All those votes have added up to a long list of worthy winners.
This is the part of Best of the City magazine when we thank all our readers who took the time and trouble to cast their ballots, and there were a lot of them. We tallied up tens of thousands of votes again this year, making it one of our top-three best years as far as total votes.
Now, the results are in.
We like to think that our Best of the City survey is about much more than bragging rights for businesses. Yes, the winners should be rightfully proud to be recognized by their customers and the community. But Best of the City has always been about all the people who make up Nanaimo – most of all, the list is meant for readers. It’s meant to be a starting point, a guide, a nudge in one direction or another to try something new, visit a store or establishment we haven’t before, and shop local.
And without further ado, here are the winners, in the order in which they appear in the magazine. Congratulations to everyone who helps make Nanaimo the best.
Best Local Campground
1. Living Forest Oceanside
Campground and RV Resort
2. Nanaimo Lakes Campsite
3. Brannen Lake RV Park and
Campsite
Best Tourism Activity
1. Wildplay Nanaimo
2. Saysutshun Park
3. Superior Farms
Best Moving Company
1. Junk in our Trunk
2. Take a Load Off Moving
3. Two Burley Men
Best Interior Design Business
1. Evolve Interior Design
2. La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
3. Studio AE Interior Design
Best Yoga Studio
1. Red Door Yoga
2. Bend Over Backwards Yoga
3. Modo Yoga Nanaimo
Best Appetizers/Tapas
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
3. Cactus Club Café
Best Breakfast/Brunch
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
2. Tania’s Restaurant
3. Kelly’s Kitchen Café
Best Catering Business
1. The Bee’s Knees Café and
Catering
2. Spice of Life Catering
3. Coastal Boards and Bites
Best Cinnamon Buns
1. Cobs Bread
2. Red’s Bakery
3. Bodhi’s Artisan Bakery
Best Curry
1. The Curry Culture
2. Gateway To India Restaurant
3. Heritage Indian Cuisine
Best Deli
1. Nesvog Meats and Sausage
Company
2. Nellie’s Dutch Deli
3. McLean’s Specialty Foods
Best Family Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. Mrs. Riches Restaurant
