Had a wonderful Flat White here, probably the best one I've had all year. Great, friendly service.read more

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)

A cute cafe during a day trip to Nanaimo! The vibes are immaculate and felt so cozy. There was even…read morea live piano player and singer who started up in the afternoon. For brunch, I got eggs Benny with tomato and bacon. The texture of the eggs were pretty good! A little overcooked though. The side of potato wedges were really good for me. The London fog was delicious and had the perfect amount of sweetness! I'd come back :)

Such a cool, eclectic spot to enjoy breakfast and a coffee! The decor was spectacular and I loved…read morelooking around the cafe while we waited for our food. Service was extremely friendly, and although the food took quite a while because they were extremely busy, they were very transparent as to why. The homemade granola was delicious. If you're looking for a vibrant way to start your day, this is it!

This place is bright and cheery, and we found the staff delightful and personable. This was a stop…read moreoff before grabbing the ferry but it was so good I imagine our family will return! They have hands down the best Nanaimo bars I have ever tasted! I didn't grab a picture of those because they were devoured, but we also enjoyed our cortados

1. I went here over the course of several days on vacation and enjoyed it…read more 2. They make a solid macchiato which I had several of. 3. It's in a cool old train station building and has both indoor and outdoor seating.

We visited Bocca Cafe as our second stop out of three for Nainaimo Bars. This is a pretty cozy…read morecafe, with only a couple of tables and seats for people to relax in. When we visited on a rainy Monday afternoon and there were a couple of people inside, sipping on coffee and working. Traditional Nanaimo ($5.99) - This Nanaimo Bar is very thin, about half the height as compared to Bar 1. It shears while cutting, causing pieces to break off in chunks rather than cleaning going through. This happens to both the icing in the middle and the top and I'm not sure what causes it. The top layer has a nice rich chocolatety taste. The bottom layer has finer coconut shreds and a nice cocoa flavor, mixed with crushed silvered almonds for nuttiness and crunch. The layer is able to easily shatter. It's dry and almost powdery in texture. The middle icing isn't that noteworthy other than being sweet. As a whole, the bar is hefty, hard and very dense. It's very sweet. (3/5) Salted Caramel Nanaimo ($5.99) - This is similar in texture to the traditional with the same shattering grittiness. The middle layer is caramel icing and top layer has some flaky salt sprinkled on top. Otherwise again it's very sweet and crumbly. (3/5) I can't say I was a huge fan of these Nanaimo bars. They are definitely higher quality than the last bakery we visited, but they are a bit too dry, gritty, and powdery for my tastes. Based on my enjoyment of the food, I would normally give Bocca Cafe a 3 star rating, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and raise them to a 4, especially because the employees were very nice. Maybe i just don't like Nanaimo bars that much! Washrooms - One unisex room.

Bocca Cafe was pretty empty when we stopped in, but the ambiance was cozy. The interior had…read morecolorful walls, covered in art for sale. They also had some cute holiday decorations. I ordered a Matcha Latte and my boyfriend got a Dirty Chai Latte, which were both tasty and came in large mugs. We also ordered a Caramel Brownie to share. The brownie was super decadent and rich, but delicious. I was glad we only ordered one for two people. Service was friendly and reasonably fast. Overall, cute cafe - would return!

The food is nice, esp all the Benny, I ordered bacon Benny and my son salmon Benny, both are nice…read more My friends ordered sandwiches, they said it's nice as well, and it's really huge size! But the coffee could be improved, too dark roasted and too diluted

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.

A must-stop spot for anyone visiting Nanaimo! You can't go to Nanaimo without trying a classic…read moreNanaimo bar, and Red's Bakery is the perfect place to grab this iconic treat. We also picked up the banana cheesecake, and it was packed with banana flavour. It was definitely a great choice for banana lovers. Everything is ready to go and nicely packed, making it super convenient for a quick dessert stop. Service was fast and friendly. The bakery has a few tables inside, but if they are full, you can enjoy your treats outside or head across the street to the Vancouver Island Regional Library, where there are benches that make a nice little dessert break spot. A simple, convenient, and delicious stop to experience a true Nanaimo classic!

The place typically recommended to get Nanaimo Bar! Despite the popularity, there was no line to…read moreorder, and because of limited seating and popularity, they prepare these bars in takeout containers, but it did not detract from the presentation. The Nanaimo Bar features a graham crust, custard filling, and chocolate ganache. Definitely on the sweeter side, so it was enough to share with 2 or more people just to try out this local specialty food.

Hands down best cafe in Nanaimo. Consistent quality, fair pricing, fresh food, warm service (this…read moreis what keeps me from almost all other cafes ... rude/condescending staff) & a great downtown vibe being by all the shops and waterfront. Owned by wonderful people. You won't regret it a bit!

i made a point to stop in at serious coffee after spotting their chalkboard advertising a black…read moresesame matcha latte, because curiosity absolutely won. i arrived before noon on a friday and the café was nearly empty, with only one table occupied, which gave the visit a calm, unhurried feel. the space itself is cozy, relaxed, and slightly mysterious, with high ceilings, exposed beams, chandeliers, and warm lighting paired with dark wood. it feels very much like a place that had a previous life, likely as a pub, and that history adds character. at the same time, the room feels visually busy. the walls are lined with menus, chalkboards, printed signs, and notices, and the pastry case is packed with labels and options. it all creates a sense of abundance and activity, even when the café is quiet, almost like there is a lot competing for your attention at once. i ordered the black sesame matcha latte with oat milk, unsweetened, along with a strawberry iced chai with oat milk, also unsweetened. the black sesame completely overpowered the matcha. the matcha was there, but very subtle, more of a background note than a distinct presence. if you love black sesame, this drink might work well for you, but matcha lovers may find it lacking balance. the strawberry iced chai, even without sweetener, it somehow tasted too sweet for my preference, and the flavour combination felt slightly off. it was not terrible, just not something i would order again. overall, this was a fun stop with creative drinks and a distinctive atmosphere. the chalkboard outside definitely did its job getting me through the door, and the café feels like a solid place to sit and hang out, especially if you enjoy trying something a little different.

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

Our trip to Canada had to include sampling a variety of Nanaimo bars as we passed through. We…read moretasted a few and Hearthstone was my favorite. Not only the classic, but the flavor of the month which was mango passionfruit. We loved those as much if not more than the classic. Sorry we live so far away!

We visited Nanaimo specifically to try Nanaimo bars from various bakeries, and this was our…read morestandout favorite! Lovely chocolate layer, perfect base, and a full, creamy not-too-sweet custard layer. We also tried their peanut crunch Nanaimo bar which was excellent, and almost better than the classic if you love peanut butter. Only disappointment was their "Flavor of the Month" Nanaimo bar, strawberry rhubarb. We're fans of rhubarb, but unfortunately, this one was just overly sweet with no discernible rhubarb or strawberry flavor. Bakery is located in a strip mall, so lots of parking available. Don't skip this bakery if you're doing the "Nanaimo Bar Crawl" - it's the best!