Reviews of Gabriel's Cafe (Restaurant)

C Scatchard

Food is so delicious! My favorite breakfast place hands down! Constrictive criticism: the fruit served as a garnish does not appear fresh. I feel that way every time I order something and wonder why they bother . So minor though it really is the best breakfast place and I'm addicted! Get the Ian's Staple!

ishan verma

Delicious food, local ingredients, always something new and interesting to try. Love the casual atmosphere and staff is always great.

Mykl Love

Great food selection. My meal was a big greaser than I would have liked the first time we were there for breakfast. But our dinner we grabbed was amazing

Patrick Brouder

Dine in

John van Bockxmeer

My absolute favourite breakfast in Nanaimo - no question! Great atmosphere, delicious, fresh, creative, local food and friendly staff. I highly recommend Gabriel's to anyone visiting Nanaimo or anyone in town who hasn't tried it yet.

Meg Mentanko

The sort of place that has a high opinion of itself, but doesn't deserve it. Bland salad with more quinoa than substance. Would have liked more veggies in there. And flavour.

Lily Beigi

Decent food that's locally sourced and has been always fresh. Service is pretty weak. They don't pour waters or check in on you, they simply man the register, whip you your food and yap rules at you if you sit down before ordering. Their system works however and food is on time

Angeli T

I've been here a couple times. I like it because it's a local company and they gave unique good food. However, my partner and I went there for our anniversary breakfast and got the #2, smoked salmon, cream cheese, etc, in a wrap. It was soooo salty; I had to stop eating it half way through, but my partner finished it and he got crazy sick. If it wasn't so salty it would have been delicious. I've had alot of smoked salmon in my life time, and I think it was just over salted? UPDATE: The excess salt taste came from the eggs, not the salmon. Still unpleasant.

Jonas Rey

Dine in

Josh Fletcher

Gabriel's Gourmet Cafe is in the centre of downtown Nanaimo on Commercial St.; a very popular cafe specializing in locally produced ingredients & excellent food! It is very popular and BUSY but service is excellent and we were lucky to find a seat! A good place to run into friends!

Chris Roche

Stellar food. Nice little place tucked into a cozy little space in the middle of downtown. They offer locally sourced foods . Recommend the chorizo breakfast bowl.

Mattias Wilson

This awesome little joint was our first restaurant in Nanaimo. Best slaw I've ever eaten in my life and an amazing pulled pork sandy. Interesting layout and concept. Loved the whole experience.

Mathius Permana

Unique menu! Food is very good!

Cole Graham

Good selection of food for various diet needs, but slow service.

Em von Euw

I would drive from Vancouver to have brunch just at this place! The bennies are amazing The pancakes are incredible The jingle pot is not to be missed Orange juice is fresh squeezed and the servers and cooks are all so friendly and hopeful! I’ll be back soon!!

Cory G

Seriously enjoyed the daily special hash! Food arrived quick in a busy place and service was awesome. Look forward to trying more of your menu, thanks for offering vegan options!

Theresa Nookemis

The one vegan option on breakfast menu was pretty good and good sized portion but we spent $34 for two tofu scrambles, one side of toast and one tea so bit expensive but we were satisfied overall.

Michael Duddy

Their pulled pork eggs benny was hands down the best I have ever had (and I've had lots!). Great atmosphere in the heart of DT Nanaimo. Will definitely go back here if I'm in the area again.

Shelley Henschel

The #1 breakfast is my #1 breakfast. Have to come to Gabriel's everytime I'm in town, been going since he was the little hole in the wall up the road. Always amazing, never disappoints.

Tori Ramgren

The foods great and the prices are fair. I'm not a fan of cilantro though. They have a inside joke we're they like to put it on even if you ask to not have it. Atmosphere is great if you are a liberal, hipster or a feminist.

Alex Itelman

Aside for the wasps attacking my food and trying to taste the little piece of heaven which was on my plate I’d say that this farm to table restaurant is a definite must try if you are in the area. Excellent food and the coffee was not too shabby also.

Zia Marashi

Very good breakfast places right in the heart of downtown with good services. Make sure you come early to avoid queue. I ordered the special Benny and Not McMuffin and they are both really delicious.

stravello s

Call me old fashioned, but I still appreciate a place that believes in service. If you're like me, Gabriel's is not the place for you. The moment I walked in, I was met with a sign that said "look at the menus before seating yourself." I'd been on my feet all day and was really looking forward to walking and sitting down, not standing in the entrance looking over a menu. Then I had to go to the counter to order my food and pre-pay. No one comes to your table to take your order. No one comes to the table to bring you water. You have to go get that yourself. And no one tells you that, you're just expected to know. And here's the kicker... they STILL insist on a tip for service! Seriously? You want me to do all the work and still expect a tip for an overpriced sandwich? Don't get me wrong, the sandwich was fair, but certainly not worth almost $15 for just a sandwich, plus tip and paid parking.

Classicguy70

Best brunch in town. Using local ingredients and real maple syrup!! There is NO margarine in this restaurant at all!! Open kitchen and an exciting fast paced place.

Josh

Nanaimo's top spot for local healthy eats. Gabriel's Cafe offers delicious lunch, brunch and cafe coffee and treats. Vegetarian, vegan and ethical meat options available. The various power bowls are top notch and can even be made half size for kids! This is my favorite place to grab a quick bite with the family.

robert burrell

Premium local quality product- 1/4 of the dishes you could make it have a tofu alternative. Meals average around $12-14. The food is tres frais and will go back for sure... the refrigerated drinks are pricey. Great place to go with friends.

Andrew Gallagher

Gabriel's cafe was rocking on Saturday at brunch time. I ordered a traditional breakfast which was delicious, and my friend had the vegetarian soup and she said it was fabulous. We shared the group table which is always fun, and full of young families during our visit, the staff was attentive and the little ones behaved like angels. Fun, fun fun.

Michelle Chan

Great little place as soon as you disembark from the ferry in Nanaimo BC. Gabriel Gourmet Cafe has a creative breakfast menu, as well as good classic options. The food was delicious, although my favorite is the corn cakes with poached eggs. Really good. The mimosas are made with on the spot fresh OJ. Only downer, they took a long while to reach our table, Arrived after our meal was served. There were three servers. I watched one look at the drinks tickets, then look at boxes then back at the drink tickets and made the decision that the drinks could wait but the boxes would not. So a different server, that dropped our first dish to the table, had to be asked where our drinks were. Besides this the food was good and I'd visit here again for breakfast. I do also enjoy that there were a few vegetarian options that are not your norm on a menu.

Leanne Ryder

This place is one of the many reasons I love to come to Nanaimo. The coconut milk pancakes are the best pancakes I’ve had in a restaurant, and the Malaysian peanut tofu bowl is also amazing. Never had a dish that was less than exceptional here.

Tia Miller

Went on Vegan Day and had the vegan special curry bowl. Really good depth to the curry. Finding seating was a bit hard during peak hours but will for sure try again.

Shelley Fulmes

Eggs Benny was very delicious! Outdoor seating was decent! Especially first thing in the morning right when they open!

Alexandra Bedard

The decor and appearance of the cafe are outstanding. Great location, beautiful interior and fantastic layout. Sadly the food left a little to be desired. In our party of four, one person found their food to be too salty to eat, and one person wasn't able to eat their meal due to dietary allergies that were pointed out at the time of ordering to the staff. The staff members who took our order and delivered it to the table weren't exactly friendly or welcoming. I think this place has fantastic potential, but could use some improvements.

Matthew Reid

Stopped by in the morning to pick up some lunch after working 24 hours. Ordered a poke bowl, as it would be something they could hopefully do fast as there is no cooking involved. The kitchen was disorganized? or there was a miscommune between the front and the kitchen. I was told it would be a 15 min wait from ordering but ~45min later I finally got the poke bowl. Was offered a glass of water while I wait, after checking in on what the status was about 30min in. But what I really wanted to do after being on my feet for 24 hours was not stand to wait that long outside in the sun, but a seat in shade would've been nice. Aside from that, the food was awesome! I'd highly recommend the food. Not sure about the delivery. As they said on the box, the bowl is "the tops" but I'm not sure I can survive such a wait again.

Anastasia Gronen

The food is amazing crazy flavour combinations that will blow you away. The staff is friendly and helpful quickly became one of my go to's!

Brent Hampton

Great laid back atmosphere. Had the pulled pork sandwich, was fresh and tasty. 2 others had the beef rice bowls and loved them and even had to take leftovers as they couldn't finish.

Kelly Huxham

Amazing breakfast place. Service with smile, very friendly & helpful staff. Menu choices were yummy. Affordable prices. Prompt service. Very clean.

Ham - shi

Delicious fresh food. Healthy portions and a relaxed setting. Starting the day off right

vickie gould

I stumbled upon this cafe during a one night stay. It was clean and spacious, and the menu drew me with its variety and use of local ingredients. Seemed like a local favourite with customers coming in constantly up til close. The soup and the sandwich that I tried were both very flavourful, will definitely be back!

Kelsey Tyler

Good food. Nice location. Fair prices. Good portion sizes. Motorcycle friendly parking on the street. Would recommend going!

dark fabric

Eggs Benny. What more need I say? I will be making my way through the other items, to be sure. The menu is restricted, but all the plates which have passed by on their way to their tables looked great.

S Simone

love the flavours here. we had the soup of the day and potato scramble with chicken sausage, tofu, kale... It seems to be a local fave(hipster-ish) and would love to try their breakfast menu next time we visit.

Angela Waldick

Excellent take on breakfast! Tried the Pulled pork pancakes, and they were delicious! Coffee was fresh and the staff were friendly. Would gladly return!

Madi Garandza

Wow!

Jay

Good food. Just don't need whole from farm to fork explanation on online menu. Just want to order food. Not read a story.

Adam

I've probably eaten everything on the menu and love this place. So many great options. A really unique flavour for each dish. The best pulled pork ever. Had a first date there and it went super well. Thanks Gabriel.

Adam Kroon

Great food but only serves brewed coffee. Needs to serve espresso coffee.