3. Milano’s Ristorante
Best Fast Food
1. A&W
2. Delicado’s Deli
3. Mambo Gourmet Pizza
Best Fish and Chips
1. Troller’s Fish and Chips
2. Chick to Sea Express
3. Maggie’s Seafood Market Fish
and Chips
Best Food Truck
1. Sip and Sliders
2. Van Isle Poutinerie
3. Harbour City Donuts
Best French Fries
1. McDonald’s
2. New York Fries
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Hamburgers
1. Bin 4 Burger Lounge
2. Joe Burger
3. Top Notch Burgers
Best Nachos
1. Gina’s Mexican Café
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
3. Longwood Brew Pub and
Restaurant
Best Tacos
1. Gina’s Mexican Café
2. Jalapenos Mexican Food
3. Baby Salsa
Best Asian Food
1. Horang Korean Inspired
Restaurant and Bar
2. Huong Lan Vietnamese
Restaurant
3. Nori Japanese Restaurant
Best Ice Cream and Gelato
1. Burnt Honey Dessert Co.
2. Cold Front Gelato
3. Dairy Queen
Best Kids’ Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. McDonald’s
3. Boston Pizza
Best Lunches
1. Crow and Gate Pub
2. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
3. Delicado’s Deli
Best Mediterranean Food
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Alexandra’s Bistro
3. Milano’s Ristorante
3. Zougla Restaurant
Best Pasta
1. Milano’s Ristorante
2. La Stella Trattoria
3. Asteras Greek Taverna
Best Pizza
1. Mambo Gourmet Pizza
2. Milano’s Ristorante
3. La Stella Pizzeria
Best Place to Buy Meat
1. Nesvog Meats and Sausage
Company
2. Meat Craft Island Butchery
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Bakery
1. Red’s Bakery
2. Cobs Bread
3. Columbia Bakery
Best Desserts
1. Red’s Bakery
2. Burnt Honey Dessert Co.
3. Asteras Greek Taverna
Best Nanaimo Bar
1. Red’s Bakery
2. Affirmation Coffee
3. Bocca Café
3. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
Best Place to Buy Seafood
1. Seadrift Fish Market and Eatery
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Driftwood SeaFoods
Best Restaurant Overall
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Mahle House Restaurant
3. Crow and Gate Pub
Best Romantic Restaurant
1. Mahle House Restaurant
2. Asteras Greek Taverna
3. The View Oceanside Grill
Best Sandwich/Sub
1. Subway
2. Nellie’s European Deli
3. Nanda Chicken
Best Farmers Market
1. Cedar Farmers Market
2. Island Roots Farmers Market
3. Gabriola Agricultural Co-op
Farmers Market
Best Place to Buy Produce
1. Cedar Farmers Market
2. Nanaimo Fruit and Vegetable
Company
3. Country Grocer
Best Chicken Wings
1. Landlubber Pub
2. Black Bear Pub
3. Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 10
Best Music Trivia
1. Landlubber Pub
2. Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 10
3. Black Bear Pub
Best Seafood Restaurant
1. Bold Knight Restaurant
2. The View Oceanside Grill
3. Off The Hook
Best Steakhouse
1. Bold Knight Restaurant
2. Mahle House Restaurant
3. Zougla Restaurant
Best Sushi
1. Nori Japanese Restaurant
2. Dami Sushi
3. Umai Sushi
Best Take-Out Food
1. Mambo Gourmet Pizza
2. Poké Page
3. Delicado’s Deli
Best Vegetarian Food
1. Eve Olive
2. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
3. Delicado’s Deli
Best Happy Hour
1. Carlos O’Bryans
Neighbourhood Pub
2. Cactus Club Café
3. Browns Socialhouse
Best Karaoke
1. Quarterway Pub
2. Oxy Pub
3. Corner Lounge
Best Martini
1. Cactus Club Café
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
2. The Nanaimo Bar
3. Arbutus Distillery
Best Open Mic/Jam Session
1. The Queen’s
2. The Vault Café
3. Landlubber Pub
Best Patio Restaurant
1. Crow and Gate Pub
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
3. Black Bear Pub
Best Place for Birthday Parties
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
2. Airhouse
