OK, this bakery rocks! If you are going to or passing through lady smith, this place is worth a…read morestop. We were walking and saw a huge line so we continued walking, and then came back and the line was still long! We wanted to get some pasties and coffee so waited patiently (about 10-12 mins) in line. They have such a huge collection of pies, tarts, sausage rolls, croissants, cookies, breads and cinnamon rolls, etc. We couldn't decide what to get and don't want to go crazy as we had bought pasties earlier on from elsewhere, so bought two different cinnamon buns and a latte. The poppy seed and cream cheese cinnamon buns were incredible! Latte was delicious! Haven tried the rhubarb and strawberry cinnamon bun yet but looking forward to it tomorrow! There are limited tables and seats inside but it's crowded. The staff are friendly and the regular locals are amazing! We had a chat with the lovely folks in the line and they were recommending what they love, which was pretty special! I'm giving five stars because they deserve it - their food, drinks and hospitality.

Old Town Bakery's sweet goods are off the charts d~lish They're well known for their cinnamon buns…read more Their bread is good too. Quite often there's a line up which speaks to their popularity. I highly recommend this establishment.

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!

The sandwiches and baked goodies are consistently exceptional at this location, plus great customer…read moreservice. It's a smaller property but it's always packed so maybe that just makes it seem smaller. Easy access off island highway. I would recommend going out of your way to grab coffee and lunch at this location. There is patio seating so if the weather is nice you can sit outside! Nice.

If you are going head to get just coffee then it's pretty good. I also like the smoothies yum!read more

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!

Looking for snacks and decided it was pastry time. A cozy little bakery in the heart of Qualicum…read more We got the country style sausage rolls, the Cornish pasties and a couple of steak and mushroom pies. My mom and my wife both make the best pastry in the world (yes they both do) but these treats were crispy, flakey, light and oh so delicious. Ample fillings and top notch pastry combined to provide very satisfying snacks. Fantastic selection of muffins, breads, buns and baked goods with a warm, inviting staff that has an obvious love of their trade. Thanks for feeding us on our adventure.

Nice bakery for all the normal bread, pastries and cakes. They also have a little lunch spot where…read moreyou can have a piece of fried chicken with your pastry, or pack it up for dinner. Friendly people too!

We have eaten here three times (so far) on our trip. Every day we have been happy with our food and…read moredrinks. The iced latte has been consistent, the lemonade sweet, the food fresh and hot, and the pastries delicious. All of the employees are friendly and smiling. The bakery is clean and has a welcoming atmosphere

This place is excellent, straight up! It's fairly new, I think, clean and tidy, and nice and…read morebright. The service is friendly, quick and efficient. You order from the kitchen at the counter and they bring to food out to you. The case looked to be full of tasty treats and reasonably priced. K had the skillet which came with toast that was so good. The skillet itself contained a good amount of food that was very nicely cooked. My bacon and eggs came with a choice of hash browns or toast. I chose the has browns and added a side of sourdough. The eggs were cooked perfectly, the bacon nice and crispy as specified, along with a slice of tomato and some fresh basil which was a nice touch. My London Fog left a little to be desired, but that was but a small blemish in an otherwise excellent breakfast/brunch! If you are in Parksville I'd heartily recommend the Brazen Poppy Bakery Cafe. We'll be stopping on our way to Victoria tomorrow for sure.

I love this little cafe. Excellent food, especially the veggie bowl. Amazing mocha, great matcha…read morelattes, super friendly staff. Clean bathrooms and cozy atmosphere overall. Good place to meet with friends, relax with a book, or work remotely.

It is such a nice place. They are kind food is mostly fast t ok come out. All the food is supper…read moretasty some of there most popular is the chicken pesto sandwich or the traditional breakfast. The service is quit nice. The business is growing so much and all there spots are nice the staff have a lot of patience and it just a good spot to go

This place continues to be my favourite chicken wrap location. Today it was the off-menu spicy…read morechicken wrap. It's off menu because it's **legit spicy** ;) Paired with the Grapefruit and Lemon Fizz drink...perfectly balanced. Ambiance continues to be excellent. I could curl up with a good book here.

Cute and affordable, lots of options and a large menu (both hot food, drinks, and bakery items)…read more Lots of seating and cute ambiance. A focus on reusable glassware and straws is a nice touch