Now’s the time to start throwing around superlatives.
We at the Nanaimo News Bulletin are excited to present our annual Best of the City magazine. It’s based on a survey that we conducted this spring, asking readers to tell us what they like best about Nanaimo. What shops have the best products? Who offers service with a smile? What restaurants do people simply need to visit? Where can we go for recreation? Relaxation?
We’ve tabulated the responses and packaged them into a publication that we feel can be a worthwhile read even for those who think they know Nanaimo’s every nook and cranny. We’ve included some ideas about things to see and do over the next couple months – the best of the summer, if you will.
It’s fun to see who wins the various categories each year and which businesses have really raised the bar, and we’re happy to highlight their blue-ribbon showings.
And it’s a good feeling to know that in Nanaimo, maybe the best is still yet to come.
Best of the City survey, 2017:
Best Place to Shop
1. Woodgrove Centre
2. Downtown Nanaimo
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Store for Men’s Wear
1. NYLA
2. Tip Top Tailors
3. Moores
Best Beauty Salon or Spa
1. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa
2. Breze Salon and Day Spa
3. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre and Spa
Best Jewelry Store
1. Peoples Jewellers
2. Keller’s Jewellers
3. Bastion Jewellers
Best Shoe Store
1. A Step Ahead
2. Hudson’s Bay
3. Payless Shoes
Best Massages
1. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre and Spa
2. Island Optimal Health and Performance
3. Knead It Or Not
Best Consignment or Thrift Store
1. Salvation Army
2. Funk Your Fashion
2. Nanaimo Hospice Shoppe
3. Value Village
Best Daycare Centre
1. Jolly Giant Childcare
2. Kidz Kompany Children’s Centre
3. Boys and Girls Club
3. Katie’s Korner
Best Estheticians
1. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre and Spa
2. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa
3. Breze Salon and Day Spa
Best Financial Planner
1. Investors Group
2. Sun Life Financial
3. Coastal Community Credit Union
Best Retirement Community
1. Berwick on the Lake
2. Origin Longwood
3. Kiwanis Village
3. Nanaimo Seniors Village
Best Fitness Centre
1. Fit4Less
2. Driven Performance Fitness
3. VI Fitness
Best Personal Trainer
1. Miguel Diaz, Driven Performance
2. Curtis Vizza, Island Optimal
3. Kolbi Wingenbach, Northridge Health Performance Centre
Best Sewing Notions Store
1. Fabricland
2. My Favourite Fabric Store
3. Snip and Stitch
Best Lingerie Shop
1. La Senza
2. My Undies
3. La Vie en Rose
Best Hair Salon
1. Maffeo Salon and Day Spa
2. Violet Hair Lounge
3. Kiyo Salon and Day Spa
Best Optical Store
1. Highview Optical
2. Costco Wholesale
3. Iris
Best Kids’ Clothing Store
1. Old Navy
2. Pumpkin Pie Kids
3. Carter’s
Best Customer Service
1. KC’s Boutique
2. Nanaimo Elements Holistic Centre and Spa
3. Home Hardware
Best Store for Ladies’ Wear
1. KC’s Boutique
2. Quintessential
3. Hudson’s Bay
Best Moving Company
1. Take a Load Off Moving
2. 2 Burley Men Moving
3. Clydesdale Moving and Hauling
Best Electrical Contractor
1. DenMar Electric
2. Mazzei Electric
3. Wenner Electric
Best Floor Covering Store
1. United Floors
2. Home Depot
3. End of the Roll
Best Landscaper
1. Acer Landscape Maintenance
2. Bully’s Landscaping
2. Neat N Tidy Landscaping
3. VI Outdoor Maintenance
Best Place to Buy a Used Vehicle
1. Galaxy Motors
2. Nanaimo Toyota
3. Bouman Motors
Best Marine Supplier
1. Harbour Chandler
2. Anchorage Marina
3. Parker Marine
3. Cabela’s
Best Insurance Agency
1. BCAA
2. Hub International
3. Nanaimo Insurance Brokers
Best Auto Detailer
1. Precision Detailing
2. Nanaimo Toyota
3. Laird Wheaton
Best Heating Business
1. Archie Johnstone Plumbing and Heating
2. Coastal Energy
3. Norm’s Mobile Service
Best Gas Bar
1. Mid Island Co-op
2. Real Canadian Superstore
3. Chevron
Best Carpet Cleaners
1. Classic Care Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning
2. Citrus-O
3. Terry’s Carpet Cleaning
Best Lighting Store