2. Brechin Lanes
2. WildPlay Nanaimo
3. 4Cats Art Studio
Best Place for Cocktails and Shots
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
2. Cactus Club Café
3. The Nanaimo Bar
Best Place for Live Bands
1. The Queen’s
2. Port Theatre
3. The Vault Café
Best Place to Buy Craft Beer
1. Longwood Brew Pub
and Restaurant
2. White Sails Brewing
3. Craft Fare
Best Place to Buy Wine
1. B.C. Liquor Store
2. Lucky’s Liquor Store
3. Greenrock Liquor Store
Best Place to Dance
1. The Queen’s
2. Vibrant (Vibe) Studios
3. Evolve Nightclub
Best Pub
1. Crow and Gate Pub
2. Longwood Brew Pub
and Restaurant
3. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
Best Sports Bar
1. Carlos O’Bryan’s
Neighbourhood Pub
2. Boston Pizza
3. Old City Station Pub
Best Accommodations
1. Coast Bastion Hotel
2. Yellow Point Lodge
3. Inn On Long Lake
Best Accounting Firm
1. Church Pickard Chartered
Professional Accountants
2. MNP LLP
3. Cross and Company
3. Graham and Associates
Best Art Gallery
1. Nanaimo Art Gallery
2. Art 10 Gallery
3. YellowBird Arts Gallery
Best Auto Detailer
1. Eco Wash Automotive Detailing
2. Nanaimo Toyota
3. V.I. Precision Detailing
and Car Care
Best Auto Servicing
1. Bavarian Imports Auto Repair
1. Precise Mechanical Repairs
2. Supertech Diesel Truck
Specialists
3. Auto Check Automotive
Best Store for Menswear
1. NYLA Fresh Thread
2. Mark’s
3. Lucid
Best Customer Service
1. KC’s Boutique and Petites
2. Norm’s Plumbing and Heating
3. Burnt Honey Dessert Co.
Best Store for Ladieswear
1. KC’s Boutique and Petites
2. Damsels
3. CurVa-Voom
Best Banking Institution
1. Coastal Community
Credit Union
2. RBC
3. TD Canada Trust
Best Beauty Salon or Spa
1. Kiyo Salon and Day Spa
2. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa
3. Hair Tech Salon
Best Clothing Store
for Inclusive Sizing
1. CurVa-Voom
2. Fig Love
3. Costco Wholesale
3. Reitmans
Best Collision Repair/
Auto Body Service
1. Trojan Collision
2. Craftsman Collision
3. CSN Mid Island Auto Collision
Best Community-Minded Business
1. COCO Café
2. The Thinking Garden Childcare
Centre
3. Norm’s Plumbing and Heating
Best Furniture Store
1. Flying Fish
2. La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
3. ScanDesigns Furniture
Best Computer Sales and Service
1. London Drugs
2. R-U Computing Co.
3. Best Buy
Best Consignment or Thrift Store
1. Nanaimo Hospital Auxiliary
Thrift Store
2. Nanaimo Hospice Shoppe
3. Deni’s Dynamite Deals
3. Funk Revival
Best Dental Clinic
1. Franklyn Street Dental Centre
2. Northfield Dental Clinic
3. Nanaimo Smiles
Best Electrical Company
1. Walls Electrical
2. DenMar Electric
3. Mazzei Electric
Best Engineering Firm
1. Herold Engineering
2. McElhanney
3. Lewkowich Engineering
Best Estheticians
1. Brows X Sculpt
2. Foxy Box Nanaimo
3. Velvet Body Bar
Best Exterior Cleaning Company
1. Green Tech Property Care
2. Mr. Sparkle
3. IslandClean
Best Carpet Cleaners
1. Classic Care Carpet
and Upholstery Cleaning
2. Van Isle Carpet Cleaning
3. Suck It Up Carpet Furnace
Best Financial Planning Business
1. Coastal Community Credit
Union
2. TD Canada Trust
3. Integral Wealth Management
Best Fitness/Exercise Company
1. Healthy Role Models
2. Loaded Movement Academy
3. Nanaimo Gymnastics School
Best Flower Shop
1. Turley’s Florist
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Ladybug Floral
Best Gas Bar
1. Mid Island Co-op
2. Super Save Gas Stations
3. Petrocan
Best Hair Salon
1. Hair Tech Salon
2. KG Hair Salon
3. Kiyo Salon and Day Spa
Best Health-Care Clinic
1. Caledonian Clinic
2. Medical Arts Centre
3. Wellington Medical Clinic
Best Barbershop
1. That 50’s Barbershop
2. Four Crows Barber and Shave Co.
3. Edge Barbershop
