Nanaimo: Restaurant Guide
If you’re renting a car and exploring Vancouver Island, be sure to stop by Nanaimo for a bite to eat. Whether you’re staying in Nanaimo for your entire trip or passing through on your way to Tofino or Northern Vancouver Island, you should definitely budget some time on your trip to stop by for a meal.
Nanaimo is home to some of Vancouver Islands most delicious restaurants. From Korean food, to sushi, to greek and Italian, you’re sure to find amazing dishes at Nanaimo. Here are some of our favourites:
Nori Japanese Restaurant - If you love fresh seafood of outstanding quality, Nori is some of the best Sushi on Vancouver Island. Not only is the food incredible, the portion sizes are very generous and the restaurant itself is modern, hip and upscale. You’ll be welcomed warmly by the owner and chef and their incredible staff. It’s worth the trip whether you’re staying in Nanaimo or just passing through. They feature delicious Japanese dishes including sashimi, nigiri, creative sushi rolls and cooked fish dishes. They also incorporate authentic Korean dishes on their menu like Bimibap, Kimchi and much more. It’s located off of North Island Highway and a perfect middle spot to stop on your journey up-island. We recommend making a reservation since it is a very busy and popular spot for dinner in Nanaimo on most days of the week. We recommend ordering their Dynamite Roll, Bimibap, Oshi Sushi, and their Salmon Sashimi.
Kim’s Korean BBQ House - Kim’s Korean BBQ is a top notch Korean restaurant situated on Bowen Road outside of Downtown Nanaimo. The cozy environment embodies the authenticity and hominess of their dishes. They serve delicious and comforting stews including Tofu Soup and Kimchi Stew. Their Seafood Pancake is a hit. It’s always perfectly crispy and fresh. If you love Korean BBQ, the Kim’s Galbi short ribs are deliciously marinated and charred and served Ssam style with lettuce, rice and traditional soybean sauce.
The Vault Cafe - The Vault is an eclectic, colourful and casual cafe that serves great brunch, lunch and snacks located in Downtown Nanaimo. They feature a wide range of vegan options, coffees, sandwiches, and brunch options. The menu is ever changing based on what’s fresh, but typically there are french toasts, pancakes, cinnamon buns, salads and daily soups on rotation. Stop by for the vibrant decorations, and creative environment. They even feature a collection of vintage clothing for sale.
La Stella Trattoria - La Stella Trattoria is a well-regarded Italian restaurant located on Wesley Street near Downtown Nanaimo. Their wood fire pizzas are a crowd favourite as well as their house-made pastas. They offer gluten free pasta options as well. Order their arancini, meatballs, any of their delicious wood fire pizzas. Their main location is located in the old historic quarter of downtown Nanaimo off Wesley Street and they’ve also opened a space dedicated to pizza called Pizzeria La Stella which is located in North Nanaimo at the Metral Place Center.
Delicados - is a casual southwestern deli with plenty of healthy options and vegetarian friendly food. They prepare fresh salads rich with chickpeas, beans, fresh vegetables, and make delicious fresh salsa daily. We love their veggie roll-up or chicken roll-up for a convenient, but healthy quick lunch. They have two locations one in North Nanaimo at the Metral Place Center and one in South Nanaimo in the old historic quarter of downtown Nanaimo off Wesley Street.