1. McLaren Lighting
2. Home Depot
3. Lowe’s
Best Furniture Store
1. The Brick
2. Dodd’s Furniture
3. La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries
Best Home Improvement Store
1. Home Depot
2. Home Hardware
3. Lowe’s
Best Paint Store
1. Home Depot
2. Benjamin Moore Paints
2. Cloverdale Paint
3. Sherwin-Williams Paint Store
Best Roofing Company
1. Erickson Roofing
2. Milne Roofing
3. G & G Roofing
Best Plumbing Business
1. Archie Johnstone Plumbing and Heating
2. Art’s Plumbing and Heating
3. Norm’s Mobile Service
Best Auto Servicing
1. Supertech Automotive
2. Bavarian Imports
3. Tim’s Automotive Repair
Best Bike Shop
1. Arrowsmith Bikes
2. Rock City Cycle
3. Coal City Cycles
Best Flower Shop
1. Turley’s Florist
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Grower Direct
Best Outdoor Garden Centre
1. Art Knapp Plantland
2. Green Thumb Garden Centre
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Yoga Studio
1. Moksha Yoga Studio
2. Red Door Yoga
3. Om Town Yoga
Best Store to Buy Books
1. Chapters
2. Literacy Central Vancouver Island
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Travel Agency
1. Flight Centre
2. Imagine Cruise and Travel
2. Marlin Travel
3. Around the World Travel
Best Mattress Store
1. Sleep Country Canada
2. John’s Bedrooms
3. The Brick
Best Tile Store
1. City Tile
2. Cornerstone Tile
3. Home Depot
Best Sporting Goods Store
1. Sport Chek
2. Cabela’s
3. Kirby’s Source for Sports
Best Pet Supply Store
1. Bosley’s
2. PetSmart
3. Olivers Pet Supplies
Best Veterinary Clinic
1. Chase River Veterinary Hospital
2. Petroglyph Animal Hospital
3. Island Veterinary Hospital
Best Store to Buy Tools
1. Midland Tools
2. Home Depot
3. Canadian Tire
Best Place to Get a Tattoo
1. Black and Blue Tattoo
2. Tranceformations
3. Relegation Tattoo
Best Banking Institution
1. TD Canada Trust
2. RBC
3. Coastal Community Credit Union
Best Place to Get Tires
1. Cedar Tireland
2. Kal Tire
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Toy Store
1. Kool & Child
2. Toys R Us
3. Children’s Treehouse
Best Housewares and Linens Store
1. HomeSense
2. Flying Fish
3. Home Outfitters
Best Vitamin and Health Food Store
1. Charlie Brown’s Health Foods
2. Pomme Natural Market
3. Popeye’s
Best Pet Grooming Business
1. Dog N Suds
2. Nanaimo Pet Services
3. PetSmart
Best Tanning Salon
1. Divine Glow
2. Body Glo Tanning Salon
2. Solisa Tanning
3. Golden Sands Tanning Studio
Best Barber Shop
1. Sports Barbers
2. That 50s Barbers Shop
3. Shear Agony Barbershop
Best Place for Birthday Parties
1. Airhouse
2. Brechin Lanes
3. Jumping Jiminy’s
Best Performing Arts School
1. Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts
2. Headliners Productions
2. Tempo Dance Academy
3. Vibrant Studios (VIBE)
Best Open Mike Jam Session
1. The Queen’s
2. The Vault Café
3. The Nanaimo Bar
Best Art Gallery
1. Nanaimo Art Gallery
2. Golden Otter Gallery
3. Vancouver Island University’s The View Gallery
Best Theatre Company
1. Nanaimo Theatre Group
2. Schmooze Productions
3. TheatreOne
Best Place for Live Bands
1. The Queen’s
2. The Nanaimo Bar
3. The Vault Café
Best Place to Buy Produce
1. Thrifty Foods
2. Country Grocer
3. Farmers’ markets
Best Place to Buy Meat
1. Nesvog Meats and Sausage Co.
2. Costco Wholesale
3. Thrifty Foods
Best Place to Buy Seafood
1. Seadrift Fish Market
2. Thrifty Foods
3. Costco Wholesale
Best Wine-Making Store
1. Wine Kitz
2. Urban Wine Cellar
3. Nanaimo Wine Shoppe
Best Martini
1. Cactus Club Café
2. The Nanaimo Bar
3. Modern Café
Best Place for Cocktails and Shots
1. Nanaimo Bar
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Cactus Club Café
Best Karaoke
1. Oxy Pub
2. Quarterway Pub
3. Wellington Pub
Best Music Trivia
1. Landlubber Pub
2. Dinghy Dock Pub
3. Wellington Pub
Best Place to Dance
1. The Queen’s
2. Level 2
3. The Nanaimo Bar
Best Pub
1. Longwood Brew Pub
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Crow and Gate Pub
Best Place to Buy Craft Beer
1. Longwood Brew Pub
2. White Sails Brewing
3. Lucky’s Liquor Store
Best Beer Selection
1. Longwood Brew Pub