Best Denture Clinic
1. Nanaimo Denture Clinic
2. Harbour City Denture Clinic
3. Pacific Denture Centre
Best Hearing Clinic
1. Connect Hearing
2. Nanaimo Hearing Clinic
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Heating Business
1. Norm’s Plumbing and Heating
2. Blue Flame Ventures
2. ServiceXcel
3. Sparrow Mechanical
Best Home/Kitchen
Appliance Store
1. Trail Appliances
2. Coast Wholesale Appliances
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Home Builder
1. Shining Knight Construction Inc.
2. Boehm Construction
2. R. Dolan Construction
3. Dogwood Mountain Homes
3. Habitat for Humanity
Mid-Vancouver Island Society
3. Marban Construction and Design
Best Home Improvement Store
1. Home Depot
2. Home Hardware
3. Rona
Best Floor Covering Store
1. United Floors
2. End of the Roll
3. City Tile
Best Home Renovation Company
1. Shining Knight Construction
2. Trev Homes
3. Right Call Contracting
Best Housewares/Linen Store
1. HomeSense
2. Flying Fish
3. The Bay
Best Insurance Agency
1. Hub Insurance
2. BCAA
3. Driven Agencies
Best Janitorial/Housekeeping
Service
1. Bastion Janitorial Supply
2. MaidItByTori
3. Maid For This
3. Maid to Please Cleaning Services
3. Planet Clean
Best Jewelry Store
1. Keller’s Jewellers
2. Peoples Jewellers
3. KPK Goldsmith
Best Kids Clothing Store
1. Once Upon A Child
2. Pumpkin Pie Kids
3. Carter’s
Best Tattoo Studio
1. Relegation Tattoo
2. Electric Umbrella
3. Black Flag Body Arts
Best Landscaping Business
1. Savannah Landscapes
2. McKenzie Maintenance
3. Jim’s Mowing and Gardening
Best Law Firm
1. Bartlett and Co. Law
Corporation
1. Heath Law LLP
2. Krog and Company
3. Mont and Walker Law
Corporation
Best Lighting Store
1. McLaren Lighting
2. Home Depot
3. HomeSense
3. Rona
Best Lingerie Store
1. Purple Cactus
2. My Undies
3. Elizabeth’s Lingerie Drawer
Best Marine Supplier
1. The Harbour Chandler
2. Stones Boatyard and
the Marine Store
3. Marine Parts Supply
3. Parker Marine
Best Massage Clinic
1. Knead Registered Massage
Therapy
2. Breze Aveda Concept Salon
and Spa
3. 3 Cedars Wellness Collective
Best Veterinary Clinic
1. Petroglyph Animal Hospital
2. Mahalo Veterinary Hospital
3. Chase River Veterinary Hospital
Best Cell Phone Repair
1. Mobile Klinik
2. London Drugs
3. Cell Pro
3. Geek Squad
Best Mattress Store
1. Sleep Country
2. John’s Bedroom Barn
3. The Brick
Best Mortgage Broker
1. Lendlab Mortgage Inc.
2. Rachel Cousins
3. Andrea McCaw Mortgage
Manager
Best Nail Studio
1. Peach
2. The Nail Lounge
3. Beyond Beauty Bar
Best Oil Changes
1. Great Canadian Oil Change
2. Supertech Diesel
3. Precise Mechanical Repairs
Best Optical Store
1. Specsavers
2. Highview Optical
3. Costco Wholesale
3. FYI Doctors
Best Outdoor Garden Centre
1. GardenWorks
2. Little Tree Garden Centre
3. Green Thumb Garden Centre
Best Paint Store
1. Benjamin Moore
2. Cloverdale Paint
3. Home Depot
Best Painting Company
1. Pride Painting
2. Simply Painting
3. Sonshine Girls Painting
Best Performing Arts School
1. Vibrant (Vibe) Studios
2. Harbour Dance Studios Inc.
3. Kirkwood Academy of
Performing Arts
3. Wellington Secondary Jazz
Academy
Best Personal Training Business
1. Loaded Movement Academy
2. Prime Performance and Therapy
3. The Strong Collective
Best Pest Control Services
1. V.I. Pest Control
2. Abell Pest Control
3. Nanaimo Pest Control
Best Pet Grooming Business
1. Paws and Claws Mobile
Nail Trims
2. Dog N’ Suds Pet Services
3. Cedar Dog Grooming
Best Pet Supply Store
1. Bosley’s Pet Food Plus
2. PetSmart
3. Oliver’s Pet Supplies
Best Pharmacy
1. Central Drugs
2. Medicine Shoppe
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Photographer
1. Janayh Wright Photography
