This is my favourite bakery on Vancouver island. This German bakery has amazing donuts, cheese…read moretwists, pretzels and cakes that are traditional and delicious. An added bonus, the prices are fantastic. This bakery is on my route to work, and I go at least twice a month. Definitely recommend!

Great bakery! If you are happy with self-service, I recommend this Bakery for lunch and anytime…read morecoffee breaks. You can't beat the price.

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!

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 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.

Bacon poutine is amazing!!! Also the ice cream!!! Got like 7…read morescoops in a single cone??? Best ever

We were walking around Old Country Market on the verge of hanger, so we decided to have a quick…read morelunch at the Ice Cream Parlour. Don't make the same mistake we did! I regretted ordering food pretty immediately, as I watched the staff prepare orders while I waited. In the unreasonably long time it took for a hot dog, fries, and hamburger to be made, I witnessed two embarrassing altercations between staff members, and saw a staff recovering from a nose bleed with a tissue in one nostril (and still behind the counter?!). The fries and microwaved hot dog were fine, but the hamburger was inedible. My friend described it as the worst burger she has ever had. We honestly weren't sure if it was beef. This place is clearly a tourist trap. Unfortunately, we didn't have Internet at the time to be able to check Yelp. Maybe the ice cream is okay (we didn't try it), but stay away.

I'm a bit of a health food addict - aka donuts are my thing. I've rated all the Mid-Island donut…read moreplaces, and this is my favourite. I'm a bit of a stickler and I only buy their filled creations. They're elevated, not everything-and-the-kitchen-sink like sprinkles or gummies you'd get with expensive Harbour City. Usually there's so much yummy interior goo (filling made from scratch), that I eat them with a plate underneath. It's a young husband and wife team, so it's great to support a local small business. Oh, if you're not there a bit after 11 a.m., they start running out of stuff.

Very cute little spot…read more We went at open and were greeted with very fresh donuts. We got the vanilla the sprinkle the maple donuts the london fog cronut the lemon curd filled the rasberry filled. Overall they were light fluffy airy. The vanilla was by far my favourite. A soft scrumptious donut. The high point^ Not as great was the maple really lacked flavour. Same good base but frosting was too subtle. Definitely wouldn't have been able to guess flavour. As for the filled donuts and filled cronut. There was barely any filling to be had. Which was pretty surprising. Perhaps they were training someone in kitchen. All 3 only had one bite IF THAT of filling. Its worth noting the curd was also incredibly mild. The base of all the donuts was great. The brioche was fantastic. It was the flavour profiles and the act of piping (in the filling) where things went wrong. All that being said. The staff were friendly the place is aesthetic. Perhaps 'gram worthy. I just wouldn't order a stuffed donut there.

Fantastic bagels! My veggie bagel sandwich was delicious. My husband had the cinnamon roll and…read morehe said "it was the best" he'd had in years. The owner really cares about her customers AND her food and how it's presented. Kudos!!!! And yum!!!

We made a great little discovery in Nanaimo before catching the ferry!…read more We came across Misty Pines Cafe & Bakery in Nanaimo's Old City Quarter, and it was the perfect spot to wrap up our trip. We grabbed coffee and a few of their handcrafted pastries before heading to the ferry. We especially loved the lemon meringue monkey bread. The treat was soft, fluffy, and sweet without being too sweet. There's limited seating both inside and outside, but for us, that's part of the charm. Grab a coffee, pick up something freshly baked, and slow down for a few minutes. If you're visiting Nanaimo, we recommend adding this spot to your list before catching the ferry. It's a simple, cozy, and tasty way to finish your Vancouver Island trip.

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!

Needs a little bit of loving for a small, and I do mean small, local business…read more It operates in a compact space inside the Nanoose Bay Community Centre at the side of the building. Enter and there is space for 3 people max. Indicate what you want and he'll bring it out for you. Credit cards taken. Seems like everything is made from scratch. See my pics. Super friendly owner. He used to live in Vancouver in the Kits neighbourhood. He gave me a free pack of butter tarts because I was a first time visitor. $15 value. If there was one critique I'd give, the meat pies are slightly under seasoned. A little salt and you're good to go. The quality is definitely there, no question. Pies are frozen, so take out only. Major CC's accepted.

Pies are always yummy and a great deal.... We buy them often a few at a time. We are so lucky to…read morehave these guys in our community.