Nanaimo

Welcome to the Fall Taste Trail, October 18th to November 10th.

Take a peek at our growing list of participating businesses in Nanaimo listed below! This fall, we invite you to dine in and try something new while you support Nanaimo foodie businesses. Restaurants, cafés and breweries are offering exclusive pairings that will take you on a foodie adventure! Chefs, cooks, barristas and sommeliers are creating new flavours to spark your interest! Please see hours for each business to see when the offer is available at the venue of your choice.

Find more detail when you click on each restaurant listed below. Keep an eye out for special “FOR 2″ options that is one price for a shared dish and two paired beverages. Supporting your community never tasted so good!

Presented by:

Nanaimo Participants

Bar Luna Taco Bar

7 Victoria Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 2S5
(map)

(250) 739-5688
https://barluna.ca/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Pasita Borracha

Cheesy masa corn cakes with salsa borracha featuring White Sails’ Snake Island Cascadian Dark Ale (Nanaimo) and pickled local baby beets.

Paired with Pasita-infused Margarita.

Feature price | $19 + tax

Chefs Course Private Dining

1607 Blackstone Pl
Nanaimo, BC
V9X 1Y1
(map)

(236) 544-4654
https://www.chefscourse.ca/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Custom 4-course menu

Chef Luke is offering a custom 4-course menu prepared in your home using ingredients grown on local farms.

Paired with wines from Vancouver Island, including Blue Grouse, Averill Creek and Alderlea Vineyards.

Feature price | 4 Course Custom Menu and Wine Pairing $125 per guest

Contact Chef Luke to book your remarkable Island Taste Trail custom dining experience: (236) 544-4654

Eve Olive

#102 - 5281 Rutherford Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9T 5N9
(map)

(250) 585-5337
http://eveolive.com/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Plant-based handheld

Choice of Beyond Meat Burger, Beyond Steak Sandwich or Pulled Pork Style Mushroom Sandwich

PLUS choice of side hand-cut Cajun-seasoned potato fries, Cajun-seasoned yam fries, lemon rosemary roasted potatoes, Greek salad or Caesar salad.

Paired with a glass of Longwood Beer (Nanaimo)

Feature Price | $25.00 + tax

Available all day. Vegetarian and Vegan.

Gina’s Mexican Cafe

47 Skinner Street
(map)

(250) 753-5411
https://ginasmexicancafe.ca/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Black Bean Quesadilla Nachos “For 2”

Paired with 2 beverages. Customer’s choice of Gladstone Pale Ale (Courtenay) or Sex in Cancun Margarita.

Feature Price | $35 + tax

Ironworks Café & Crêperie

200 Commercial St, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5G6
(map)

855.748.9371
https://ironworkscafe.ca

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Creamy Mushroom Crêpe

Made with True Grain (Cowichan Bay) Organic Flour.

Paired with their fall flight of 4 locally roasted coffees

Feature Price: $28.00 + Tax

Available all day. Vegetarian. Vegan and Gluten Free options.

Island Roots Farmers Market

Beban Park
2300 Bowen Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9T 3K7
(map)

https://islandrootsmarket.ca/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Tasting Experience

Island Roots is a unique opportunity to support farmers, fishers, producers and processors based on the Island. Open year round, you can head out Wednesdays and try an assortment of:

– farm fresh fruits, herbs, micro greens and vegetables in season
– baked goods (baked fresh and frozen)
– regeneratively raised meats
– farmed and foraged mushrooms
– locally roasted coffees from Bodhi’s and Lamplight Coffee Roasters

Landlubber Pub

2220 Bowen Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9S 1H9
(map)

(250) 758-9400
http://www.landlubberpub.ca

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Legendary Tater Tots – 3 ways

Choice of:

Tater tot appie plate
Tater tot hot dish (casserole)
Tater tot benny

Pair with the house beer Landlubber Knotty Pilsner, brewed in partnership with Wolf Brewing Company (Nanaimo)

Lavender Art Café

County Club Mall
Nanaimo, BC
V9T 1W1
(map)

(604) 374-0130

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Deluxe Lavender Combo

House made Lavender Cake

Starts as a simple white cake but transforms into something unique with the addition of lavender extract and soaked lavender seeds. It is topped with a light, mildly sweet, and low-fat cream, making it a delicate yet flavourful dessert.