Glenn Wood

Minor mix up of the order, which was fine, but the potato scramble we ordered was mostly potatoes - almost all potatoes - just too much. The flavour was mediocre at best.

madeleine wood

AMAZING! They make amazing creative healthy-ish whole food. Loved it! Great vibe and staff as well. Highly recommend.

Mikki Van Vuren

Great food. I'd reccomend this place. Great brunch and lunch spot.

Jacquie Harkema

Wouldn’t of picked this place, but my friend had suggested it. We seated ourselves, after picking up the clip board menus. The drink selection for cocktails were slim. We all had white wine ( a small 5 oz glass ) it reminded me of cheap box wine. We all decided on a different rice bowl, except for one person who had a wrap. You order and pay at the counter. My bowl was 80% rice, and not worth it for the price paid. The wrap also didn’t receive any rave reviews. Wouldn’t return.

Amy Wilson

It's been great watching Gabriel's restaurant grow. The food is good, as is the service. and you can order online so you don't even have to go inside! Innovative restaurant, if local and community matter to you you should support them. Friendly and caring owners

Chuck Cassie

O.M.G. What more is there to say?? I stayed in Nanaimo two nights and both nights I ordered take out from here. The flavour of their dishes and the health quality of the food is something that will bring me back each time I am in town.

Clayton C.

a favourite lunch spot. as a hard to feed, vegetarian, gluten free picky eater, this place always pulls it off. Fresh food, fun place and sometimes a crowd at lunch

Heather Dempsey

This place is just great !! Not a huge number of selections, but all good.

Alexia Tedesco

Bean burger, North African soup and Kim chi salad were all awesome. Would highly recommend.

Liz Halloran

Great wraps! And more. They use fresh ingredients to make some of the best wraps in Nanaimo.

Alex Aizenberg

I called to order take out but as soon as I asked them what their soup for the day was they immediately hung up. Not the first time this has happened. Wont bother coming here for a while ????

Josh Richardson

Loved the upbeat vibe and creative options. Found the prices very reasonable given take on organic and local foods. I had a lemon grass been sandwich which was just "ok" but would gladly try something else next time I'm in town.

Lee Wendy

There's a great reason this place is always so busy. Good food, quality ingredients, welcoming and accommodating staff. It has it all - yet, is unfortunately in the armpit of Nanaimos dying downtown core. If you have a hankering for a great breakfast, GO. Well worth the trip.

scott lovely

The kind of business that brings people to downtown! Food is delicious and sourced locally. The peanut rice bowl is to die for!!

Chris Nielsen

A local and sustainable eatery with fantastic food and great ethics.

Ati Jahan

Central location and popular among locals for a good reason. Great food at good prices and friendly staff.

Daniel Arndt

Excellent locally sourced food in a fun casual atmosphere. Friendly, smiling staff. Vegan options are available. And, if you are feeling charitable, they have a soup token program which allows you to buy a bowl of soup for someone that is disadvantaged. They refer to it as Dining With Dignity. My kinda people.

Mike Vasilev

Consistently very good food. Still open during COVID. Would recommend.

Bill Sims

Once again I had the breakfast hash it never fails to satisfy. My wife had what she described as a delish eggs bennie. Definitely a place to go for breakfast.

Aniket Moralwar

Great place! Good service, better food. Popular and can be waiting a while, but worth the wait

Ryan Roga

Nice variety of local foods to eat. It gets busy though! It can be hard to find a table during the lunch rush. Breakfast is good, lunch is good, bring someone along and I'm sure you can find something you like

Ahely Nikhad

Really bad attitude in customer service but great food. So definitely I would recommend it but ignore the staff behavior ????cause it s worth it

Funky Femme

We absolutely loved this place! You order at the counter to save any sort of mix ups or wait times. The food was great and portions were awesome. Loved the potatoes. Very reasonable prices and their menu is amazing. I'd love to go back and try more when we revisit the island.

Amarinder Singh

Hands down the best Thai curry that I've had outside of Thailand. The food at this restaurant is ridiculously good and fairly well priced. It's always busy so maybe head there before the lunch rush but this is an absolute 5/5 must visit restaurant.

Karen Morton

Food was okay but one of the server was so rude. She cut me off when I was ordering food to another server. Hope the short orange hair white girl with tatto on her both arms doesnt get my tips.

M Tymo

Amazing food! This place can get busy.. There is a reason for that! Sooooo delicious so plan ahead to get there early on the busy times.

Chris Demler

Lots of good restaurants in Nanaimo. Gabriels is my family's favourite. Food people ethics. Whole package right here.

Julian Worker

These guys deserve every single star out of fives.Super delicious food and salad prepared and cooked with fresh ingredients. Like the place.!!!!

K Jansson

I find the prices are going up and the quality going down,come on,why don’t you use organic potatoes? When you started you had the right idea,now it’s all about profit,I still like your place and go there,but you can do better

Shawn Markey

The meal was going great until I found a silverfish in my freshly squeezed orange juice. Thought it was a seed until I saw the antennas. So disgusted couldnt finish my breakfast and they comped my orange juice only. We eat there often but more disappointed they didnt handle situation better.

Mike Ayotte

Great food...cozy environment.

Gregory Brown

A friend took me to this cosy place on my trip to Nanaimo. The place was packed but the service was excellent we were advised we’d receive a text when a table was available. The food was yummy and the portions are huge for the price. It really reminded me of a place in Melbourne. Thank you ????

Alicia He

Friendly staff, laid back environment. Went last year and really enjoyed the pancakes. This time i had the potato bowl. I regret choosing ham vut it was still good. Will return

Elham Jafari

Was good. Ordered shredded noodle soup with dumplings... was penne noodles which was kinda strange in Asian soup. Green curry dish was good but had only carrots and cabbage. Needed more veggies!! Basically all rice with sauce. Which was a lot of rice. Ok though!

Fiona Shedden

After sitting for twenty minutes without service the server approached my table explaining that orders must be made online or at the front desk (understandable due to the pandemic). But twenty minutes of waiting for service without knowing we were to order the other way was a bit frustrating. I understand everyone’s getting in the groove of things again but having four servers in a small restaurant without a single word for that long of a time is unacceptable. Another thing I found concerning was that only one server was wearing a mask. The rest of the servers and cooks were not. We were also never checked on and our server left us feeling unwelcome. A positive note I’d like to add is that the food was delicious.

Albert Luk

"Gabes" is consistently the best meal you'll have all week, or all month if you have an average diet. Fantastic menu, beautifully sourced from local farmers and artisans, great service, my friends and family and I all love this place <3

Mark R

By far my favorite breakfast stop in Nanaimo. My girlfriend lives in Nanaimo for school and I live in Calgary but whenever I visit Nanaimo we make it a point to visit here at least once. It really speaks to how excellent their food is how the restaurant has developed since our first visit 3 years ago. It was initially less than half the current size and more of a hole in the wall type of place with minimal business. In that short time it has become a popular spot and is full for the morning every day. My favorite dish is their coconut milk pancakes with caramelized apple and Greek yogurt. Absolutely delicious and quite filling. Their coffee has a unique flavour and is also tasty. Gabriel's supports local artists and sells their pieces right in the restaurant. They are also environmentally conscious about where their products come from and ensure the local farms supply their meat and that the animals are humanely raised. I simply couldn't recommend them any further. I'd rate 6/5 stars if it were possible to do so. A must visit if you're anywhere near Nanaimo. It's also a 5minute walk to the harbour!

Tyrant Chimera

The waitress did a poor job managing the wait time. We were told to come back in 15 mins however the table was ready in a few mins. We missed our window to get the table since we came back in 15 mins and was told to come back again in 5 mins. The waitress did not even try to help us out and insisted we should have just come earlier. Not the best service.

Jorja Mitchell

Great casual restaurant with excellent food and service! Highly recommend.

Peggy Richardson

Loved it! Yes another breakfast spot but don't you love them all?! Some nice unique offerings here both menu items and atmosphere. The open kitchen is pretty cool and as is true in most breakfast spots these days there is a Hipster vibe.

Laurence Champigny

Taste is amazing for the brunch with amazing service

Russel Dagley

Food has always been incredible! All locally sourced and soooo delicious! Great spot for a date, catching up with friends, or even just to treat yourself.

Fiona Graham

Even if the food wasn’t as absolutely consistent, fresh and awesome as it is I would still come here because of their local commitment. Gabriel’s tries to source all their ingredients locally and support the community. I have tried several items off the menu during my different visits, each time very happy and great flavour. I would highly recommend considering them for breakfast lunch or supper. The entire is unique with all the tabletops being made from recycling bowling alley floor. The backs of the benches are made from recycling burlap sacks. I also like the original art work displayed.

Siak Psi

Great food ,I personally really like to complain. I dont enjoy having to pay so much for food at restaurants so I eat with with a grudge on my shoulder most times...The service was friendly but not fast that's forsure. It was 50 min for the food but it was a packed house. Also some jackass told my kid to drink the water outta the community dog bowl so those two factors cost them a star and the latter almost cost buddy a tooth. But the food was great so yeah 4 stars couldve been 5

Ruth Anne Taves

Delicious, fresh & flavorful brunch. Organic, locally source ingredients. Lots of vegetarian options. Simply awesome!

Oliver Ray

Stopped over here on our way to Tofino. Absolutely delicious and flavorful! Highly recommend for all types of eaters

Riley C

Fantastic food! Went for a Saturday brunch and while it was busy and a little chaotic. The food was absolutely worth it. The mimosas were amazing as well. I would highly recommend it if you’re in Nanaimo and looking for some breakfast food!

Sean Lundy

Rich flavours, fresh, fast service. Green Thai Curry and Malaysian Peanut bowls were delicious. Cauliflower rice was a great option for our friend's dietary needs. Located across the street from Vancouver Island Events Centre. Convenient!

Geoff Schmidt

A fantastic breakfast! Love their make your own omelet menu feature.

Dan Rehbein

Such a wonderful little café and amazing food. Locally sourced ingredients make this a very fresh meal. Came for breakfast and ordered the Ian Staple, eggs over easy and a side of bacon. Definitely one of the best breakfasts I have had in a while. Prices are comparable to other restaurants on the island. Seems like everything is a bit more costly on the island as compared to the mainland. The quality and imagination is worth the price.

