Best of the City

The Nanaimo News Bulletin announces the winners of the 2012 Best of the City survey.

The News Bulletin

Share this story

Tweet

• Photos that capture city sought
• Public shapes city’s future
• COLUMN: City culture mapped out
• City looking to get people into parks
• City pushes recycling during Reuse Rendezvous
• City charges ahead on E-vehicle stations

Best of the City 2012 winners:

RECREATION

Best people-watching spot
Waterfront promenade
Swy a lana lagoon
Maffeo Sutton Park

Best place to watch birds
Buttertubs Marsh
Morrell bird sanctuary
Pipers Lagoon

Best place to walk your dog
Westwood Lake
Neck Point
Pipers Lagoon

Best romantic parking spot
Departure Bay Beach
Pipers Lagoon
Neck Point

Best place to meet for coffee
Tim Hortons
The Buzz
Starbucks

Best local campground
Living Forest Oceanside Campground
Brannen Lake Campsites
Nanaimo Lakes Campground

Best place for kayaking
Newcastle Island
Long Lake
Departure Bay

Best place for a picnic
Newcastle Island
Pipers Lagoon
Neck Point

Best place to swim outdoors
Westwood Lake
Nanaimo River
Long Lake

Best place to walk, jog or hike
Westwood Lake
Waterfront Promenade
Neck Point

Best place for mountain biking
Mount Benson
Doumont Road
Westwood Lake

RESTAURANTS/FOOD

Best romantic restaurant
Asteras Greek Taverna
Zougla Restaurant
Firehouse Grill (tied)
Mahle House (tied)

Best breakfasts
Ricky's All Day Grill
Tina's Diner
Tania's Restaurant

Best lunches
Delicado's
Thirsty Camel
Gabriel's Café

Best fish and chips
Troller's
Pirate Chips
Fox and Hounds Pub

Best hamburgers
Mrs. Riches Club Café
White Spot
Armani's Grill

Best fast food
Wendy's
Subway
A&W

Best nachos
Gina's Mexican Café
Longwood Brew Pub
Delicado's

Best pasta
Milano's Ristoranté
New York Style Pizza
Boston Pizza

Best sushi
Firehouse Grill
Blue Ginger
Nori Sushi

Best pizza
Mambo Gourmet Pizza
New York Style Pizza
Panago

Best pies
Nanaimo Bakery
Columbia Bakery
Costco

Best martini
Acme Food Co. Ltd
Modern Café
Cactus Club

Best seafood
Nauticals
The Keg
Zougla Restaurant

Best chicken wings
Miller's Pub
The Oxy (Occidental Hotel)
Old City Station Green Olive

Best bakery
Nanaimo Bakery
Columbia Bakery
Cobs Bread

Best deli
Nesvog's Meats
Thrifty Foods
Nellies Dutch Deli (tied)
McLean's Specialty Foods (tied)

Best steak
The Keg
The Bold Knight
Beefeaters Chop House & Grill

Best Sunday buffet/brunch
Longwood Brew Pub & Restaurant
ABC Restaurants
Ricky's All Day Grill

Best vegetarian food
Rawmbas
Thirsty Camel Café
Delicado's

Best Asian food
Blue Ginger
Huong Lan Restaurant
Hong Kong House

Best Mediterranean food
Asteras Greek Taverna
Zougla Restaurant
Alexandra's Bistro

Best family restaurant
White Spot
Ricky's All Day Grill
Mrs. Riches Club Café

Best patio restaurant
Cactus Club Cafe
Earls
Lighthouse Bistro

Best desserts
Dairy Queen
Modern Café
Mon Petit Choux

Best french fries
Pirate Chips
McDonald's
New York Fries

Best overall restaurant
Firehouse Grill
Asteras Greek Taverna
Simon Holt (tied)
Mrs. Riches Club Café (tied)

SHOPPING

Best pet supply store
Bosley's Pet Food Plus
Petsmart
Olivers Pet Supplies

Best place to get tires
Kal-Tire
Cedar Tire
Big O Tire

Best tile store
City Tile
Cornerstone Tile
Home Depot

Best music store
HMV
Fascinating Rhythm
Long & McQuade

Best second-hand store
Value Village
Salvation Army
Funk Your Fashion

Best art gallery
Nanaimo Art Gallery
Gallery 223
Barton & Leier

Best place to buy a used vehicle
Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln
Galaxy Motors
Nanaimo Toyota

Best floor covering store
End of the Roll
Home Depot
United Carpet

Best store for ladies wear
Quintessentials
Catwalk Fashions
Sears

Best store for men’s wear
Moore's
Sears
Tip Top Tailors

Best customer service store
Wal-Mart
Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln
Costco

