We like to think that our annual Best of the City magazine is kind of like a souvenir program to what’s best about Nanaimo.
The pages are also filled with your faves – your favourite restaurants, shops and services. The results found throughout the magazine are an accounting of online votes submitted by News Bulletin readers. Thanks to all who filled out the survey to help us acknowlege and appreciate Nanaimo’s very best.
For a link to the e-edition of the Best of the City magazine, click here.
Here are the Best of the City winners for 2018:
Best Place for a Picnic
1. Neck Point Park
2. Pipers Lagoon Park
3. Westwood Lake Park
Best Place to Take Guests
1. Neck Point Park
2. Maffeo Sutton Park
3. Harbourfront Walkway
Best Place to Watch Birds
1. Buttertubs Marsh
2. Morrell Nature Sanctuary
3. Neck Point Park
Best Playground
1. Oliver Woods Community Centre
2. Beban Park Altrusa Playground
3. Maffeo Sutton Park Playdock
Best View of the City
1. Mount Benson
2. Sugarloaf Mountain
3. College Heights
Best Place to Swim Outdoors
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Nanaimo River
3. Pipers Lagoon Park
Best Place to Walk, Jog or Hike
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Neck Point Park
3. Harbourfront Walkway
Best Place to Walk Your Dog
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Colliery Dam Park
3. Neck Point Park
Best Place to Mountain Bike
1. Westwood Lake
2. Doumont trails
3. Mount Benson
Best Local Campground
1. Living Forest Oceanside Campground
2. Brannen Lake Campground
3. Nanaimo Lakes
Best People-Watching Spot
1. Harbourfront Walkway
2. Sway’ A’ Lana Lagoon
3. Woodgrove Centre
Best Place for Kayaking
1. Newcastle Island/Saysutshun
2. Departure Bay
3. Westwood Lake
Best Art Gallery
1. Nanaimo Art Gallery
2. The View Gallery
3. Yellow Bird Arts Gallery
Best Karaoke
1. Quarterway Pub
2. Oxy Pub
3. Wellington Pub
Best Music Trivia
1. Landlubber Pub
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Wellington Pub
Best Open Mike/Jam Sessions
1. The Vault Café
2. Landlubber Pub
3. The Queen’s Hotel
Best Performing Arts School
1. Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts
2. Vibrant Studio (Vibe)
3. Harbour Dance Centre
Best Place for Live Bands
1. The Queen’s Hotel
2. The Nanaimo Bar
3. Wellington Pub
Best Place to Dance
1. The Queen’s Hotel
2. Level 2 Nightclub
3. The Nanaimo Bar
Best Theatre Company
1. Nanaimo Theatre Group
2. Schmooze Productions
3. TheatreOne
Best Place to Shop
1. Woodgrove Centre
2. Downtown Nanaimo
3. Costco
Best Kids’ Clothing Store
1. Carter’s
1. Pumpkin Pie
2. Old Navy
3. Children’s Place
Best Shoe Store
1. A Step Ahead
2. Payless Shoes
3. Soft Moc
Best Store for Ladies’ Wear
1. KC’s Boutique
2. Quintessentials
3. The Bay
Best Store for Men’s Wear
1. NYLA
2. Hudson’s Bay
3. Mark’s
Best Accounting Firm
1. MNP
2. Church Pickard
3. Cross and Co.
Best Auto Detailer
1. Precision Detailing
2. Crystal Clear
3. Laird Wheaton GM
3. Nanaimo Toyota
Best Auto Servicing
1. Supertech Diesel Truck
Specialists
2. Bavarian Imports
3. Midas
Best Banking Institution
1. RBC
2. TD
3. Coastal Community Credit Union
Best Barber Shop
1. Sports Barbers
2. Shear Agony
3. That 50’s Barber Shop
Best Bathrooms
1. Cactus Club Café
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Woodgrove Centre
Best Beauty Salon or Spa
1. Breze Salon and Day Spa
2. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre and Spa
3. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa
Best Bike Shop
1. Arrowsmith Bikes
2. Rock City Cycles
3. Coal City Cycles
Best Carpet Cleaners
1. Classic Care Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
2. Citrus-O Carpet Care
3. Premier Carpet Cleaning
Best Consignment/Thrift Store
1. Salvation Army
2. Charlie’s Closet
3. Nanaimo Regional General Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store
Best Customer Service
1. Thrifty Foods
2. KC’s Boutique
3. Home Hardware
Best Lingerie Shop
1. My Undies
2. La Senza
3. La Vie en Rose
Best Daycare Centre
1. Jolly Giant Childcare
2. Kidz Kompany Children’s Centre
3. Boys and Girls Club of Central Vancouver Island
Best Electrical Contractor