Morag Hart

Great food and nice that it's all organic etc. Very friendly staff. Not sure why I pay and tip first and do half of the service after. Served for years and ran my butt off for 10% ;)

Jane Chien

I have eaten here 3 or 4 times now and everytime it's fresh , fast and delicious! Veggie burger for lunch is phenomenal and the coconut pancakes for breakfast are to die for!

I eat out More than you

Went to Gabriel’s café while I was waiting for the ferry from Nanaimo to Vancouver. Had a very nice pokey bowls tofu, vegan option very tasty. Nice atmosphere and a very tasty IPA. I think I will come here again if I have the time to kill. Decent prices for the amount of food. Five stars no complaints

Naomi Laliberte

Never eaten here until today, so refreshing to have something out of the ordinary, that feels healthy! Great prices, Great food and an amazing vibe the minute you walk in!

Linda MacLean

One of the worst experiences ever, never mind the time waiting, even could be much lesser, if well organized, which is absolutely not,...we arrived at around 08:45 , told us will be a waiting time 25 minutes! We waited and they informed us at around 20 minutes later, then another 5 minutes to clean 3 tables, of leaving consumers, then called us,...I asked for a specific table we wanted, from the 3 cleaned tables and was explained, that they are filling first the 2 seats tables, then the rest,...gave us the worst-case 2 seats table,....then on the table that we asked, was placed a single person,...then to the other that we asked was arranged for people who they knew 2 of them,...absolutely disrespectful and disappointing! On the top of all of this, you have to choose from the menu and go waiting on line to order,.....terrible, then waiting for the actual order,....we have not enjoyed, understandably why! We came from Ontario first visiting BC, and Nanaimo, we travel around the World a lot, and never been treated like this ! We left at 10:30! Our breakfast plans became early branch,. Never again!

d m

As always the best vegan breakfast.

Ryan Chapman

I have never gone to Gabriels and come away unsatisfied. Everything I've tried on the menu is delicious, fresh, prepared quickly and with care, good portions and pretty inexpensive. He has new specials almost every day too! Can't get enough. I got a google plus account JUST so i could write this review and tell everyone how awesome this place is.

Tony Durke

I think "diner" is a more fitting term compared to cafe. When thinking of a cafe, they tend to have a variety of coffee types whereas this location only has drip (which was only okay in terms of taste). Food (breakfast) was okay too but seemed a tad pricy as did the coffee for what it was.

Alan Addison

The food? Amazing The service? Great But if you get hired here, be warned that the management staff are very disorganized and lack proper communication skills and thus do not work as good leaders. That being said, it's a rewarding job to those who are quick on their feet, and have a good work ethic. Your coworkers are each unique and fun, and the tips make it all worthwhile.

Curtis Mitchell

One of the best breakfast spots in Nanaimo. Great food, nice decor and a regularly changing menu. It can get busy but it's worth the wait.

Hike-the-island. Bates

Lunch

Spencer Sarault

We love going here. My partner loves ordering the coconut milk pancakes with the braised pulled pork and I usually get one of the specials of the day. It is SO. GoOD.

Erika Verlinden

Loving the online ordering, easy picks and delicious tuna poke bowl. I'm a big fan of their breakfast too. Great place to grab a good bite to eat in Nanaimo.

lamergamer

The second time I’ve been to Nanaimo this year and the second visit to Gabriel’s Cafe. It’s true, they do things a bit differently here from the way you order and self seat to the highly ethical and delicious food choices. The staff are attentive, friendly and I’ve enjoyed both visits equally. Today I learned about their “dining with dignity” program and I found it to be a kind way to address those in need that you may meet around Nanaimo. “Everybody eats!” and Gabriel’s is helping people eat well.

Rahul Dhir

The food was absolutely wonderful at a fair price. Locally sourced ingredients and an engaging environment. If your looking for a quiet romantic spot I'm not sure this is the best place as it was packed and loud. It's more of a community place where you feel a part of a bigger picture. The staff were very helpful. Totally recommend the butter chicken with brown rice to warm you up from the inside out and portions were very generous too. A must visit if your in Nanaimo BC.

Benjamin Martens

Delicious food. Good for eating in or out. Super friendly and healthy. Very affordable prices and lots of great options.

TL

I ate here because I’m from out of town and I’m vegan. I don’t know what I was expecting but I had the Hey I’m a Vegan! And it was absolutely beautiful! They make delicious vegan food here and I will be back every time I come to Nanaimo. ❤️

Chris Istace

We wanted to try Gabriel's because of the other reviews. I wish I could give it a better rating because the food was good and generously portioned. However, they have a rather large fruit fly problem. It's not enjoyable to try and eat your food and swat away hefty fruit flies. Someone is either not doing their job daily and completely or the owner has stopped caring and it shows. It's unfortunate because the concept is great, they are trying to thrive in an area where there are obvious struggles but experience counts as much as service and food. We aren't opposed to going back but not until the fruit fly problem is resolved.

Kimberly King

Great staff, vegan options, huge portions. No Nanaimo Bars ????

G Grewal

Food was hardy, flavourful, and fast. Could have used a side for the veggie burger, next time we'll get one. Staff was friendly and service orientated.

Nathan Larsen

Food is great. I would have given 4 stars but the last two times I was here was not as great as before. Poached eggs were hard-boiled. Once my co-worker ordered take-out for us at lunch and when she didn't tip (because it was take-out) they called her "frugal". So disrespectful! The staff should have known better and the owners should train the staff to be more respectful. And when a person dressed in a suit orders take-out for a couple people and asked for an itemized receipt - it is clear that it is an expense that work is reimbursing. The fact that it was take out and a reimbursed by a company should not have surprised them when there was no tip left. Won't be going back.

Midnight Outlaws

Unfortunately we didnt have a great experience, but that could easily be changed with the service (along with crispier hash browns) After being told it would be 20 mins, we waited 40, then we received the text they were ready for us and I stood at the front for 15 mins before someone even greeted me. Then we were seated, she said she'd grab us water and never came back. We waited, before I finally walked in and asked for menus..... then we finally ordered, ate, and left after 2 hrs! The food was decent, but we wont be back .

Saskia de Quaasteniet

Got the roasted yam burger and the green eggs (both made vegan) to go. Both were mediocre in taste and portion size. Would not recommend.

Lauren S

Incredible food and really friendly staff.

David

After waiting 45 to get in + Order mix-up added up to the hour's wait. Not worth it

Jeremy Loewen

Neat and tidy. Great food can't go wrong. Super popular for brunch. One of the best in town

Simon Tang

Pulled pork and kimchi is absolutely fantastic!

Heather G.

Amazing food! No picture cause I ate it way too fast! Probably one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had and Good portion sizes ????I will be back very soon

Emir Aydin

Abbie was a great server, loved the two Jazz performers. My dream one day is to get poatoes not deep fried.

JD Weigel

I like that all the food is locally sourced and organic. Unfortunately my pulled pork sandwich was overpriced, chewy and all in all underwhelming. The coffee was extremely bitter and the service was subpar. Do not recommend.

Tasha Adams

Good food and impressive 'way of food serving'

Lorraine Lam

I would have given a 5 star review for the service staff but as for the false advertising about the Albacore Tuna, I was not impressed. I Commercial fish and know my tuna and love our local Albacore. I tried it because it said it was Albacore on the menu. When the tuna came it was definitely Ahi tuna, that is a red meat watery cheap south American tuna, that has very little fats and good oils and taste. Albacore is a yellow golden meat and the cost of Ahi tuna is far less than Albacore, that is why it has been used as a replacement in our local restaurants. Too bad for us in BC because Albacore is as good as it gets.

Andrew Wang

I recommend Gabriel’s cafe for breakfast and brunch. Apart from Covid problems, the food is really delicious. ????They have a signature sauce used on some of menu items. Its a mix of vegetables and spices which makes a unique taste. Jinglepot is strongly recommended and you can customize it with different options on menu. The atmosphere is not that unique. ☕️ The coffee was almost good.

mobin mehrparvar

Great location to eat. Ethical options and far more than fair price for the quality you are reciving.

Jasmine Li

Had to wait to get inside. Another wait for a table. Then you need to wait in a line to place your order. The food was okay. The berries did taste fresh and the bacon was good. Probably won’t be back

Shona Davidson

Great little place. People, food and atmosphere are all great!

Monir Shahzeidi

Pretty good food... the coconut pancake was awesome. The jinglepot was excellent, despite looks. Spicy sour cream was straight up yummy.

Selwyn Leeke

Beautiful food. Child friendly. Our favourite breakfast place In Nanaimo's historic centre. Gets busy so go early and sign in to their waiting list.

Eugenia S

I was really happy with the Tunisian tagine. It had plenty of flavour and the portion was big and very filling. You can customize the rice and the protein for no up-charge. I chose brown rice and prawns. Good value for money and good quality of food.

Shaun S

I love this place and try my best to support local in these times but I have never in my life been made to feel so unwelcome at an establishment. Counter person was extremely rude and passive aggressive. Everyone is trying really hard to navigate this new normal and respect the pandemic, but I am not going to go somewhere where I’m made to feel this way. There are lots of other great local places to support. It was likely only the one staff member as everyone else seemed very nice, but nonetheless I’ll go where I feel wanted next time.

soo yeon lee

Dinner was great. Gluten free and vegan options available

David Vaisbord

Loved our lunch previously at Gabriel’s so very shocked at the breakfast experience we had today. My hubby ordered the tuna sandwich which was over marinated and bland; however, my breakfast was the real issue. I ordered the Ian style (2 eggs, potato bean and corn cakes with chipotle mayo). The cakes were very gummy, suggesting to me that possibly too much corn flour (?) was used? There was a big dollop of what I can only describe as an opaque apple sauce on top. It tasted like vinegar/tangy, off smell and was white yellow in colour. The mouth feel and flavour when you combined the cakes with this unknown “sauce” was really bad. I looked at the menu while eating trying to understand what it was and the only two sauces supposed to be on the dish were roasted tomato salsa and the chipotle mayo so I became quite concerned that the unknown sauce WAS the mayo. A sure sign that mayo has gone off is tangy flavour so of course now I’m worried that I ate some of that. I mentioned this to the staff after half eating my meal and they said they would let the kitchen know. No offer of reduction in price or refund...anyways too bad but we won’t be back as we haven’t been able to get an answer to what I just ate.

georgie manns

The dishes were brought out quite quickly considering the amount of patrons in the restaurant. The portions were generous and tasty. I wanted a bit more spice in my Malaysian peanut chicken rice bowl but this was easy to add with their diverse selection of hot sauces.