Paired with a Lavender Latte. Flavoured by adding one shot of lavender extract which is made in house.

This is a unique combo that features Vancouver Island Lavender. Faraz suggest you try the pairings as breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Feature price | $10.50 + tax

Saffron Rice Chicken Combo

This dish is a fragrant and flavourful Jasmine rice, tender chicken which is perfectly seasoned, yogurt, and saffron. The dish is garnished with barberries to add a an additional perfect taste.

Paired with custom Saffron blend tea

The Saffron Tea Blend is a custom blend that allows customers to choose their preferred mix of flavours. Choose from premium ingredients such as cardamom, cinnamon, and green tea, which are blended by hand and carefully packed into tea bags by us.

Add something sweet with Baklava for dessert

To complement the meal, try their delicate version of baklava. Unlike traditional versions, their baklava is mildly sweet, offering a light and balanced dessert experience. The philo pastry is filled with a mixture of finely ground nuts and flavoured with a hint of rosewater and saffron, making it a perfect match for the Saffron Tea Blend.

Feature price | $20 + tax

Add Baklava | $5.50 + tax

Lighthouse Bistro & Pub

50 Anchor Way
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 7B5
(map)

(250) 754-3212
http://lighthousebistro.ca

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Fresh BC Mussels

Paired with house wine 6oz

Feature price | $33 + Tax

Beef Kebob Skewers

Paired with 20 oz Island Lager

Feature price | $21 + Tax

Available from 2PM to 5PM every open day.

Longwood Brew Pub

5775 Turner Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9T 6L8
(map)

(250) 729-8225
https://www.longwoodbrewpub.com/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Fish Tacos

Paired with House Brewed Longwood Czech Pilsner

Feature Tacos | $23.95 + tax

Pint of Czech Pilsner | $8.50 + tax ($6 Happy Hour)

Longwood Brewery

2046 Boxwood Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9S 5W7
(map)

(250) 591-2739
https://www.longwoodbeer.com/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Tasting Experience

The Longwood Brewery offers tastings, cans for purchase and growler fills!

Try a feature flight | 3 x 4oz flight $5.66 plus tax

What a taste of local, made in Nanaimo craft beer? You are encouraged to pull up a stool and sample the Longwood Line Up. The brewery is located just off the Nanaimo Parkway. The friendly and amazing staff will impress you with their vast knowledge about Longwood’s recipes and will definitely help you find your perfect beer.

The Longwood brews are “Grown and brewed on Vancouver Island”. Longwood is proud to support small farms by using hops, barley and other ingredients sourced on Vancouver Island and the Mainland. In fact, the majority of the barley and hops Longwood Brewery uses is sourced within BC!

What’s new to try?

Hop Soda

Hop Soda is a unique alcohol free, sugar free and gluten free product for those who love beer but want the alcohol free experience. Carbonated hop water has the crisp, clean taste of soda water is complemented by the subtle floral notes of hops, providing perfect hydration for those looking to expand their palette and try something new.Enjoy it on its own, or mix it with your favorite spirits for a truly refreshing cocktail experience.

IPL “India Pale Lager”

Available only in October! German-style brewing meets West Coast innovation. A sweet and citrusy dry hop of Citra and a blend of Cryo hops. Crisp malt backbone, the flavour of an IPA brewed with lager yeast at a cold temperature.

Vegan Friendly

Mélange Nanaimo

101-223 Commercial Street
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 5G5
(map)

(250) 740-0163
http://www.melangenanaimo.ca

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Local Clams Brodetto

Evening Cove Clams (Nanaimo) served in the Brodetto style from the Marche region of Italy.

Paired with 5 oz Ortega from Blue Grouse Vineyard (Duncan)

Feature price | $34.00 including a 5 oz glass of wine

Available from 5 pm.

Minnoz Restaurant + Lounge at the Coast Bastion Hotel

11 Bastion St
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 6E4
(map)

(250) 824-0167
https://www.minnoz.com/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Pan-Seared Jumbo Prawns

Seared in garlic butter and flamed with Pernod, mushroom risotto, and daily vegetables

Paired with 6oz Blue Grouse Estate Winery Quill White Blend (Duncan)

Feature price | $35 + tax

Braised Short Ribs

Slow cooked it until it falls apart. Served with whipped Boursin mashed potatoes, daily vegetable, and glazed with its own drippings

Paired with Longwood Lager (Nanaimo)

Feature price | $50 + tax

ModernCafe

221 Commercial St
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 5G8
(map)

(250) 754-5022
https://moderncafenanaimo.com

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Lobster Nachos “for 2”

Paired with Unsworth 2020 ‘Island Melody’ Island white blend.