1. DenMar Electric
2. Mazzei Electric
3. Walls Electrical
Best Estheticians
1. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre and Spa
2. Breze Salon and Day Spa
3. Kiyo Salon and Day Spa
Best Financial Planner
1. RBC
2. Island Savings
2. Coastal Community Credit Union
3. Sunlife Financial
Best Fitness Centre
1. Driven Performance Fitness
2. Fit 4 Less
3. Lifestyle Health and Fitness Centre
Best Floor Covering Store
1. End of the Roll
2. United Floors
3. Home Depot
Best Dentist
1. Harewood Dental Clinic
2. Northfield Dental Clinic
3. Seven Sails Dental Centre
Best Flower Shop
1. Turley’s Florist
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Ladybug Floral
Best Furniture Store
1. Dodd’s Furniture and Mattress
2. La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
3. Island Home Furniture
Best Gas Bar
1. Mid-Island Co-op
2. Chevron
3. Real Canadian Superstore
Best Hair Salon
1. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa
2. Kiyo Salon and Day Spa
3. Serenity Salon
Best Heating Business
1. Archie Johnstone Plumbing and Heating
2. Norm’s Mobile Services
3. Sloan’s Heating Services
Best Home Improvement Store
1. Home Depot
2. Lowe’s
3. Home Hardware
Best Housewares/Linen Store
1. HomeSense
2. Flying Fish
3. Hudson’s Bay
Best Pet Grooming Business
1. Dog n’ Suds
2. Nanaimo Pet Services
3. PetSmart
Best Insurance Agency
1. BCAA
2. Western Financial Group
3. Real Insurance Solutions
3. Waypoint Insurance
Best Jewelry Store
1. Peoples Jewellers
2. Keller’s Jewellers
3. Bastion Jewellers
Best Landscaper
1. Neat ‘n’ Tidy Landscaping
2. Jim’s Mowing
3. Jinglepot Landscaping and Irrigation
Best Law Firm
1. Ramsay Lampman Rhodes
2. Johnston Franklin Bishop
3. Krog & Co.
Best Lighting Store
1. Mclaren Lighting
2. Home Depot
3. Illuminations Lighting Solutions
Best Marine Supplier
1. The Harbour Chandler
2. Anchorage Marina
3. Allen Marine Service
3. Parker Marine
Best Tanning Salon
1. Golden Sands Tanning Studio
2. Divine Glow Tanning Studio
3. Body Glo Tanning
Best Massages
1. Island Optimal Health and Performance
2. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre and Spa
3. Hillside Massage Therapy
Best Mattress Store
1. Sleep Country
2. John’s Bedroom Barn
3. The Brick
Best Moving Company
1. Take a Load Off Moving
2. Two Burley Men Moving Co.
3. Clydesdale Moving and Hauling
Best Optical Store
1. Costco
2. Highview Optical
3. FYidoctors
Best Outdoor Garden Centre
1. Art Knapp Plantland
2. Green Thumb Nursery
3. Costco
Best Painting Contractor
1. Pride Painting
2. Sloan’s Painting
3. Sonshine Girls Painting
Best Personal Trainer
1. Miguel Diaz, Driven Performance Fitness
2. Erin Crawford, Body Tempo Health and Fitness
3. Brian Schick, B-Fit Bootcamp
Best Pet Supply Store
1. Bosley’s
2. PetSmart
3. Olivers Pet Supplies
Best Photographer
1. Concept Photography
2. HA Photography
3. Julien Photography
Best Place to Buy a Used Vehicle
1. Galaxy Motors
2. Nanaimo Toyota
3. Bouman Motors
Best Place to Get a Tattoo
1. Black and Blue Tattoo
2. Tranceformations Tattoo and Body Piercing
3. Electric Umbrella Tattoo Studio and Gallery
Best Place to Get Tires
1. Cedar Tireland
2. Kal Tire
3. Costco
Best Plumbing Business
1. Archie Johnstone Plumbing and Heating
2. 250 Plumber
3. Norm’s Mobile Service
Best Retirement Community
1. Berwick on the Lake
2. Origin at Longwood
3. Lakeside Garden
3. Nanaimo Seniors Village
Best Roofing Company
1. Erickson Roofing
2. Allterrain Roofing
2. G and G Roofing
3. Milne Roofing
Best Sewing/Notions Store
1. Fabricland
2. Snip and Stitch Sewing Centre
3. Serge and Sew
Best Sporting Goods Store
1. Sport Chek
2. Cabela’s
3. Kirby’s Source for Sports
Best Paint Store
1. Cloverdale Paint
2. Benjamin Moore Paints
3. Home Depot
Best Store to Buy Books
1. Chapters
2. Literacy Central Vancouver Island
3. Costco
Best Store to Buy Tools
1. Midland Tools
2. Home Depot
3. Canadian Tire
Best Tile Store
1. City Tile
2. Cornerstone Tile
3. Home Depot
Best Toy Store
1. Kool and Child
2. Toys ‘R’ Us
3. Children’s Treehouse
Best Travel Agency
1. Flight Centre
2. Marlin Travel
3. Imagine Cruise and Travel
Best Veterinary Clinic
1. Chase River Veterinary Hospital