Anita Büchert Roy Naimi

Was with my Son who is visiting me. We stopped at the visitor info centre for suggestions and Gabriel's Cafe was highly recommended. I'm so pleased with the selection on the menu. Very good food. Very tasty. Son and I enjoyed our lunch.

Drew Tucker

Always delicious food! Fun, loud atmosphere. Always busy, very popular. Order and pay at the counter. Always fantastic daily specials. Inside and outside seating available.

Scott Thomson

Had the veggie burger, definitely lived up to the hype. Boyfriend had the pulled pork - he said it was moist but not as flavourful as he'd like

Rolly Mac

flying pig is best

eric Duguay

Cuisine is average to good. One of the order/server guys is extremely obnoxious (e.g., starts yelling the order when he's 6 ft from the table he's serving). I won't order at a 3rd time visit unless there's a different person. If not I will leave. He really needs to be people aware!

Desirée Alarie

Nice little place for some tasty, healthy organic foods! Uses locally sourced ingredients! Busy at lunchtime but worth it...food came quickly and the staff are fantastic!! Check it out!!! ????

Paige Kurpjuweit

I'm righting and writing a wrong here. My last attempt apparently posted with one star. NO WAY. This is one of my favourite places to go, especially for breakfast/brunch on a Sunday. The menu is interesting and has many offerings. It is a bit pricey but you do receive a big, tasty offering of food. The ambience is west coast and unique. My mouth is watering just remembering recent visits. It's a must of your visiting downtown Nanaimo.

Steve Sakamoto

Ordered The 'Benson Stack' which was Coconut Pancakes with roasted apples, seasonal fruit and yogurt. When it came, there were no apples and instead just banana's and a few blueberries. I can't have Bananas because of health issues so my friends told me I should say something, I called someone over and let them know. She said she will talk to the kitchen staff and see why there were bananas instead of apples. She came back saying they were out of apples and the lady at the counter should have told me that while ordering. (You order & tip before any food comes.) If I knew that I wouldn't have ordered this. She asked me if I wanted them sent back for new fruit on top. I told her sure. She then came back saying they can't accept it back into the kitchen after it left so if I want different fruit, I will have to wait 15-20 minutes for new pancakes. I was baffled! All I wanted was to have something other than bananas! I said fine, I can wait, 30 minutes later I finally got new pancakes with no fruit other than a few blueberries. I was not impressed, especially waiting so long for PANCAKES. I would've just taken off the bananas and ate them like that if I knew that was all they would've done and saved my friends and I that time. If I didn't have to pay/tip before even getting my food this experience definitely would've effected that. My friend said they had good coffee.

Donovan Jenkins

Their breakfast was Amazing. Great area I believe very popular in this town.

Sheila Xie

Highly recommended. We had the special hash dish this morning. So delicious! Generous portion makes it a hearty meal. Great value. They are vegan friendly. Most dishes can be modified to be vegan.

Brad Stewart

Great food . Wondered in by chance at a extremely busy moment . Apparently there are very busy at 12am on Sundays. I ordered anyway. Glad that I did. As far as breakfast goes, it was very good.

evasively cheesy

Great food! Outdoor limited seating.

Crystal Pitt

My food was good. Atmosphere and service were average maybe due to covid measures. Staff works hard so why not billing after the meal so we can tip them accordingly and help them smile a little :)

Justward 13

Food was very good. Service was ok. Clean bathroom and staff wore Masks. Nice location and nice decor.

Shane Demmitt

The food was very unique and delicious. Service was good as well. Recommend it for sure.

c cc

Ordered the jinglepot - it was all potatoes.

Arun Gill

I can only rave about this place. My all time favorite for breakfast or lunch. Great variety in the menu and sometimes a challenge to choose... so fresh, healthy, tasty and different. I also like their coffee. Have been many times in the past 2 years. Friendly staff and service.

TheDeadb3ar

Meal type

Erin Carson DeWolfe

This is one of our favorite places for a Saturday brunch. The hash specials are always amazing and the butter chicken rice bowl is my go to...along with a nice cold Phillips Blue Buck????

Sammy Brandt

Words cannot describe how much I like this place. Everything from the food, the staff to the atmosphere is just on point! I recommend.

Ann Marshall

Fantastically hilarious menu, amazing food. Top notch servers

Nicolas Lapierre

Servers and helpful. Little annoying you have to order at the counter instead of at the table. And water is self serve. Lots of healthy options and food is pretty good.

Caroline Packham

Pretty good. Husband and our friend both had the pulled pork on coconut pancakes. They quite enjoyed it, both said a good sweet and salty dish. The coconut pancakes had a fluffy texture to them. I had the black bean and corn cakes with poached eggs. I don’t eat bread so asked if I could swap for another egg or even potatoes but they wouldn’t nor reduce the price. The cakes were good but my eggs were a little over done, a soft poached egg is hard to do, plus that was a ridiculous amount of mayo. Disappointed I couldn’t swap but what I had was good. Our other friend had the curry chicken wrap (not picture) said it was good, nothing remarkable. We sat outside since we were traveling and had our dog with us. A dog friendly patio is a great feature. It’s not table service. You order at the desk and then they do bring it out to you.

James Revan

It took forever to get the food and it was not tasty, burnt and no flavor. Fresh juice was tiny. We were waiting for a waiter forever, until we finally went to the front desk and they told us we need to order at the front desk or online, so we were just waiting for nothing. Went there for breakfast and got the MT Benny, and The Jinglepot. Both were disappointing.

RunLin W.

Food was great as usual.

Leanne Ross

Good coffee, friendly staff, nice space. They asked for vaccine passports; excellent!

christina ws chow

Meal type

Cameron Barry

Staff were very friendly and food as fresh and delicious

SHERI DANKO

Ordered Pulled Pork Rice Bowl. Fantastic!

Stella M

I'll be coming back here over and over again! Healthy gourmet dishes are all tempting and filling. Daily specials are interesting and make the best of seasonal ingredients. Their coupon program allows you to buy lunch for a homeless person. Staff are cheerful and friendly. Comfortable seating suitable for kids and adults. Lunchtimes are crowded but always seem to find a table.

KoRy Mckie

food was underseasoned. hash browns were steamed. hollandaise was trash. get it together boys. 2 stars cause server was cute

Catherine Colley

was excited to try this place but didn’t feel like it lived up to the hype., especially after waiting for such a long time. the wrap didn’t taste fresh and the pulled pork and other ingredients just felt like a mush. the pan-fried home fries were tasty though! the coconut milk pancake was also good - not quite buttered enough but excellent fluff and tasted good. very good freshly squeezed orange juice but small sized glass. the service behind the cash was great but actual servers running food were not very pleasant. when i asked for butter on the side for my pancake, one server responded rather rudely, “it already has butter on it” as if she didn’t feel like going to get it. um, okkkkkkk but i clearly felt like it could use more so i wasn’t sure why she came across so judgmental. note: you have five minutes to come to your table when you receive a text otherwise your spot gets given away. we witnessed a couple with a young child get turned away after arriving after 10 minutes. don’t wander too far when waiting!

Chris Hoffman

Today we stumbled across this fabulous cafe and were absolutely thrilled with the service, food and beautiful decor. We were looking for a great brunch spot as we travelled down island and this was certainly a win. We would highly recommend this spot and will definitely be back. Delicious, well presented, fresh food. Ample portion sizes and a lovely atmosphere. Thanks for having us!

Mark Thibault

Healthy food, huge portion sizes, lots of GF and Vegan options - I'm *so*. happy we found this place. The Kimchi Salad was humungous and the type of meal that makes you feel better after finishing it. We won't eat anywhere else in Nanaimo now!

Martin Cutler

Food seemed geared towards the health conscious which is a nice change if your looking for something a bit more refreshing. Orders are made at the counter and brought to your table. I ordered a soup side which was slightly under seasoned but still good. Colleagues also mentioned their meals were a touch under-seasoned. All in all a good place to eat with a nice atmosphere.

Andrew Storey

The black bean and rice veggie burger is the most delicious experience my mouth has ever had! Add the avacodo too! A truly amazing place with great staff and some of the tastiest food served on the Island. If you are looking for some place to eat in downtown Nanaimo, this is the go to place

Jessica Bruno

Food quality and quantity exceeded expectations. Being a light eater, I enjoyed three leftover servings of the Butter Chicken bowl.

Simran Dhaliwal

Great brunch, best to come early during peak tourist season to avoid queues.

Simon Cheng

worst concept I've ever seen... feel like going to an elementary school cafeteria...potatoes was the worst I've ever tasted so 20$ for a regular coffee was the last time...

ryan young

We had a tasty breakfast. We split two eggs with corn, bean and cheese fritters and multi grain toasted bread. Very tasty and 9.

Kaleena Young

Great local food, breakfast is supper tasty and good portions.

Liz Maciaszek

Great breakfast! Pricey but worth it.

Amanda Smith

Amazing place, amazing people.. food was super fast and absolutely delicious. Award winning Cold Coffee was to die for.... main course full rack bbq ribs scallop potatoes and veggies awesome. I highly recommend this place to anyone wanting a great meal and great service.

Mark Tunke

Food was good. Interior was cool looking. Didn't like the way you had to order. Maybe there was a good reason I did not understand but it was odd and awkward.

Vern Wembley

Took super long to get a service, expensive for something very normal

Sacha Drury

Was very busy, due to google reviews hype. Had the Benny special and the jingle pot, breakfast was good however it was pretty standard flavours and taste palette.