Best outdoor garden centre
Art Knapp Plantland
Diana's Garden Centre
Long Lake Nursery (tied)
Green Thumb Nursery (tied)

Best vitamin/health food store
Charlie Brown's
Island Natural Markets
Fuel Supplements

Best paint store
Home Depot
Cloverdale Paint
Benjamin Moore

Best lighting store
McLaren Lighting
Home Depot
Rona

Best wine-making store
Nanaimo Wine Shop
Wine Kitz
Wine Works

Best furniture store
The Brick
La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
Flying Fish

Best housewares/linen store
Homesense
Flying Fish
Home Outfitters

Best place to buy meat
Nesvog's
Piper's Meats
Costco

Best place to buy produce
Thrifty Foods
Save-on Foods
Quality Foods

Best shoe store
Aldo Shoes
A Step Ahead
Payless Shoes

Best home building supply store
Home Depot
Rona
Home Hardware

Best sporting goods store
SportChek
ReAction Sports
SportMart

Best store to buy books
Chapters
Literacy Nanaimo
Coles Books

Best store to buy tools
Home Depot
Canadian Tire
Midland Tools

Best jewellery store
Peoples Jewellers
Ben Moss
Bastion Jewellers

Best flower shop
Turley's Florist
Thrifty Foods
Diana's Garden Centre (tied)
Westcoast Classic Floral Design (tied)

Best lingerie shop
La Senza
My Undies
La Vie En Rose

Best bike shop
Oak Bay Bikes
Arrowsmith Bikes
Pacific Rim Bicycle

Best place to buy seafood
Sea Drift Fish Market
Thrifty Foods
Costco

Best sewing/notions store
Fabricland
Snip N Stitch
Serge and Sew

Best place to shop
Woodgrove Centre
Downtown
Wal-Mart

SERVICE

Best place to get a tattoo
Black and Blue
Tranceformations
Electric Umbrella

Best travel agency
Flight Centre
Around the World Travel Service Ltd.
Marlin Travel

Best insurance agency
BCAA
Western Financial Group
Coastal Community Credit Union (tied)
Real Insurance (tied)

Best catering business
Master's Touch
Mrs. Riches Club Café
2 Chef's Affair

Best electrical contractor
Den-Mar Electric
Mazzei Electric
Wenner Electric

Best financial planner
RBC
Sun Life Financial
TD Canada Trust

Best beauty salon
Maffeo Salon
Kiyo Salon & Day Spa
Breze Salon & Day Spa

Best estheticians
Breze Salon & Day Spa
Maffeo Salon
Kiyo Salon & Day Spa

Best massages
Breze Salon and Day Spa
Maffeo Salon
Knead Massage Therapy

Best tanning salon
Spanish Sol Tanning Studio
Divine Glow Tanning
Solisa Tanning

Best auto servicing
Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln
Canadian Tire
Vans Garage

Best optical store
Iris
Maycock Eyecare
Visionarts Eyecare Centre

Best marine supplier
The Harbour Chandler Ltd.
West Marine
Westwood Power and Marine

Best plumbing & heating business
Archie Johnstone Plumbing & Heating Ltd.
Marshall Plumbing Ltd.
Norm's Mobile Service Ltd

Best carpet cleaners
Citrus O Carpet Care Inc
Classic Care Carpet Cleaning
Premier Carpet Cleaning

Best appliance repair shop
Barron's Home Appliance Centre
Aztec Appliances
Classic Appliances

Best gas bar
Mid-Island Co-op
Chevron
Superstore

Best banking institution
TD Canada Trust
Royal Bank
Coastal Community Credit Union

Best fitness centre
V.I. Fitness Centre
Nanaimo Athletic Club
Nanaimo Aquatic Centre

Best roofing company
Erickson Roofing Ltd.
Vanderleek Roofing Services
Milne Roofing

NIGHT LIFE/ENTERTAINMENT

Best sports bar
Old City Station Green Olive
Boston Pizza Nanaimo
Piper's Pub

Best place to dance
The Queen's
Level Two
Club 241

Best place for live bands
The Queen's
The Cambie
Diners Rendezvous

Best pub
Longwood Brew Pub
Old City Station Green Olive
Piper's Pub

Best live theatre
Port Theatre
The Bailey Theatre
Nanaimo Centre Stage

KIDS

Best day-care centre
Jolly Giant Childcare Ltd
Katie's Korner Childcare Centre
Boys and Girls Club

Best kids' restaurant
White Spot
McDonald's
Ricky's All Day Grill

Best toy store
Toys R Us
Kool and Child Store
Wal-Mart

Best kids' clothing store
Children's Place
Gap Kids
Old Navy

Best place for birthday parties
Jumping Jiminys
Oliver Woods Centre
McDonald's

Best playground
Beban Park
Oliver Woods Community Centre
Maffeo Sutton Park