2. Petroglyph Animal Hospital
3. Island Animal Hospital
Best Yoga Studio
1. Moksha Yoga
2. Red Door Yoga
3. OmTown Yoga
Best Deli
1. Nesvog Meat and Sausage Co.
2. McLean’s Specialty Foods
3. Thrifty Foods
Best Place to Buy Meat
1. Nesvog Meat and Sausage Co.
2. Meat Craft Island Butchery
3. Costco
Best Asian Food
1. Huong Lan Vietnamese Restaurant
2. Nori Sushi
2. Du Tang Chinese Seafood Restaurant
3. Quality Foods
Best Bakery
1. Cobs Bread
2. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
3. Nanaimo Bakery and Confectionery
Best Breakfasts
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
2. Ricky’s All-Day Grill
3. Tania’s Restaurant
Best Catering Business
1. Spice of Life Catering
2. Coco Café
3. Sea Salt Food Company
Best Chicken Wings
1. Landlubber Pub
2. Oxy Pub
3. Quarterway Pub
Best Cinnamon Buns
1. Cobs Bread
2. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
3. Bee’s Knees Community Café
Best Restaurant Overall
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Longwood Brew Pub
3. Hilltop Bistro
Best Mediterranean Food
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Alexandra’s Bistro
3. Zougla Restaurant
Best Romantic Restaurant
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Hilltop Bistro
3. The Nest Bistro
Best Desserts
1. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
2. Mrs. Riches Restaurant
2. A Wee Cupcakery
3. Columbia Bakery
Best Family Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. Ricky’s All-Day Grill
3. Mrs. Riches Restaurant
3. Montana’s
Best Fast Food
1. Wendy’s
2. A&W
3. McDonald’s
Best Fish and Chips
1. Trollers Fish and Chips
2. Pirate Chips
3. Cod Squad Fish and Chips
Best French Fries
1. McDonald’s
2. Pirate Chips
3. Costco
Best Hamburgers
1. Mrs. Riches Restaurant
2. White Spot
3. Longwood Brew Pub
Best Kids’ Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. Ricky’s All-Day Grill
3. Mrs. Riches Restaurant
Best Lunches
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
2. Delicado’s
3. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Mrs. Riches Restaurant
Best Nachos
1. Gina’s Mexican Café
2. Longwood Brew Pub
3. Penny’s Palapa
Best Pasta
1. Milano’s Ristorante
2. La Stella Trattoria
3. Figo Italian Bistro
Best Pizza
1. Mambo Gourmet Pizza
2. Ali Baba Pizza
3. La Stella Trattoria
Best Place to Buy Produce
1. Thrifty Foods
2. Country Grocer
3. Save-On-Foods
Best Place to Buy Seafood
1. Seadrift Fish Market
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Costco
Best Seafood Restaurant
1. The Bold Knight Restaurant
2. Trollers Fish and Chips
3. Zougla Restaurant
Best Place to Get a Nanaimo Bar
1. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
2. Bocca Café
3. Smokin’ George’s BBQ Restaurant
Best Place to Meet for Coffee
1. The Buzz Coffee House
2. Starbucks
3. Serious Coffee
Best Steakhouse
1. The Keg Steakhouse and Bar
2. The Bold Knight Restaurant
3. Beefeater’s Seaside Bar and Grill
Best Sushi
1. Nori Sushi
2. Umai Sushi
3. Firehouse Grill
Best Tacos
1. Gina’s Mexican Café
2. Baby Salsa
3. Penny’s Palapa
Best Vegetarian Food
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
2. Powerhouse Living Foods
3. Delicado’s
Best Vitamin/Health Food Store
1. Pomme Natural Market
2. Charlie Brown’s Health Foods
3. Popeye’s Supplements
Best Place for Birthday Parties
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s
2. Brechin Lanes
3. Jumping Jiminy’s
Best Sports Bar
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s
2. Landlubber Pub
3. Old City Station Pub
Best Patio
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s
2. Cactus Club Café
3. Penny’s Palapa Restaurant
Best Cocktails and Shots
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s
2. Cactus Club Café
3. The Nanaimo Bar
Best Place to Buy Craft Beer
1. Longwood Brew Pub
2. White Sails
3. Lucky’s Liquor Store
Best Pub
1. Longwood Brew Pub
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Landlubber Pub
Best Martini
1. Cactus Club Café
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. The Nanaimo Bar
Best Wine-Making Store
1. Wine Kitz
2. Urban Wine Cellar
3. Off the Vine Winemaking
