Not sure with all the hate on this location. Service was…read morefast, food delicious as always and all the orders correctly came out. Always have to be proud of the quality of food in Canada compared to the US.

I frequented this Tim Hortons location while in Nanaimo for about 10 days and staying at VIU. It…read morewas walking distance and rather convenient. It was a good Tim Hortons location. All the staff I've met have been exceptionally friendly and hard working. All my orders were correct. Notably, there was a male and female Filipino staff member who was always cordial and friendly, wishing you a good evening or afternoon. It's Tim Hortons franchise so the food are pretty standard but it's convenient and consistent. The coffee was always hot and the blueberry sour cream donut (which unfortunately is only seasonal till the end of August as I heard from them) is pretty good. The location was clean. The washroom was clean. And there were plentiful power plugs if you're looking a place to charge your cellphone on the go. Not too sure the low rating but this is one of the better run Tim Hortons. Comparatively, the Tim Hortons near Departure Bay is always understaffed and long wait time (so I hear - was speaking to another man in line waiting for his food who told me that location was always understaff especially in the morning. And I wasn't surprised as I had been waiting 20 minutes lol) Whereas this location is clean, fast, friendly, and consistent. All the staff I've met there were great.

Perfect Small Town Bakery [Chemainus BC]…read more The community of Chemainus has this great little bakery. It was a 12-min drive from where we were staying in Crofton. We came here twice -- Sunday (unfortunately, they are closed on weekends). Business hours posted on their window are Mon-Fri 7:00a to 5:00p so we came back on a Tuesday afternoon. The different pastries in the display case looked so pretty and inviting... they even have egg rolls! I tried their Coffee Cake w/ Crumble Topping... not too sweet, just delightful. I also had the Apple Fritter... mmm, scrumptious warm apple fritter. I also bought a loaf of butter crust bread to take home (husband looked at me funny). Service was A+. Seating available inside and outside their store for those who enjoy sunshine. Delicious pastries at very reasonable prices. Even better deal when I saw the conversion from CAD to USD on my bank statement. My loaf of bread was a little over $2 USD. Review #3156

Taste is very nice, and the price was just as good. About $4 for a cream filled croissant, but they…read morehad some other sweet things that looked tasty ($2 for a donut, $5~ for a slice of cheese cake, $3 for a pizza stick, etc)

Located in the quaint town of Ladysmith. This place is happening! Clean and quick service. Donuts…read moreand coffee were fresh. They even offer too good to go at most locations.

Great place, only thing is there coffee is a bit to sweet for my liking, although customer service…read moreand their food is amazing.

Was excited to try In the Beantime at their new location at 431 High Street. Same great coffees…read moreand same great breakfasts. Their egg dishes are my go-to. Great new ambience and always nice to see familiar faces behind the counter serving up their delicious food.

In the Beantime initially seemed promising, but our experience fell short. We arrived more than 30…read moreminutes before closing and waited without being greeted. The hostess was in the kitchen having a causal conversation with the staff. When we requested a bread pudding to-go, we were told the kitchen had just closed 2 mins prior to her coming out to talk to us, even though we were in the restaurant and she was distracted elsewhere. Despite explaining that we had arrived earlier and asking if an exception could be made since it is a to-go order, the staff declined. It was a disappointing end to what we had hoped would be a positive visit.

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!

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 really liked the cheesecake flavour and Malaysian coconut. This was our 3rd time here and we got…read moreice cream here everytime we visit nanaimo

Tea, you say? Given…read morethe British component of British Columbia still reigns strong here, no wonder a tea shop would be found in the heart of the Nanaimo waterfront within easy walk of downtown. The wooden bastion standing over the shore gives a reminder of the beverage of choice, and it remains a touchpoint culturally and culinarily. Tea on the Quay, with its quaint name, is in a stretch of tourist-oriented shops along the Nanaimo harbour. Look for chairs scattered along the seaward patio, given a prime view over the boats and sea-planes caught up in an endless dance. This is less a cafe and more a traditional English tearoom, offering a number of small sandwiches, pastries, and desserts to accompany a standard selection of brews: English breakfast, Earl Grey, rooibos, peppermint, green, and a few choice herbals. On my visit in the summer, I went for the intriguingly named Ruby Mist, a hibiscus, mint, and citrus blend. Mint is not to my tastes but I love hibiscus. The pot came nicely steeped, though let's be honest: I like my tea like I like my men, mouthwatering and intense. Yes, that's an improv joke. The Ruby Mist missed the mark for me despite leaving it to steep for quite some time. Light meals fall into soups with a daily changing selection and accompaniment of bun, garden salad, or a scone; typical tea sandwiches (egg; cucumber and tomato; asparagus); and sandwiches or quiches served with soup or salad. Note the emphasis on light: you shouldn't expect a hearty meal, but rather something delicate to go with your cuppa. My party of three ventured to try quiche, a half sandwich, and the soup of the day. Nothing much distinguishes the soup except it was mildly salty, and if you prefer stronger flavours, this is not the choice for you. The sandwiches definitely veer on the side of light, more of a snack, though the egg and cucumber/tomato went nicely enough with the black tea we ordered. Portions veered towards petite, presented attractively on a little plate. The quiche was the low note for me, a sad and wobbly concoction that looked to be on its last chicken leg. Maybe it was a one-off, but the crust wasn't holding together well and the meal left my stomach unsettled. PRO TIP: Love high tea? Tea on the Quay hosts these by special request only, so call ahead not to be disappointed. NOTE: Parking in the Bastion lot can be tricky. Look for street parking near the mall and leg it up the street past Cameron Island.

I've been to Starbucks up and down the west coast. I've been to them in Mexico and now Canada. They…read moreare usually consistent as you would expect from them. This location didn't differ from the norm there. What did set them apart from all others was the service. I sat outside listening to the guy at the drive thru. He was so friendly, even spelling "good morning" to people. I went inside to buy a cup of coffee, just coffee as I'm a relic from a time people actually liked coffee. The guy at the front counter was very happy and cheerful too. I don't know if the Canadian stereotype of overly friendly is just true of if these were just exceptional people. In the Portland Oregon area I'm from, most people at Starbucks seem overly depressed. Maybe it's the rain but these people up north were great.

Usually love going here, but today I went in for a simple Green Tea latte and asked for some ice in…read moremy drink. Dakota, the barista, instantly gave me this look and stared at me for an entire 10 seconds (which I thought was awkward) then proceeded to violently throw away the drink, asked if I wanted "Tall" and then proceeded to mish mash random shit into a cup. After half-assedly blending the drink together she slams the cup down on the table, without a single look or even a straw. I took the drink confusedly, tasted it and realized that there was no flavor, asked for some sweetener and she said it was "already sweetened." I then got my refund, but then had to refund the second drink I ordered because it was a mess as well. Super unprofessional, waste of time and the 5 minutes of my life I made on this review. Went to a different sbux where they knew how to make drinks without a fuss and came out a happy customer. Hopefully this Starbucks can improve on their customer service. Totally understand that making a new drink is annoying, but the lack of professionalism by Dakota makes me not want to come here again.