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Nanaimo pubs

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Now, how many of you will ever have the need to go to Nanaimo, I don't know, but while you're here you might want to try out our pubs. At one time, if not still, we were known to have the most pubs per capita in all of Canada! I don't even want to know what that says about us. I haven't lived here long, and have a three year old, so we haven't had the opportunity to try many. I'm definately not the expert I was when I lived in Victoria!

#1 The Jingle Pot Pub. A wee bit out of the way, but man what great food. They normally deep fry their halibut burgers, but when I asked them if they could pan fry one for me, it was no problem. the atmosphere is clean and friendly with alot of wood. And there is always some sort of trivia night going on with prizes galore!
#2 The Dinghy Dock Pub. This pub is located on New Castle Island and yes, it is on a dock. There is a public ferry that goes back and forth, (it will cost though), or you can take your own boat over, (which we do). There is a restaraunt on one side and a pub on the other. They have a hole in the restaraunt for the kids to feed the fish swimming underneath (how cool is that?!). The pub jams on the weekends with live entertainment. You can't leave without having the fish and chips. With the exception of the public warf, they're the best I've ever tasted.
#3 The Globe. It's downtown, and has been there forever I'm sure. The food is great, and it's just up the street from the Port Theatre, so if you're going to watch a show, it's a good place to start or end off. My only complaint is that it's a little too dark for my liking. I like to see my food, sue me.
That's it for my pub expertice. Like I said, we haven't lived here long. We have been to other pubs, but the food wasn't much and I'm pretty sure their main drive is intoxicating the patrons.

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  1. Hi,

    The only pub that I would add to that list for sure is the Black Bear on Doumont Road. It's a bit out of the way, but the food is usually every bit as good as that at the JinglePot, and there's a bit less smoke there most of the time.

    The Jolly Miner on Haliburton had excellent (and plentiful) food last time I went but pubs in that area tend to go downhill fast.

    As far as the Globe having been around forever... yes, but up until a few years ago it was a really nasty strip club. So... you wouldn't have had to leave for the show :)

    I don't get to go out too often either; I've got twin 2yo boys..


    Link: http://www.barnonedrinks.com/

    1 Reply
    1. re: Jason Birch

      Hi, Jason and Laura--

      I know this is a late post to this thread, but I just returned from a trip to Vancouver and Vancouver Island, and on the way down to Victoria, I stopped at a lovely pub about 8 km from Nanaimo called the Crow and Gate (off of Cedar Rd.). I had a Stilton ploughman's platter and a dark local brew and was very happy (although the bread could have been better).

      Have you two been there?