Our Mission

Is Nanaimo even a good place to eat? We think so, but it’s weird.

Nanaimo really loves a sure thing. As a result, box restaurants like Cactus Club, Original Joe’s, and Montana’s are endlessly popular here. (To say nothing of the legion on fast food joints.) When Nanaimo finds a place it can rely on, it sinks its teeth into that place, for better or for worse, forever.

But Nanaimo’s food scene continues to grow and develop and there are so many interesting options for your dining dollars these days.

We have to be careful to not overload the new shops with demand just as they’re finding their feet, and then abandon them for the newest shiny just as they get established. We’ve seen that routine play out far to many times here — even with really good places.

We are here to not only try new places and give you a no- (ok, low-) hype opinion before you race out to try them, but also to visit the old standbys to see if they still have cut it. We look at more than just the taste of the food. What about the drink selection? The creativity of the menu? The quality of the service? Heck, the cleanliness of the bathrooms?

We’ll highlight food and drink experiences from established Nanaimo eateries, brand new places you haven’t heard of, and perhaps most importantly, we’ll check up on those places who maybe aren’t as trendy as they were when they first opened. We’ll also try everything from top class gourmet restaurants to the dingiest food trucks. We want to let you know about hidden gems, or on the other hand, popular and well-regarded places that maybe… shouldn’t be.

Thanks for visiting and be sure to leave us a comment with your thoughts!