2. Lucky’s Liquor Store
3. White Sails Brewing
Best Family Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. Ricky’s All Day Grill
3. Mrs. Riches
Best Kids’ Restaurant
1. White Spot
2. Pirate Chips
3. Mrs. Riches
Best French Fries
1. McDonald’s
2. Pirate Chips
3. New York Fries
Best Pizza
1. Mambo Gourmet Pizza
2. La Stella Trattoria
3. Ali Baba Pizza
Best Nachos
1. Gina’s Mexican Café
2. Baby Salsa
3. Longwood Brew Pub
Best Chicken Wings
1. Oxy Pub
2. Landlubber Pub
3. Quarterway Pub
Best Sports Bar
1. Old City Station
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Quarterway Pub
Best Breakfasts
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
2. Ricky’s All Day Grill
3. Tania’s Restaurant
Best Lunches
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
2. Delicado’s
3. Dish
3. Mrs. Riches
Best Vegetarian Food
1. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
2. Power House Living Foods
3. Delicado’s
3. Rawmbas
Best New Restaurant
1. Nana Sushi
2. Fiddlehead Bistro
3. Thai Orchid
Best Restaurant Overall
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. La Stella Trattoria
3. Gabriel’s Gourmet Café
3. Gina’s Mexican Café
Best Cinnamon Buns
1. Cobs Bread
2. Cinnamon Joe’s
3. The Bee’s Knees Community Café
Best Steakhouse
1. The Keg
2. The Bold Knight
3. Beefeaters
Best Asian Food
1. Huong Lan Vietnamese Restaurant
2. Nori Japanese Restaurant
2. Pho A Dong
3. Saigon Kitchen
Best Deli
1. Nesvog Meats and Sausage Co.
2. Thrifty Foods
3. McLean’s Specialty Foods
Best Place to Meet for Coffee
1. The Buzz
2. Starbucks
3. Tim Hortons
Best Fast Food
1. Wendy’s
2. A&W
3. McDonald’s
Best Romantic Restaurant
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Hilltop Bistro
3. The Nest
Best Fish and Chips
1. Trollers Fish and Chips
2. Pirate Chips
3. Piper’s Pub
Best Mediterranean Food
1. Asteras Greek Taverna
2. Zougla Restaurant
3. Marina’s Taverna
Best Hamburgers
1. Mrs. Riches
2. White Spot
3. Milton Street Public House
Best Bakery
1. Cobs Bread
2. Columbia Bakery
3. Nanaimo Bakery and Confectionery
Best Sushi
1. Nori Japanese Restaurant
2. Firehouse Grill
3. Umai Sushi
Best Place to Get a Nanaimo Bar
1. Bocca Café
2. The Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
2. Mon Petit Choux
3. Nanaimo Bakery and Confectionery
Best Seafood Restaurant
1. The Bold Knight
2. Trollers Fish and Chips
3. The Keg
Best Catering Business
1. Spice of Life Catering
2. Coco Café
2. 2 Chefs Affair
3. Mrs. Riches
Best Pasta
1. La Stella Trattoria
2. Milano’s Ristorante
3. Figo Italian Bistro
Best Patio
1. Cactus Club Café
2. Carlos O’Bryan’s
3. Penny’s Palapa
Best Desserts
1. The Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
2. Mrs. Riches
3. Mon Petit Choux
3. Nanaimo Bakery and Confectionery
Best View of the City
1. Mount Benson
2. Vancouver Island University
3. Sugarloaf Mountain
Best Playground
1. Beban Park Altrusa Playground
2. Oliver Woods Community Centre
3. Maffeo Sutton Park
Best Place to Swim Outdoors
1. Westwood Lake
2. Nanaimo River
3. Long Lake
Best Place to Walk, Jog or Hike
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Neck Point Park
3. Maffeo Sutton Park
Best Place to Walk Your Dog
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Neck Point Park
3. Maffeo Sutton Park
Best Place to Mountain Bike
1. Westwood Lake Park
2. Doumont trails
3. Mount Benson
Best Place for a Picnic
1. Neck Point Park
2. Pipers Lagoon Park
3. Newcastle Island
Best Local Campground
1. Living Forest Oceanside Campground
2. Brannen Lake Campground
3. Nanaimo Lakes
3. Westwood Lake Campground
Best Place for Kayaking
1. Newcastle Island
2. Departure Bay
3. Long Lake
Best Place to Take Guests
1. Maffeo Sutton Park
2. Harbourfront Walkway
3. Pipers Lagoon Park
Best People-Watching Spot
1. Harbourfront Walkway
2. Maffeo Sutton Park
3. Woodgrove Centre
Best Place to Watch Birds
1. Buttertubs Marsh
2. Neck Point Park
3. Morrell Nature Sanctuary
Winners in the 16th annual Nanaimo News Bulletin Best of the City supplement were chosen by Nanaimo readers. Votes were tabulated following an online survey.