2. Barbara Anne Photography
3. Cozy Coastal Photography
Best Place to Buy a New Vehicle
1. Nanaimo Toyota
2. Nissan of Nanaimo
3. Nanaimo Honda
Best Place to Buy a Used Vehicle
1. Galaxy Motors
2. Nanaimo Toyota
3. Nissan of Nanaimo
Best Place to Buy Window
Coverings
1. Budget Blinds
2. West Coast Blinds
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Place to Get Tires
1. Cedar Tireland
2. Kal Tire
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Place to Meet for Coffee
1. Drip Coffee Social
2. Serious Coffee
3. The Bee’s Knees Café
and Catering
3. The Vault Café
Best Place to Shop
1. Woodgrove Centre
1. Costco Wholesale
2. Nanaimo Buyers Club
3. KC’s Boutique and Petites
Best Plumbing Business
1. Norm’s Plumbing and Heating
2. High Tide Plumbing and Gas
3. Archie Johnstone Plumbing
and Heating
Best Real Estate Agent/Team
1. Cory Chapman
2. Sims Real Estate Group
3. Nanaimo Property Group
Best Retirement Community
1. Berwick On The Lake
2. Eden Gardens
3. Origin At Longwood
Best Roofing Company
1. Erickson Roofing
2. All the Way Roofing
3. IDM Roofing
Best Security Company
1. Footprints Security Patrol
2. Securco Services
3. Telus
Best Sewing Notions Store
1. Fabricland
2. Snip and Stitch Sewing Centre
3. Serge and Sew
Best Shoe Store
1. Frontrunners
2. A Step Ahead
3. SoftMoc
Best Sporting Goods Store
1. Cabela’s
2. Kirbys Source For Sports
3. Sport Chek
Best Storage Company
1. Budget Self Storage
2. U-Lock Mini Storage
3. Nanaimo Mini Storage
Best Store to Buy Books
1. Chapters
2. Literacy Central
Vancouver Island
3. Window Seat Books
Best Store to Buy Tools
1. Canadian Tire
2. Home Depot
3. KMS Tools
Best Tanning Salon
1. Glow With The Flow
Tanning
2. House of Dandy
3. Glow Coast Tanning
Best Theatre Company
1. Nanaimo Theatre Group
2. Cineplex Galaxy Theatre
3. TheatreOne
Best Tile Store
1. City Tile
2. Cornerstone Tile
3. BE Tile
Best Bike Shop
1. Arrowsmith Bikes
2. Coal City Cycles
3. Rock City Cycles
Best Toy Store
1. Toys R Us
2. The Children’s Treehouse
3. Curious Comics
3. Nanaimo Hospital Auxiliary
Thrift Store
3. Walmart
Best Travel Agency
1. Imagine Cruise and Travel
2. Ashley Travel
3. Amanda Rauh - The Travel Agent
Next Door
Best Tree Service
1. Davey Tree
2. Holly Wood Tree Co.
3. Jeff’s Tree Service
Best Vitamin/Health Food Store
1. Charlie Brown’s Health Foods
2. Pomme Natural Market
3. Costco Wholesale
3. Nanaimo’s Health Shop
Best Wine Making Store
1. The Wine Works
2. Off The Vine Winemaking
3. Wine Kitz
Best Place for a Picnic
1. Neck Point Park
1. Pipers Lagoon Park
2. Maffeo Sutton Park
3. Saysutshun Park
Best Place for Paddling
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Departure Bay
3. Newcastle Channel
Best Place to Walk, Jog or Hike
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Neck Point Park
3. Ammonite Falls
Best Place to Mountain Bike
1. Doumont Hill
2. Mount Benson
3. Westwood Lake Park
Best Place to Swim Outdoors
1. Nanaimo River
2. Westwood Lake Park
3. Pipers Lagoon Park
Best Place to Take Guests
1. Crow and Gate Pub
2. Neck Point Park
3. Dinghy Dock Pub
Best Place for a Picnic
1. Neck Point Park
1. Pipers Lagoon Park
2. Maffeo Sutton Park
3. Saysutshun Park
Best Place for Paddling
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Departure Bay
3. Newcastle Channel
Best Place to Walk, Jog or Hike
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Neck Point Park
3. Ammonite Falls
Best Place to Mountain Bike
1. Doumont Hill
2. Mount Benson
3. Westwood Lake Park
Best Place to Swim Outdoors
1. Nanaimo River
2. Westwood Lake Park
3. Pipers Lagoon Park
Best Place to Take Guests
1. Crow and Gate Pub
2. Neck Point Park
3. Dinghy Dock Pub