Unsworth is proudly a Vancouver Island winery that celebrates the uniquely mild, Mediterranean-like climate of the Cowichan Valley.

Off The Hook Surf Turf Smokery

1588 Boundary Crescent
Nanaimo, BC
V9S 5L5
(map)

(250) 739-5577
https://www.offthehooknanaimo.com

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

For “2” Seafood Platter

Crispy cauliflower tacos, house salad, ginger vinaigrette, tiger prawns, crispy fries, crispy salmon, crispy code, house slaw, house tartar sauce

Paired with 2 x 8oz glasses of Hoyne Brewing Por Favor Mexican Lager

Hoyne Brewing is proudly a family-owned brewery in Victoria that uses the finest ingredients and share OTH deep love of local.

The Bistro at Courtyard by Marriott

100 Gordon St
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 5J8
(map)

(250) 824-2705
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/dining/restaurant-bar/ycdcy-courtyard-nanaimo/6877294-the-bistro.mi

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

3 Feature Pairings with Gourmet Bannock

The features were developed by working with the First Nation associates at the hotel and our Chef from Cornwall, UK. The goal of the menu is to showcase and respect the history, traditions & values of the First Nation of Snuneymuxw and other Indigenous bands of B.C.

SEHLTUN SLOP | SALMON SOUP
Traditional West Coast Salmon Soup, garnished with seaweed.

Paired with an in-house Bannock

Feature price | $16.95 + tax

SELHTUN “I” SCOW | SALMON ON BANNOCK

Pan seared 4oz B.C Salmon fillet, served on in-house Bannock Bread, Radishes, Cucumber,
Chery Tomatoes, Blueberries, & Arugula, dressed with a Maple glaze.

Feature price | $21.95 + tax

SCOW TACO | BANNOCK TACO

Beef Chili topped with Sour cream, Green Onion, & mixed Cheese.

Paired with in-house Bannock Bread.

Feature price | $19.95 + tax

The Grand Cru Restaurant at The Grand Hotel

4898 Rutherford Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9T 4Z4

(250) 758-3000
https://www.thegrandhotelnanaimo.ca/grand-cru-restaurant

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Shared for 2

Your choice of one appetizer

* Warm Double Cream Brie
served with blueberry Port wine reduction and fresh crostini

* Panko Crusted Calamari
fried perfect golden brown, served with side of Chipotle mayo

*Roaster Wings
a dozen crispy Wings, Salt and Pepper or Frank’s Hot Sauce

Paired with a House Whisky flight or a glass of house wine for 2 people

Feature Price | $48.00 tax

White Sails Brewing

125 Comox Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 3H9
(map)

(250) 754-2337
https://whitesailsbrewing.com/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Pizza and Beer Flight

Enjoy a delicious pizza from our menu paired

Paired with a flight of 4 x 6 oz Tasting Flight of White Sails Beers

Feature Price: $29.00 + tax

Wolf Brewing Company

940 Old Victoria Rd
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 6Z8
(map)

(250) 716-2739
https://www.wolfbrewingcompany.com/

Island Taste Trail Special Feature:

Island Taste Trail Feature

Flight of Wolf Brewing Craft Beer

Paired with Salted Soft Pretzel Sticks and Black & Tan Beer Cheese.

Pretzels truly shine during Oktoberfest: a perfect pairing with beer! The salty goodness of a hand-made pretzel balances beautifully with the refreshing taste of a cold craft brew. These flavours work together harmoniously, enhancing the enjoyment of both the drink and the snack! Nanaimo’s own Columbia Bakery makes the Pretzels and Landlubber Pub, also in Nanaimo, make the Black & Tan Beer Cheese!

Flight of 4 Beers | $10.50 + tax
3 Salted Soft Pretzel Sticks with Beer Cheese | $13.90 + tax

Their friendly Beertenders are looking forward to welcoming you to The Wolf Den!

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