Ryan

Solid 4+. Be prepared to walk a bit in order to find parking. Grab your menus from the bin and line up to order. Make sure someone guards your spots at the table as people will take your seat during a busy breakfast or lunch run! The food is fantastic quality with emphasis on local and organic. The service is decent but it's geared more towards serve yourself. A but on the pricy side but quality comes at a cost. You can also find delicious coffee beverages and a small selection of beer. ????

Vladimir K

If you haven’t eaten here, you are CrAzY!!! Come get some of the best food in town!

K L

Very cute place, nice atmosphere and Best breakfast I’ve had in a long time, well priced too!

Alf Birch

I have been there just a couple of time. The food (breakfast) is delicious, good variety, clean and nice environment. The service is good, I definitely would recommend this place.

The Simmering Pot

I appreciate the ethos of this resto. It's always very popular and everyone seems to love it! As a vegan though, my experiences at Gabriel's have been "meh." The food has been fine, but not incredible. For what you pay, I would have higher expectations. The vegan breakfast scramble is not bad, but I could easily make it at home (big portion at least!) The other items I've ordered have been the tuna sandwich made vegan (I couldn't finish it) and the vegan burger (pretty decent). Big gratitude for what they're doing, but the vegan menu has yet to impress-- just my personal opinion.

Sam

Very fresh food with eclectic decor. Busy spot so very prepared to wait.

Brennan Conroy

Very nice atmosphere. Good coffee. Tried salmon burger and wrap with scrambled egg, cheese and salmon - they're delicious!

Sarah Won

1st time. This place is popular which unfortunately for me was packed during a lunch rush. Super noisy this visit but sat outside and had a good wrap and my companion had a salad. Items came from special board and were overpriced. Will go again.

Milad F

I’m sitting here now all happy and full and wanted to write a review right away! Food is great, decor is really nice (love the art!), and the food is really great. I’m used to eating at the amazing offerings in Victoria, so the prices and selection were as impressive as I’m used to. I really appreciated the kitchen checking ingredients for me for an allergy. I’ll be back here again, next time I’m in Nanaimo.

Adrian Scott

Clean fresh food, friendly staff, and super Covid friendly. Im allergic to everything but they made it work. Hubby's meal was Awesome too!

sioban quigley

Kids menu is on a separate sheet and not easily visible, should be printed on the bottom of the regular menus. Only one high chair in the entire restaurant. Loud music blaring on the speakers. Food is good but NOT a family friendly place.

Brian “Flyin' B” Bullas

First time there and during Covid, staff was great , friendly and willing to train the customers. ???? They have table service, but you order at the coffee bar. Portions were big and taste was fabulous! Breakfast all day, who doesn't like breakfast for lunch!?One of our kids favorite spots. Will be back when we get the chance.

Marc Facundo

Fantastic eggs benny! I would love a better hot sauce selection but besides that it was wonderful!

גל נפתלוביץ'

Delicious food. They not serve breakfast at noon hours. Good atmosphere. We love the butter chicken bowl.

Craig Hanson

Friendly staff & great food !

Joshua Atienza

Gabriel’s is a brunch place in the heart of Nanaimo. It is popular for locals and tourists alike. They have a good selection of menu items including brunch items, rice bowls and salads. Our table ordered a mix of their MT Benny as well as their special Benny with smoked salmon! Good decent brunch but I wish they had runnier poached eggs for their bennies! To add, this place gets quite busy. Be prepared to wait!

Boris Berthelot

A wonderful place for breakfast with all ingredients sourced locally. This place is open until 4pm so you can eat brunch and lunch there too. There is a great record / CD shop and two bookshops in the same row of shops and the Nanaimo Museum is opposite.

Pooya Mohammadi

I loved that many items on the menu can be made plant-based / vegan with simple substitutions. I had the vegan poke bowl which was delicious. Service was quick and portion was very filling.

Silvia Ruiz

I love their new location, they have amazingly unique but yummy food. Options for vegan, employees and owner are friendly. I feel very comfortable here. And the food is delicious, even if you aren't a Vegan come try it out, my friends thought it was only for vegans but they were all extremely satisfied and full when we left.

Danielle Dodsworth

We love this place. Incredibly delicious and creative food, all sourced from local ingredients in a funky cafe atmosphere. I usually get their hash for Sunday brunch - it's a new adventure every time!

Svea Poulsen (Sveava)

My favourite place for brunch! I am always impressed by the quality AND quantity of food for each meal. I usually get the Hey I'm a Vegan and love it every time. Such friendly staff and atmosphere as well.

Mitchell Leask

This seems to be the best option for vegan dining in Nanaimo. I’ve had the (vegan) Tunisian tagine rice bowl, the jingle pot breakfast bowl, the green eyes and yam, and the sesame-marinated tofu sandwich. All were tasty, but the tagine bowl was amazing! Not the cheapest meal but portions are hearty and the ingredients are great quality.

Tracy Marsh

Farm to fork is definitely on display in the awesome cafe. My coworker ordered the smoked salmon breakfast wrap and it looked and tasted amazing. I had eggs benny one day and coconut milk pancakes with baked apples on our next visit. You know it's an incredible restaurant when they serve real maple syrup with pancakes. The smallest of complaints I had was that the hollandaise sauce on my benny was a little bland, but I've also just discovered that I like eggs benny so I'm not educated enough to know the difference.

Manuel Murillo

Very friendly and quick service. The staff obviously takes precautions to ensure this place is COVID safe. You have to order at the counter to get your food! The food is fresh and wholesome. Nothing very special but good place to stop and eat a bite! The salad bowl was generous which I really appreciated but the dressing wasn’t a hit. The chowder was okay and the Malaysian curry bowls were okay. Their breakfast options look really lovely so I wish we had gone for that instead.

Colton Ritchie

I came for lunch before an event. The set up is a little confusing and we missed the signs saying we had to order before we sat. Upon sitting too early I got in trouble from one of the waitresses. Instead of explaining to us the rules she lectured us. After that the experince was good. They were very helpful when it came to my allergies and the food came out fast. It was a bit too hipster for me in the beginning but I grew to really enjoy it.

Chris Taylor

Very big breakfast and delicious. Coconut milk pancakes are more than awesome. The taste and the texture of coconut is real not just artificial flavours.Yogurt and blueberry jam and chopped banana on the top makes it wow. Juice are very fresh here. Very cool environment. Staffs are friendly.

Rob MacMillan

Wonderful eggs Benny the hash browns were perfect. Amazing service. Super friendly, helpful, and kind. So easy to order, right from the website enter your table # and pay. Almost no physical contact, more places need this.

Once Upon A Child Nanaimo

Fantastic place! We went for breakfast. I had the pancakes and fruit. Was great and more than I could eat. I'd go back if I have the chance.

Krzysztof Miemiec

Good place for breakfast, although they do have lunch and dinner. The portions are big, prices are fair, and the setting is well designed. Service is really good, welcoming and very respectful. All there ingredients are local from my understanding, so it a good way to support the local produce. Parking is a bit tricky some times, But definitely worth it! The eggs penny and salmon wrap are very good from the breakfast menu.

Jamie Lee

The food is delicious, we’ll served and tastes homemade or even organic. Didn’t quite love the drinks tbh, the mimosa size has a bit small, and both my partner and I felt like there was no alcohol taste on them lol. The staff is really nice, and the atmosphere is very chill too.

Rebecca Calder

We shared a pulled pork sandwich and 2 cups of wild salmon chowder. The food was delicious and the service was cheerful!

Alyx Valdal

Finally got around to enjoying this place! Often busy and crowded I found it hard to avoid a crowd. That said I'm glad I went. Their entire menu is a blend of many styles and flavors from local sources that not only enhance taste but create a truly unique experience. The specials are never a disappointment as well. They serve as a good demonstration of the true flexibility of the local ingredients. Of course, with local ingredients the price point does increase, but even still I think they've found a good balance of affordability and reasonability. All in all, it's often busy because it's popular and it's popular because it's a great place to eat food. I support locally grown food and I support this restaurant. Only thing that could push it over the top is if they went the extra little mile and had some table service beyond the light version they have now. Recommended for sure if you're looking for a true taste of Nanaimo.

Chris Chicoine

Always delicious! Love the coconut pancakes and jingle pot bowl!

Meesh

Food is good but not entirely pumped about the service. The girl at the cash register asked my partner for ID because he ordered a beer. When he provided it, she literally continued without looking at it. Why even ask if you're not going to look? And then our drinks were forgotten and we had to wave someone down after 15 mins. It could be written off as just a very busy morning though, and the food is tasty.

Tyler

This local restaurant is a great example of Farm to Table fresh food everyday made fresh. The food is always delicious and I would recommend the pulled pork pancakes.

Amir Dashti

Excellent food and coffee, hand squeezed orange juice to order. But it's counter service with no sinage explaining that outside. So don't be a silly tourist like me, and sit outside for 15 minutes before realizing this!

Olivia Sauro

Went here for breakfast with my family while on vacation and I have no idea what the hype was all about. The food was pricey and nothing special, I got the breakfast wrap and it was pretty meh, however my brother got food poisoning after eating the yogurt. The service is pretty much non existent and they are extremely rude with a holier then thou attitude.

duane r neufeld

Absolutely loved this place. The menu is flexible, the waitstaff do everything they can to make guests feel comfortable and because of how clearly everything is labeled and was also described / explained to us, the meal (when it arrived) was exactly what we were expecting. On top of that the food was incredibly good, the ordering procedure made getting service and finding a seat very efficient and the pricing was very reasonable. We happened to stop by around the lunch hour and were pleasantly surprised at the way Gabriel's structures the ordering process, shares their philosophy, explains their practices and encourages patrons to be conscious of waste. We were also impressed at how smoothly Gabriel's handled the volume of people that came in during the lunch time rush. The bathrooms were clean, the tables were bused and attended and staff were communicative and helpful. I can't say enough good things about this place.

