Best of the City 2016 survey results:
Best Fitness Centre1. Nanaimo Aquatic Centre2. VI Fitness3. Northridge Fitness Centre
Best Local Campground1. Living Forest Oceanside Campground2. Brannen Lake Campground3. Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park
Best People-Watching Spot1. Waterfront & Harbourfront Walkway2. Maffeo Sutton Park & Swy-a-lana Lagoon3. Woodgrove Centre
Best Place for a Picnic1. Piper’s Lagoon2. Neck Point Park3. Maffeo Sutton Park & Swy-a-lana Lagoon
Best Place for Birthday Parties1. Jumpin’ Jiminy’s2. Boston Pizza3. Brechin Lanes
Best Place for Kayaking1. Newcastle Island2. Departure Bay3. Long Lake
Best Place to Meet for Coffee1. The Buzz2. Starbucks3. Tim Hortons
Best Place to Mountain Bike1. Westwood Lake2. Doumont Road3. Mount Benson
Best Place to Swim Outdoors1. Nanaimo River2. Westwood Lake3. Piper’s Lagoon
Best Place to Walk, Jog or Hike1. Westwood Lake2. Neck Point Park3. Harbourfront Walkway
Best Place to Walk Your Dog1. Westwood Lake2. Neck Point Park3. Colliery Dam Park
Best Place to Watch Birds1. Buttertubs Marsh2. Westwood Lake3. Neck Point Park
Best Playground1. Beban Park2. Oliver Woods Community Centre3. Maffeo Sutton Park
Best Yoga Studio1. Moksha Yoga Studio2. Om Town Yoga3. Red Door Yoga
Best Auto Servicing1. Supertech2. Midas3. Bavarian Imports
Best Banking Institution1. TD2. RBC3. Coastal Community Credit Union
Best Bike Shop1. Rock City Bikes2. Arrowsmith Bikes3. Pacific Rim Bikes
Best Carpet Cleaners1. Classic Care Cleaning Services2. Citrus-O3. Terry’s Carpet Cleaning
Best Catering Business1. 2 Chefs Affair2. Spice of Life Catering3. Mrs. Riches
Best Customer Service1. KC’s Boutique and Petites2. Costco 3. Ricky’s All-Day Grill
Best Day-Care Centre1. Katie’s Korner Child Care Centre2. Jolly Giant Childcare3. Kidz Kompany
Best Electrical Contractor1. Mazzei Electric2. Wenner Electric3. DenMar Electric
Best Financial Planner1. RBC Dominion Securities2. Sun Life Financial3. Investors Group
Best Furniture Store1. The Brick2. Dodd’s Furniture2. La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries3. Flying Fish
Best Gas Bar1. Mid-Island Co-op2. Real Canadian Superstore3. Chevron
Best Home Building Supply Store1. Home Depot2. Home Hardware3. Rona
Best Housewares/Linens1. Home Sense2. Home Outfitters2. Flying Fish3. Sears
Best Insurance Agency1. BCAA2. Hub International3. Western Financial Group
Best Lighting Store 1. McLaren Lighting2. Home Depot3. Illuminations Lighting Solutions
Best Marine Supplier1. Harbour Chandler2. Anchorage Marina3. Cabela’s
Best Massages1. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre2. Knead Therapy3. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa
Best Music Store1. Fascinating Rhythm2. HMV3. Long & McQuade
Best Outdoor Garden Centre1. Art Knapp Plantland2. Long Lake Nurseries3. Green Thumb Garden Centre
Best Paint Store1. Cloverdale Paint2. Home Depot3. Benjamin Moore Paints
Best Pet Supply Store1. Bosley’s2. PetSmart3. Olivers Pet Supplies
Best Place to Buy a Used Vehicle1. Galaxy Motors2. Nanaimo Toyota3. Bouman Motors
Best Place to Get a Tattoo 1. Black and Blue Tattoo2. Relegation Tattoo3. Electric Umbrella
Best Place to Get Tires 1. Cedar Tireland2. Kal-Tire3. Costco
Best Plumbing and Heating Business1. Archie Johnstone Plumbing and Heating2. Norm’s Mobile Service3. Art’s Plumbing and Heating
Best Roofing Company1. Blake Erickson Roofing2. Milne Roofing3. G&G Roofing
Best Second-Hand Store1. Salvation Army2. Value Village3. Friends of Haven
Best Sewing Notions Store1. Fabricland2. Snip and Stitch Sewing Centre3. My Favourite Fabric Store
Best Sporting Goods Store 1. Cabela’s2. Sport Chek3. Kirby’s Source for Sports
Best Place to Buy Books 1. Chapters2. Literacy Central Vancouver Island3. Costco
Best Store to Buy Tools1. Midland Tools2. Home Depot3. Canadian Tire
Best Tile Store 1. City Tile2. Cornerstone Tile3. Home Depot
Best Toy Store 1. Toys R Us2. Kool and Child3. Children’s Treehouse
Best Travel Agency1. Flight Centre2. Around the World Travel3. Marlin Travel
