It’s the same situation for all of us – Even if you manage to fill up on breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can still easily find yourself with enough space, or at least making enough space, for dessert. It’s a guilty pleasure for many of us, and today, we’re going to be taking a look at the best spots in Nanaimo for you to indulge in your post-dinner desires.
1. Hearthstone Artisan Bakery
We’re starting the list with a place that’ll blast you with a fresh and welcoming aura, a bakery. Having run for nearly six years now, Hearthstone Artisan Bakery prides itself on its’ use of locally sourced ingredients in its desserts.
What desserts do they offer?
All desserts are freshly baked at the start of each day, meaning the menu can vary wildly. However, to give you an example of what you can expect, their website displays delicious carrot cakes, fudge brownies, butter tarts, cinnamon twists, and many more scrumptious treats. They even cater for special occasions including wedding cakes, Valentine’s Day cakes, and Christmas cakes – Certainly viable for any time of year if you ask us.
What’s it like there?
The bakery is relatively small, though this is handy for preventing overcrowding and keeping your dessert-buying experience both concise and simple. Whilst most desserts are displayed through a glass counter or on shelves, the more appetizing treats can be seen through the front window as you walk on by.
What’s the standout item on the menu?
As appetizing as all these treats may be, one particular baked goodie has stood out amongst the rest for us: Nanaimo bars. Named after the city in which they are made, the Nanaimo bars are fudge-based treats that come in the flavors of peanut and classic caramel. The monthly flavors only serve to set this treat off even further, including a niche cappuccino flavor.
2. Waterfront Confections
Located overlooking the sea, Waterfront Confections caters to a larger audience due to plant-based alternative ingredients, meaning that those who abide by a FODMAP or vegan diet can still enjoy a delicious scoop of ice cream without having to worry about tummy troubles.
What desserts do they offer?
Waterfront Confections sell ice cream in multiple flavors, including vanilla, mint, strawberry, chocolate, and others. They also have a sweet stand from which a sugary assortment can be bought, or, if you wish so, can be used as toppings for ice cream.
What’s it like there?
Waterfront Confections’ interior is not much different from any other ice cream parlor, though one key difference is that you’ll be able to look out across the water whilst enjoying your dessert – A surely peaceful and comforting way to end your evening.
What’s the standout item on the menu?
As mentioned earlier, Waterfront Confections cater to multiple types of diets due to plant-based products. As a result, we can’t choose just one item here that’s better than the rest. In a rare turn of events, we’re choosing all the ice cream flavors available here as the desserts which you must try, simply due to how progressive and forward-thinking the premise used to make them is.
3. Dessert Island
For chocolate fanatics, Dessert Island is heaven-on-earth. This spot serves many unique and rich treats that we’ve yet to find anything even remotely close to anywhere else in North America. If you’re swinging by Nanaimo for even just a day or two, this is one place that you simply cannot pass up.
What desserts do they offer?
You’ll feel like a connoisseur as you browse through this store. The exotic treats offered here include salted ‘caramallow’ (caramel and marshmallow) brownies, Nanaimo bars (as with Hearthstone Bakery), caramel shortbreads, spiced cookies, and more.
What’s it like there?
Again, it’s much like a regular bakery, though we dare say the décor makes this spot more appealing than most others on this list. It’s both up to date yet has a vintage vibe, and is also lively decorated in time for the winter season – Speaking of which…
What’s the standout item on the menu?
Our pick goes to a dessert that is, unfortunately, not available all-year-round but is certainly worth the wait for its’ availability period, the Candycane brownie. Available exclusively during the Christmas period, the Candycane brownie takes a regular fudge brownie and tops it with white chocolate ganache and crushed candy canes. It sounds so simple, yet still tastes so great.
4. Just Desserts
Similar to Waterfront Confections, this aptly named ice cream parlor is situated by a waterside. The key difference between the two places is that whilst Waterfront Confections have a smaller menu and offer plant-based alternatives, Just Desserts uses more traditional ingredients and has a more expansive range available for customer consumption.
What desserts do they offer?
The chalkboards above the counter change from time to time, and without an official website, it’s difficult to give a concrete answer of what desserts will be offered at any given time. However, Just Desserts prides itself on its’ many ice cream flavors, and also sells muffins, scones, cookies, and cinnamon buns as part of their dessert menu.
What’s it like there?
The décor inside is very traditional with bright red walls, though if you’re going here, you’re likely going to want to grab a seat on deck in order to look out over the waterfront whilst the sun sets. To that extent, it’s probably the most elegant spot on this list.
What’s the standout item on the menu?
Customer reviews speak highly of Just Desserts’ sorbet treats, which can be served with waffles for less than $6 total. It’s a good and tasty deal, but rather than taking the words of other customers’ for it, go and check it out yourself the next time you swing by Nanaimo!
5. Red’s Bakery
We’re closing off today’s list in the same way that we started it – With a bakery. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses have struggled, though Red’s Bakery, run by its’ namesake, Red, is one that has strived, prevailed, and risen to the top with its’ delicious treats.
What desserts do they offer?
Red’s Bakery offers both a large yet niche menu, including dessert bars and savory treats alike. It’s simply fascinating that a small business like this is able to produce such fulfilling and fresh food. Like with certain other locations on this list, Red’s Bakery also serves Nanaimo bars, and we dare say they are greater here than anywhere else.
What’s it like there?
It is the smallest location on this list, which only serves to prove that size really isn’t everything. It’s a simple experience to pop in, get your dessert, and get out of this bakery again. Even so, the décor inside is very modern and would certainly keep you from feeling bored or daunted in the unlikely event you’d end up waiting in a queue.
What’s the standout item on the menu?
We saved the best until last here. Red’s Bakery offers some of the most delicious and mouth-watering strawberry rolls that we’ve ever seen. These baked goods are bursting at the seams with cream and jam, and are served in generously big portions that make them well worth the price you pay for them.
Overall…
Dessert is almost like a secret fourth meal, and it should very much be enjoyed as such. With the places on this list, you can find yourself indulging in dessert time the way that you deserve to in Nanaimo.
There are a great many hidden gems in British Colombia altogether, and today we’ve explored some more of the ones hiding away in Nanaimo. So, we’ve only one thing left to say now: Bon appétit!
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