Jawn Lafratta

We ordered a pulled pork sandwich and a veggie burger, both sandwiches were thrown together with what looked like compost scraps - tomato ends, rotten avocado, a few limp lettuce leaves. Even the pickles looked sad :( The veggie burger was flavourless and mushy & the pulled pork was missing bbq sauce altogether. Overall very disappointed with the obvious lack of care that went into our food. We were expecting a fresh, healthy & flavourful meal and got the complete opposite.

James Gray

I had the Malaysian peanut sauce rice bowl with tofu. So big that it was enough feed me and my 2 year old. Very tasty and within comfort range for someone who doesn't do spicy! Affordable, butt would have line a little less rice and more veg.

J W

Service

Alyssa Hansen

Always friendly service. I have been coming here for years and even though I don't live in Nanaimo anymore, this is always a first stop upon getting into town. Gabriel is a great owner\head chef and makes sure that his name means quality.

Rob Lynd

Excellent, fresh and healthy! Generous portions, and conscientious and friendly staff.

Jimmy James

Amazing tasty food! Love the coconut pancake, Benny and salmon burgers! Happy we found a gem!

Olivia Mah

Gabriel's Cafe always has the most hearty and healthiest meals coming directly from local farmers that also includes a large selection of vegan options.

Megan Miles

So good! I had the vegan breakfast. Was amazing. Omnivore hubby loved his food. Kid friendly including kid vegan option. Cool atmosphere. Only one highchair. No change table in the washroom.

E. M.

Delicious food. The special eggs bennies were mouthwatering. They only have dark roast drip coffee.

Clive Macaskill

Not totally satisfied with their dish, they also gave me the wrong dish so I had to wait for my right order. The eggs in my benny was slightly overcooked.

Steve Hubbard

The food was bland and the service was horrible. Not sure why this place has such a good rating. I guess if you are into paying a lot of money for a place where the servers constantly forget to bring your food and the food that they bring is mediocre at best, then this is the place for you.

Robert Cole

Very good food, healthier options. It's a very busy cafe so be warned there can be a bit of a wait even for takeout.

Arthur Sutherland

Absolutely nice restaurant for healthy and organic foods! great soup! fantastic staff! friendly atmosphere!

Dave McCann

Exceptional curries. Loved the fresh crisp bread and kale butter. Freshly squeezed juices are so affordable. We had both grapefruit and orange. Ate here twice in 2 days. Friendly staff. We are coming back!

Kelcie Vouk

Fantastic food and experience! Went on a Monday around lunch time and get the jingle bowl with Leek sausage, goat cheese and kale. It was delicious and the portion was gigantic. The manager came and checked everything was good, and the food came out quickly. 10/10 would recommend!

Marco R

Went for brunch on a Saturday - it was busy but still easily found a table. We had the Jinglepots, When Pigs Fly, and Salmon Chowder. Portions were huge and good value for money. The coconut pancakes were delicious and the soup was very hearty. Also nice that they had tons of vegan and gluten free options. Very west coast!

Michael G. Khmelnitsky

Although this place is usually extremely busy and I don't really care for the order-at-the-counter system too much, the food here can't be beat! …

Christopher Manning

Amazing breakfast served until 3pm! The #1 with potato cakes is one of the best breakfasts I have ever had. As other reviewers have noted it is a bit pricey - $3 for a side of half an avocado, for example, but as others have also noted the quality is excellent.

Jeff Kaufman

Love this restaurant! We go here all the time for breakfast. Great food and great service. Highly recommend!

kimia Nalchi

AmmmmmaaaaZzzzingggggggg food ! I'll be back for sure !

Jiamin Huang

Lovely, farm-to-table restaurant café that offers a rustic but cozy vibe. My partner had a big salmon breakfast wrap (all ingredients were fresh and delicious), and I had the hash... sooo many tasty veggies! Would definitely recommend breakfast/brunch here :)

Alana Xstitcher

They have a great system set up so there's minimal contact as much as possible. Love their twist and creativeness in brunch

Manu Gill

Delicious, locally sourced ingredients. The only thing is I wish they actually put some hollandaise sauce on my benny but it was tasty either way.

Michael Xie

Meal type

Jen Hale - Thomson

Delicious breakfast, friendly service and lovely decor.

Andrew Kampen

Good food, nice atmosphere. They get a little rule-bound when it comes to the rules about not sitting down until you've ordered. I saw a guy with a huge amount of luggage because he was a musician in a band from out of town, and he had to wait in the line up with all that stuff rather than park it on the table and then order. He tried to sit down but an employee told him he wasn't allowed. Although it's not a huge thing it's these little things that make it feel like you're just being processed.

James Looker

Good food with GF and vegan options. Popular and busy spot. A bit pricey but to be expected based off trendy menu.

Yard Plots

Nice clean restaurant, cool style and philosophy. It was our first time here and we didn't understand the order of operations (order at till for example) there were staff available but no one offered to help us. The food was okay but no one at our table finished their plate. I'm not sure I will be going back too soon, maybe for lunch (not breakfast).

John Grant

Servers are stuck up and treated my girlfriend horribly! She asked a few simple questions because there was zero communication between the server and her after the order was made. Eg- where is the water located? Which was met with a point in its general direction accompanied by a demeaning tone. Do you have forks? ( in addition to the take out order she was waiting for) " We don't provide that kind of service" - In a snotty manor. She used to rave about this place but after that experience I highly doubt she will return. Go to Gabriel's Cafe if your looking to be talked down to and ignored after you make payment.

rudy couto

First time eating here. Came with family who raved about the food. Breakfast was tasty although husband said the scramble he had was a little bland but once he put some hot sauce on it the taste improved. My real complaint is with the service and the rude hostess we encountered. We used the function on the website to get ourselves in line before arriving. The timing worked out great and by the time we parked around the corner and were walking towards the restaurant we received a text that our table was ready. We walked in to the restaurant and told the hostess we received the text that our table was ready. She immediately said that someone texted me in error and they weren’t ready for us. She looked at her screen and told us we were no longer on the list.. we just stood there awkwardly and she went to get the employee who supposedly texted us in error. The two of them stood there and tried to figure out what happened, neither one apologetic. Then the first girl we spoke to tried to tell me that I needed to have shown up within 5 minutes to claim our spot.. she said the accidental text went out at 10:17 (before I even put us in line). I told her no we received the msg at 10:57 as per the time stamp on the text on my phone and it was currently 11:01 plus we had already been standing there for a couple minutes. This rude hostess didn’t even look at what I was showing her on my phone and proceeded to look at the other staff member and begrudgingly say “well I guess we have no choice but to seat them”… not exactly the warm welcome we were expecting.

Carla Shukaliak

So Yummy! We stopped in for brunch before the long drive to Tofino. We were hesitant at first since the ordering process was a bit confusing (possibly due to Covid?) But the food was amazing! I had the left coaster - for anyone who likes salmon with their eggs this is a can't miss. Hubby enjoyed the simple breakfast and is often picky about his over easy eggs and bacon crispness. Both were spot on. Highly recommend.

Joel Kaplan

Super delicious, big filling portions! Will defo be back!

Jodie Nei

Amazing food!! They have a good variety on the menu to meet all dietary requirements and serve locally sourced foods. Highly recommend checking this place out. It is usually busy and there may be a wait for a table but it is 100% worth it if you have to wait

Keira Mackay

My husband has some allergies and was thrilled there were lots of option for him! My eggs Benedict was phenomenal!

louis patterson

First time visiting this place it was an incredible experience just tumbled upon this this while looking for some breakfast.Absolutely loved it , the food was spectacular and it really makes you realise how delecious are the local grown goods. Thank you for the best experience ever . ????

Stefan ChEx

Delicious breakfast for a reasonable price. It was busy when we came in but we still got our food very quickly.

Laureen Rosborough

Great breakfast spot downtown. So good we went twice in a row on a recent trip. Vegan options available & fresh food. Try the no.2 breakfast “salmon wrap”!

Tere Arboleda

Food was great. Customer service was awesome. Love the restaurant concept.

Aaron Moore

Very good overall. The soup was missing something but I liked it still. The poke bowl was great but I wished I had more room to mix it around a bit.

Dora Jessen

The food was really good, I only give three stars because of the atmosphere, it's like a bus station, long rows of tables with no privacy. Maybe that's trendy, but not in my book. A little ambiance goes a long way. Go here for the good food, lots of locally sourced sustainable produce at good prices

Kara Shedden

Best pancakes I've ever had (coconut milk pancakes No. 11). Best breakfast in Nanaimo so far I'd say.

Jaean Lee (Jan)

We walk into the place ask if can sit by a window and get told that window seats are for bigger groups. We say okay. And then literally 10 seconds later a white couple walk in and they are given the exact same table we were asking for. Also their food was average at best. Avoid this place.

Read Fenton

The pulled pork pancake stack (pulled pork sandwiched between 2 coconut milk pancakes) was to die for. Awesome farm to table brunch location.

René Cusson

Such a nice order system! I love their delicious and healthy food !

JC Adriana

Was recommended this place from a family member and was highly disappointed. Grilled cheese was subpar, coconut pancakes were bland, soup was alright, and the coffee was below average. We did not enjoy our service Nicki the Manager was rude and condescending, I hope she was just having a bad day but nonetheless unacceptable from a "leader." Thanks for the experience.

Lincoln Z. Shlensky

Brunch

Crabby Ermine

Service

Becky S

Looking for a quick bite before leaving Nanaimo and were directed here by the Harbour Air staff. I highly recommend dropping in for a bite. There's something for everyone from vegans to carnivores! Breakfast fans will be pleased with the variety of ways to eat eggs and if breakfast isn't your scene, there are loads of lunch options as well. Efficient west coast service by placing your order and paying for your meal, taking a number to your table and everything is brought to you. Truly the best way to serve in a Cafe environment.

D M

Good food and decent service. Very busy on weekends so expect a wait to get in. Can order online and sit in or take out.

Mark Kantypowicz

My favorite place to eat Downtown Nanaimo. Always delicious meals with local and fresh ingredients. You gotta eat here!

Chris Turner

Delicious food. Mediocre coffee.