Best Vitamin/Health Food Store1. Charlie Brown’s Health Foods2. Pomme Natural Market3. Popeye’s
Best Wine-Making Store1. Wine Kitz2. Urban Wine Cellar3. Wine Works
Best Floor-Covering Store1. United Floors2. End of the Roll3. Home Depot
Best Flower Shop1. Turley’s Florist2. Thrifty Foods3. Grower Direct
Best Place to Shop1. Woodgrove Centre2. Costco 3. Downtown Nanaimo
Best Art Gallery1. Nanaimo Art Gallery2. Barton Leier Gallery3. Yellow Bird Arts Gallery
Best Karaoke 1. The Oxy2. Quarterway Pub3. Wellington Pub
Best Open Mike/Jam Session 1. The Vault Café2. The Queen’s3. Nanaimo Bar
Best Place for Live Bands1. The Queen’s2. Wellington Pub3. The Vault Café3. The Cambie
Best Place to Dance1. The Queen’s2. Level 23. Koncept
Best Pub 1. Longwood Brew Pub2. Carlos O’Bryans3. The Oxy
Best Sports Bar1. Old City Station Pub2. Carlos O’Bryans3. Boston Pizza
Best Theatre Company1. Port Theatre2. Nanaimo Theatre Group3. Schmooze Productions
Best Asian Food1. Huong Lan2. Nori’s Japanese Restaurant3. Hong Kong House
Best Bakery1. Cobs Bread2. Columbia Bakery3. Nanaimo Bakery and Confectionery
Best Breakfasts 1. Ricky’s All-Day Grill2. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café3. Tania’s Restaurant
Best Chicken Wings1. The Oxy2. Landlubber Pub3. Old City Station Pub
Best Deli1. Nesvog Meat and Sausage Company2. Nellie’s Dutch Deli3. Thrifty Foods
Best Desserts1. Dairy Queen2. Mrs. Riches3. Boston Pizza
Best Family Restaurant 1. White Spot2. Ricky’s All-Day Grill3. Mrs. Riches
Best Fast Food1. Wendy’s2. A&W3. Baby Salsa Mexican Restaurant
Best Fish and Chips1. Trollers Fish and Chips2. Pirate Chips3. Mrs. Riches
Best Hamburgers 1. Mrs. Riches2. White Spot3. A&W
Best Kids' Restaurant 1. White Spot2. Boston Pizza2. Pirate Chips3. Ricky’s All-Day Grill
Best Lunches1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café2. Dish Nanaimo3. Delicado’s
Best Martini1. Cactus Club Café1. Modern Café2. Nanaimo Bar3. Firehouse Grill
Best Mediterranean Food1. Asteras Greek Taverna2. Marina’s Taverna3. Aladdin’s Café3. Zougla Restaurant
Best Nachos1. Gina’s Mexican Restaurant2. Longwood Brew Pub3. Baby Salsa Mexican Restaurant
Best Pasta 1. Milano Ristorante2. Boston Pizza3. La Stella Trattoria
Best Patio Restaurant1. Cactus Club Café2. Carlos O’Bryans3. Boston Pizza
Best Pizza1. Mambo’s2. Panago3. Milano Ristorante
Best Place to Buy Meat 1. Nesvog Meat and Sausage Company2. Costco3. Thrifty Foods
Best Place to Buy Produce 1. Thrifty Foods2. Country Grocer3. Save-On-Foods
Best Place to Buy Seafood1. Seadrift Fish Market2. Thrifty Foods3. Costco
Best Place to Get a Nanaimo Bar1. Bocca2. Mon Petit Choux3. Pirate Chips
Best Romantic Restaurant 1. Asteras Greek Taverna2. The Nest3. Hilltop Bistro
Best Seafood Restaurant 1. The Bold Knight2. Trollers Fish and Chips3. Simon Holt
Best Steakhouse1. The Keg2. The Bold Knight3. Beefeaters
Best Sushi 1. Nori Japanese Restaurant2. Firehouse Grill3. Umai Sushi
Best Restaurant Overall 1. Asteras Greek Taverna2. Firehouse Grill3. Ricky’s All-Day Grill
Best Vegetarian Food 1. Rawmbas2. Delicado’s3. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
Best French Fries1. Pirate Chips2. New York Fries3. McDonald’s
Best Store for Men's Wear 1. NYLA2. Moores3. Winners
Best Tanning Salon1. Divine Glow2. Coco Cabana3. Spanish Sol
Best Lingerie Shop 1. My Undies2. La Senza3. La Vie en Rose
Best Optical Store1. Costco2. Iris3. One Hour Optical3. Highview
Best Shoe Store1. A Step Ahead2. Aldo3. Hudson’s Bay
Best Store for Ladies' Wear1. KC’s Boutique and Petites2. Quintessentials3. Catwalk Fashions
Best Beauty Salon1. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa2. Violet Hair Lounge3. Aura Hair Boutique
Best Estheticians 1. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre2. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa3. Breze Aveda Concept Salon and Day Spa
Best Jewelry Store1. Peoples Jewellers2. Bastion Jewellers3. Keller’s Jewellers
Best Kids' Clothing1. Old Navy1. The Children’s Place1. Pumpkin Pie Kids2. The Gap3. Sears