The old town and waterfront have a good range of restaurants for a city this size. Brewpubs are a strong suit — several craft breweries operate here with decent food alongside the beer. Seafood is reliably good given the location; fresh salmon, halibut, and Dungeness crab are staples. And of course, no visit is complete without trying a Nanaimo bar — the city has a self-guided Nanaimo Bar Trail with numerous participating bakeries and cafes competing for the definitive version of the local chocolate-custard-coconut treat.