Holly Hockridge

Such a cute and delicious cafe! The atmosphere is very trendy and everything is locally sourced within the cafe. Their ingredients come from local farmers and they use only free range eggs. Prices are reasonable and you do get a large portion for the amount that you are paying! Service is great and our waitress was very polite. This place does get very busy so either be ready to wait for a long time or come early!

N M-H

Delicious breakfast and well worth the price. Juice is freshly squeezed and everything tasted like it was from a local farm. Will definitely be returning!

Archie M

Great-tasting, healthy food. Considering the quality of the ingredients and the amazing skills behind their preparation, it's also very reasonably priced.

AUTOT3K HCL

WOW ????.... Vegan alert!!!! This gem of a restaurant is unreal. It is a must if you are in Nanaimo area. The flavors are spectacular and fresh. I had the "Hey I'm vegan" breakfast. By far the best vegan scramble I have ever had. ????

Maria B.

Their special for the day sounded so yum, it drew us right in. Nutritious and delish go hand in hand here, great portions, wholesome and healthy ingredients, nice ambience

Kevin Zeng

When my wife is looking for something a bit healthier to eat we tend to gravitate toward Gabriel's Cafe. They have some amazing options on the menu throughout the day. There's a cool little patio you can sit at while doing some people watching in one of the hippest parts of town.

Dawn

The only place I ever eat at when in Nanaimo. Always consistent. Tons of options, vegetarian etc. Don't miss it.

Devin Watson

Fantastic food!! So many great and delicious options for those with dietary restrictions. Good portion sizes. I love that they source local ingredients. Love the atmosphere as well. Will definitely return again and again!

T.R. Sauve

Really love the noodle bowls from Gabriel’s. They have been a staple of the Nanaimo foodie scene for a long time. It's so nice that they have expanded into the sit in space. It has a really nice atmosphere, where you will often run into friends and colleagues. it is a similar vibe to the bigger chains such as Noodlebox, but has a far more farm to table vibe. In fact, most of the ingredients they use in their dishes are locally sourced, and bought fresh each day. The owners seem to treat the staff well, and that really resonates in the dining experience. Im hoping to see these guys expand (possibly franchise), and see continued success. It’s so nice to see a local business that has been around for so long, that still has such a great reputation. A truly local success story. Thanks Gabriel’s so much for everything you do for the community and also for treating your staff so well! I have recommended, and will totally continue to recommend all of my friends, family, and coworkers to eat at this restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when every they are able. I will continue to have breakfast at Gabes every Saturday, and also ways grab a noodle bowl on my lunch breaks downtown.

James Bullard

When my wife and I finally recieved our food we were extremely disappointed. Mine looked like cat food and my wife's was soggy. I tried to eat it and unfortunately it tasted like it looked. When my wife spoke to a man who worked there about my breakfast he was unconcerned and basically said oh well. When the man came to the table we asked for our money back for only mine and we shared my wifes meal. He reluctantly gave us a refund for one meal and acted like he did us a favour. He also did not give us back the tax we paid or our tip. In this restaurant you pay before you receive your meal. Now we know it is not worth the wait and they clearly do not care about quality of their food or repeat customers. When when you spend $50 on breakfast you expect it to at least taste good.

Jim Scott aka Dick Brook

Lentil burger is amazing. Chilli not so much.

matt mcmillan

You really can't beat Gabriel's amazing recipe for success. Excellent made-to-order food, healthful options, order at the counter service, with indoor and outdoor seating. The joint always seems packed on weekends, but there is still a relatively quick turnaround on tables, some of which are communal, because people are not waiting for table service. Something for everyone, great coffee, and though it may not be gourmet, it's really good.

Miles A

Food was fresh and very tasty, however service was slow, sloppy, and portion sizes small. Wasn’t informed ordering is at the counter and not table side.

Brandon Molitwenik

Pretty damn good. I had a benny on special with smoked albacore and it was tasty! Egg was incredibly fluffy and it was nice not to see it drowning in sauce. Be warned, the place is popular and busy, so if you need peace and quiet to eat, this might bot be the plce for you.

jesse mckay

Food was good. The staff didn’t mention that you order yourself so I sat there alone like a dip$@& until I asked. Staff seemed inconvenienced by my question.

Tara

My friend forgot her ID and wasn’t let in even if she had her vaccine passport. Was not even allowed to eat on their patio. What kind of discrimination is that? Called manager but never heard back.

Sean Pellerin

Honestly the best Lunch place in town. Their menu is very good other than 2 items I wasn't too fond of: the breakfast medly hash which wasn't the best and the housemade Iced Tea (but this might just be my personal preferences. I'm very picky when it comes to eggs and I'm not a huge fan of mint tea. If they added an hibiscus cooler to the menu that would be the bomb)... But their salmon wraps are spectacular and they have one of the best pulled pork sandwiches I have ever tried. Also, their sandwiches are on point. I highly recommend.

Diksha Arora

Had the Benny's #2 and pulled pork pancake sandwich and it was AMAZING!!! Free coffee refills. Open and bright for maximum socialising over some delicious food.

Dale Ewing

Only been here once and was only strolling through town before stopping for breakfast. Food was tasty, place was clean and staff was nice, but I felt disappointed when I recieved the two smallest 'end slices' of bread with my $18 meal. Whomp whomp. ☹️ And I thought I tipped pretty well in advance. Also, it's free to swap Eggs+Ham for Tofu+Avocado, but $2 if you only swap one out...I mean I guess, but I wish that wasn't so. Overall good stuff, just the small things.

Erik Lane

Lunch

Xena Wang

Dine in

Joe Morrison

The food was good- but when I entered I saw the sign when walking in that asked for us to take a menu, place the order then sit down. By The time I ordered and went to sit someone had just walked in and stole the only available table without even ordering yet. We were forced to sit at the awkward "community" table. Definitely not the best dining experience I've had lately. Food took a long time and while the menu seemed like something developed in collaboration with Pinterest the finished product lacked a the level of development I would have expected from the grand posturing of the artwork, atmosphere and lackluster customer service. I guess I was expecting something more to make the rest seem ironic, but it really didn't happen. All things considered, 3 stars is both generous and spot on.

Kristina Crowson

This would always be my top choice for breakfast! The food is absolutely excellent, healthy and ethically sourced. You won’t go away hungry for sure! I love the whole set up of this restaurant from the menus at the entrance to the friendly and cheerful staff.

Paul Martin

Awesome food, cool atmosphere, great location, Highly recommended. Brunch for two including drinks was very reasonable at $30 and the portions are filling. Definitely going to come back.

Junya Wu

Absolutely delicious food with options for any customers. Service is quick and staff is very friendly. They brew good coffee and their salads are freshly made. I've taken my breakfasts with them during my stay in Nanaimo and just can't be happier about the quality of their food or prices. I definitely recommend them!

Olga Haralabous

Really impressed with the quality and price of the food, even more so when you consider it's farm to table concept. I've been here a few times now and the quality is consistent. Just really impressed.

Shawn Foss

Service

Gabriel Kai

Great place in the heart of downtown... semi cafeteria format felt odd at first, order and pay first, get a number then get a table. Felt odd giving a gratuity before being served, though the food and service were both very good.

Anne G

Great staff. I got the salmon burger. It was very tasty.

Mike King

Good food but a little skimpy for the prices.

Stephen Littley

Great food and service! Was there again today and this has to be the best breakfast spot in Nanaimo. True nourishment and left feeling like a better human. If you want to fill up on great food go and give them a shot! It's always busy as I guess people have caught on to how good it is here. I used to go when it was up the street but you can tell they finally got their wings with the new space! Great job to the crew at gabriels always nice to support a local business. I try to stay away from all the chains and having them as an option makes it easy when I'm in the hub city!

raed AlMasri

❤️❤️❤️ LOVE this place as locally sourced as possible, always yummy. Breakfast served until 3pm is amazing for late starts

Mary Ellen Widmeyer

Excellent menu item, very excited to try their go fig or go home benny, except that the benny didn't come with the fig compote. I realized that I didn't get the fig compote after a few bites so I asked the head waitress if it was supposed to come with a side of fig compote, and she replied that the fig was actually a part of the balsamic reduction that was drizzled on the benny and if I'd like some more of it, to which I said no it's fine. I didn't want more balsamic reduction drizzle. I wanted to try the fig compote made with locally farmed figs. A compote is not a reduction. A compote is more akin to a jam with chunks of fruit in it. They are two different things. I was not about to go into the difference between a compote and a reduction with a server. Felt robbed. Funny thing is that you prepay for the meal, and that means you also prepay for the tip. What a great start to my morning.

Jatayu Gayakvad

The food was edible. I guess I ordered the wrong thing with all the five star ratings here.

Jamie Kossowan

Really enjoyed the vegan Poke Bowl & vegan Tunisian Tagine bowl - delicious food, great portions and really friendly staff at Gabriel's Cafe.

Rick Sadler

Dine in

Yerick Osborne

Never had a chance to try the food. We had wandered in to have a coffee and a snack but made the mistake of asking if there was wifi. The woman behind the counter was really put off and gave us the sense a snack and coffee wasn't enough to justify us using their wifi. As a result we went across to serious coffee, which I would highly recommend ????

Terra Groenewold

This might be my favourite restaurant at the moment. They have great vegetarian options, and the service is always great.

Jess Anderson

The expansion makes the place even better. The line-up to the cashier flows better (it's always busy!) and the servers can more easily pick up the food to speed up delivery and the cooking area is bigger, making the chef's workspace less cramped. The food is as excellent as ever. I always stop for something to eat here when I go through Nanaimo.

Josh Macmillan

really wanted to like this place but it was a flop :( cold english muffin on the benedict, super salty omelette and both dishes came with cold/old potatoes that tasted like how cardboard smells.

JINGSI AN

Sunday breakfast special - the best hash we have ever had.

Glen Gordon

Great local cafe! Great atmosphere and great food options for adults and kids. My kids will never forget their dinosaur eggs kids meal.

Isabel R

Great spot for breakfast! Vegetarian and vegan options. Enjoyed the vegetable egg hash special for breakfast. Good portion size. A filling and healthy meal. They strive to get locally sourced food so everything tasted fresh!

sh

Great Poke bowl! I had it with tuna. Loved the food and atmosphere

Lorna Quinn

Great place. Nice fresh farm to table offerings. Tasty food, good portions and friendly staff.

