parking was free but on the street. It may be more of an issue to park on weekdays, but there were ample parking spaces for us on this Saturday. We would definitely recommend this restaurant for your breakfasts and lunches.

Hidden gem Very happy with food and service…read more Great place for brunch or lunch. Will be back my next trip to town

Didn't expect much from the food here as the servers seem hot and annoyed... BUT…read moreOrdered tomato soup which was absolutely fantastic tasty spicy beautiful served with great baquette. Ordered salad Nicole's - another rave! Lovingly chopped potatoes,cucumber,boiled egg,tuna, with a lovely lemon dressing. Best food ate all weekend in Nanaimo.

arriving at mon petit choux around 2:30 pm, i noticed a handwritten note on the front door: the…read morekitchen was closed for the day, but drinks and pastries were still available. exactly what i wanted anyway. stepping inside, the comforting scent of freshly baked bread wrapped around me like a warm hug. the interior immediately draws you in, robin's egg blue banquettes curve around small marble tables, paired with dark wood chairs and deep red flooring. charcoal walls trimmed with subtle gold details give the space a slightly vintage, old world charm feel, softened by leafy plants and framed artwork. it's cozy without being fussy, elegant without ever feeling stiff. the barista greeted me with a genuinely warm smile, answering my questions with patience and ease. there was no rush, no performative cheer, just the kind of friendly, attentive presence that makes you feel comfortable settling in. it's a small thing, but it set the tone for the entire visit. by mid afternoon, the pastry case was understandably a little sparse, with the almond croissants already gone. i grabbed the last chocolate croissant and ordered a matcha latte with oat milk. after paying, the barista offered to warm the croissant and bring it over to my table, a thoughtful, relaxed touch that matched the gentle pace of the room. when my order arrived, the matcha latte carried a subtle, unexpected peachy note, light and refreshing, though not quite to my taste. the chocolate croissant, lightly warmed, had a slight crunch exterior that gave way to soft layers, and a rich dark chocolate filling. it wasn't ultra flaky, nor chewy, but it was baked in house with care. as i prepared to leave, i was offered a baguette or focaccia to take home, another generous gesture that left a lasting impression. even though the latte wasn't a personal favourite, mon petit choux is a genuinely welcoming, quietly charming spot i'm already looking forward to returning to, especially for brunch. it's the kind of café where you linger a little longer than planned, where the space itself encourages you to slow down, and where the city outside feels momentarily hushed.

Loved this café--the vibe, antique interior, and food were all excellent. Portions were generous…read moreand well worth the price. We tried the Lox bagel, and Double-B, everything was delicious. and the staff were friendly and helpful. Would definitely come back! Food: 5/5 | Service: 5/5 | Atmosphere: 5/5

So, I HAD to have a Nanaimo bar while visiting Nanaimo. Decided on this cute coffee house for the…read moreexperience. $5.50 for a small bar is rather steep but then I remembered it was in Canadian dollars and that made me feel slightly better! Now I think I'm hooked on these dessert bars. I didn't really think that I would like it, but it was delicious. So was my chai tea latte. We stayed in the store, so our experience included some pretty eclectic cups, silverware and plate, but that seems to be the vibe here at The Vault. The barista was all smiles, too.

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.

An exceptional gem in the usually hard pressed for cuisine city of Nanaimo. Every dish is perfect…read more How good can eggs Benedict get? Pretty damn good. I cannot recommend this place enough. Their small selection of baked goods are also exceptional. I had their tourtiere special and it was fantastic. Amazing attention to detail, from the perfectly seasoned filling, the crisp flaky pastry and the perfectly poached egg, along with a side of stewed tomatoes and local peppers, it just projects this restaurant's intense love of food

From the owner: We offer a delicious menu of brunch items like: Eggs Benedict with various toppings and home made…read moreEnglish muffins as an option, vegan and gluten free options, baked French toast, home made quiche, house made fresh soups, sunrise sandwich with Spanish frittata, healthy quinoa and grain bowl with roasted fruit, fresh baked in house scones with in all the fixings and much more. We also have a full coffee and special tea service. We serve English High Tea on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (starting April 22, 2023) with savory finger sandwiches, fresh baked goodies all served with a flair and a smile. Located in downtown Nanaimo in the historic Old Quarter. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended as we do have limited seating available.

Discovering another gem in downtown Nanaimo Modern café is nestled in a heritage site built in…read more1910. They bring a fresh twist to classic comfort food using locally sourced ingredients. We stopped by for brunch and indulged in the Modern Acai Berry Bowl ($16) and the Modern Breakfast ($18). Whether you're in the mood for brunch, lunch, or dinner, this all-day dining lounge has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this unique spot! The Modern Cafe 221 Commercial St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5GB 11:30-9pm (open till 10 on weekends) Food Parking 4.5/5 Service 4/5 Ambiance 5/5

I was visiting Nanaimo for the first time and had brunch here with a large group, it wasn't super…read morebusy and I appreciated the service. I thought it was a decent brunch place however felt that the dish was a bit heavy -- big portion though. The duck while there was a decent amount in the hash, didn't have anything special to it and tasted like a regular pulled meat. I did like the addition of pineapple as that was something I hadn't seen before and the potatoes were pretty good! Overall, for the price point ($26), it's definitely not a go-to for me if I lived in the area however it's a nice spot to visit if you're on the island for a getaway.

We stayed at Coast Bastion Hotel and after walking all day, it was nice to have a place to eat…read morewithout leaving the hotel. Yes, they were pricey but the food was delicious. We ordered crab cakes and top sirloin . Service was awesome.

Second time in this hotel restaurant inside of a week. Both nights had large crowds attending a…read moretheatre event around the corner. Not surprisingly they were very busy. That said, we were there for both "slammed" situations, and endured little, to no, service. Our server last night had no answers to our menu questions and spent entirely too much time leaving us to ask someone else. Specials, fish of the day, etc should be a part of the offering that is well known and sold by the wait staff. We find hotel chain restaurants to be sub-par in general, but this Coast hotel disappointed twice inside of a week. The space is nicely appointed, but we found the folks that followed us in were looking to watch the hockey playoffs at 8 PM. Should be prime dinner/date night out. Overall, so average, which you are not looking for out of a Coast hotel situated a few hundred meters from the ocean.

When in Nanaimo…read more.. We decided to check out several spots to taste Nanaimo bars while in town, and Javawoki was by far our favorite. Rich, creamy and not overly sweet. Truly a 5 star bar (though wish it had been a little larger)

Quaint, cozy, so friendly and a fantastic mocha. The owner was super nice and carried on a good…read moreconversation. The Nanaimo bar was really good, I wish it was double the size. Wasn't much more than a bite or two. I could have stayed for more coffee but I already had three cups!

the place is pretty old and the floors make a creeking sound when you walk on it...food is pretty…read moregood most times but the odd time it comes out cold or looks like it's been sitting overnight and has been warmed up in a microwave

i ordered peppermint tea. honey with the tea is really nice but 25 cents extra is not very nice…read more it is a small thing but big for me. I will be voting with my feet on this one.