DJCarlosVendetta

Every time I come to town I make a point of going here. I'm impressed every time! Fresh, healthy, local, elevated diner food. Always filling, and great balances of rich and fresh. The staff are fantastic, and if there's a wait for your table, they might even offer you a free coffee across the street while you wait!

Pranel Amara

Mmmm meat, vegan and gluten free options. Very fresh food. Also very supportive of local farmers. Would 100% recommend this place.

Marjolaine G

Service

L Lewington

Excellent food, great portions. Plant based options available.

Lynda Bennett

Ordered a Benny with holly on the side as I don’t always love my food dripping in sauce… The waitress brought my dish and asked if I could eat it with the sauce on it despite my request to have it on the side. Not sure why she would ask me to eat something I didn’t want but I kindly declined and my bf and I left hungry

Ariane Cruz

The coffee cups were not clean and I had to ask them replace it. Even though they changed it it was still dirty like you never wash it and just rinse it. My wife's cup was also dirty. The food was looking and tasting good but the feeling about dishes was not good at all specially when our child was with us.

Flannery May

We were disappointed with the service but more so with the food. The rice bowls seemed more like a soup. The rice was soggy and tasted awful. My salmon burger tasted odd and ended up hurting and bloating my stomach. The staff were a bit over the top with all the Covid-19 rules which didn't help with my dining experience at all.

Ash J. Williams

This place is an awesome but small in size, excellent menu and health food. When ever I go there with my friends, We enjoyed a lot and staff are very friendly and helpful!

Mary Hudson

Love love love this place. The curry bowls are the best. Service is awesome and Nikki is the best so helpful.Could eat here every day.

Simon TwoWheels

Amazing! Four of us and left full and satisfied!

Shelby Drope

Great quality food in a nice atmosphere. This is definitely not a traditional breakfast joint and is definitely not affordable for a family. Their menu is complicated and only offers food for those who want complicated items. Pancakes or waffles are not an option unless you want the Coconut pancake that's almost $10 for a single small pancake once you factor taxes and tip. Which leads to the next point. You stand in line for as long as the line takes, order your food, pre-emptively pay a tip, seat yourself, get your own coffee, and then wait like you're at McDonalds for them to bring you the food. We waited almost 45 minutes for the last plate to arrive, while the first plates arrived after only ten minutes, it felt as though we were eating in an IKEA cafeteria with more complicated food. Last point, if I'm paying $40+ for a breakfast for me and a six year old child, would it be unreasonable to expect coffee service and water to the table? Doubt we will be back, but based on the line up at the door I guess Nanaimo diners don't mind the extra $ money for the food.

leyland hiphner

The experience started off okay. The server welcomed us in and explained the new ways to order due to the pandemic. Orders can be done at the counter or online, but it is preferable that you order online. We went with the online method, and some of us chose to pay online while others ordered online but payed at the counter. The food arrived sporadically, with some of our friends who showed up and ordered later receiving their dishes first. Not one of us received a drink we ordered and we had to tell the server multiple times each of the drinks that was missing, as if the orders were just lost entirely. The receipt for my online order said that my food should arrive by 10:06 a.m. at the latest. By that time most people at my table had received their orders. No one came to do a quality check or ensure that all the orders for the table had been complete. When I asked a server she said it should be coming soon. Finally around 45 minutes after I ordered, when all of my friends were nearing finishing eating, I went up to the counter to inquire about the status of my omlette. The waitress went to talk to the kitchen staff and informed me that somehow they had lost my order. She was apologetic and said that they would get on it right away. However, we were visiting from out of town and wouldn't have enough time to wait. I took a cash refund and was offered a breakfast sandwich to-go for purchase. Gabriela's is completely disorganized having both online and in house ordering systems. The restaurant needs to keep things simple and work on getting out drinks and completing orders so customers don't leave hungry. I honestly don't know how this place has a 4.5 star average review score, which is what brought us here in the first place. I will never go here again, and I would never recommend anyone go here based on my experience. I can't attest to how the food tastes, as I was never given any.

Colin Mathie

I ordered the lemongrass beef burger and she ordered the veggie burger . The place is a little quirky... You order and pay up front then they give you a number to put on your table if you want napkins, cutlery or water that is all on you to get up and get it yourself REALLY?? But the food was amazing!!! We ordered two double Caesars and they were so salty that they were verging on inedible I chocked both mine and my friends down because I wasn't going to leave almost $20 in drinks behind.

Allan Webner

The staff was very kind and accommodating. Would definitely recommend.

Ruth Hartnup

Tasty food but for the price you would expect a bit more, such as coffee with breakfast. Unfortunately you need to pay for all the other things (like coffee, and there are no refills), and things like only 2 strips of bacon instead of the standard 3 strips ends up driving the price way up to get a whole breakfast. Also you need to order at the counter like a fast food joint, which I don't like. The food is fine, but overall 3 stars because it will end up costing you $25 each for just a simple breakfast.

L Canada

Brunch

Danielle Waldal

Delicious food. A dish for everyone's tastes.

Hansol Lee

Gabriel's is one of those places I missed when everything was shut down but now that it's open, it was the first place we had our management meeting. Really generous portions, good variety of veggie options, AMPLE coffee (was a morning meeting) and speaking to their cleanliness and standards, they've obviously taken extreme care and considerable measures to ensure guests are safe. On the website it says they clean every hour and I can certainly confirm that!

monika zareba

Is there a way to rate a place more than 5 stars? There should be that option for places like this. Simply wonderful eats here. All local sourced food, and many dietary options. Always an incredible experience all around.

Frank Giesbrecht

Wow, eaten here 4 times so far and every time have been blown away by the quality of the food! Great independent restaurant. Now my 'go-to' for friends when they come to town! Vegetarian and Omnivore friendly too!

Alan McBride

Really great food with good portions. Lovely cafe with friendly staff

Tammy Coles

Amazing everything here, I really recommend the #12 breakfast, the coconut milk pancakes with pulled pork and a fried egg. It's possibly my favourite breakfast I've ever had.

Peter D'Silva

Very busy and with justification. Canadian hospitality and hearty portions. Not a broad menu but things on offer done well. Sensible prices for what they offer. Nice atmosphere with a central location suggests this place will remain a firm favourite with the lunchtime crowd.

Katherine Maycher

Extremely disappointing, as previous reviews had been very positive. I had The Mt Benny. The potatoes were barely warm, not crispy and appeared to have been cooked some time before and kept warm before serving. The muffin was a soggy mess. There was no response from the waitress when I gave this feedback to her.I will not be visiting again.

John Mac

Wonderful service and delicious food. We had the Pulled Pork Sandwich and Green Curry Bowl. Amazing!

Matthew T

Butter chicken rice bowl. This is really tasty, and quite big, I can’t finish it by my own!! The price is cheap for CAN 16, I think two girls order one bowl is totally enough! The curry is so yummy and they put some green onion on it and l loved it! The front girl is nice and friendly. Recommend to anyone who visit Nanaimo!

Amy Hughes

Best food in town! Never a bad meal. This place is local and fresh. Doesn't get any better than this!

Blair Mahaffy

Good but not so delicious as I expected.

Kristen

I liked the art on the wall. The people working seemed friendly enough. Coffee was good. I ordered a simple breakfast with rye toast, eggs over medium and sausages. The eggs were more over easy, the toast was definitely Portofino, so not a very strong rye taste. The part that I found the most odd was the restaurant advertises about ethically raised meats and local ingredients, and I will say a lot of their menu seems interesting (coconut pancakes, etc.) so with that in mind I assumed their sausages would be local or a bit more high-end. Instead they were two of the most average, bland tasting breakfast sausages. Were they ethically raised? I don't know. Seems like a popular spot though throughout the day so maybe I just ordered something too pedestrian. But even the potatoes were unevenly cooked. Would I go back? Maybe, if I tried something else.

Sandy Mclean

I was surprised how good was it!!! If you are looking for a good breakfast or lunch this is the place

Suzzanne Klassen

Huge portions for a great price. Food took a little long to get to the table, but it was super busy, so that is understandable. Will be returning.

Anita Ip

Over priced and food combinations don't quite mix well. Had to get our water replaced 3 times and glass had stuff floating in it and a bug in the second picture. If I did not pay efore ordering I would of considered walking out. Food was pretty good but I found the flavors did not quite mix well but that is my flavor palette so I cannot hold it against them.

Danielle Driver

Was delicious as always I first got introduced to the awesomeness that is Gabriel's through a union Christmas party for my work and have been in love ever since I have tried many different items on their menu and am never disappointed, I never get bored of goong there because every dish has its own unique flavor and is always fresh and perfect. Thanks gabriels.

Anastasia Harrington

Super happy with my breakfast.

The Newbie Gardener

This place is absolutely one of my favorite places to eat in this town. Fresh, locally-sourced ingredients combined in a way that is both presented appealingly and incredibly delicious. Add to it a modern but relaxed atmosphere and comfortable pricing? It's an all-around win. Wow.

Ann McManus

Very hearty healthy food. They were even able to sub in cauliflower rice for my husband who is trying to avoid carbs.

Sheri L

We ordered 2 rice bowls, which were pretty good. They had a lot of food in them. The bad part was that where we sat by the kitchen had tons of small flies that made the experience unenjoyable. We just wanted to get out of there.

Luke R

Great Breakfast place. The pan fries and pulled pork pancakes delicious ????????????. Staff is friendly.

Jessica Pana

Wonderful Nanaimo cafe with gourmet food. I often crave the Malaysian Peanut Check bowl. Amazing. I just wish they were open later for dinner.

Kirsten Bergen

A rather unique ordering and service method which took a moment to get our heads wrapped around. But otherwise was great; friendly and fun and absolutely yummy.

Aideen

Meal type

Stephen Bialecki

Waited 40 minutes for the food after ordering. The quality of food not worth our time spent.

Angie Wong

Sooooooo good! Fresh and local! It’s a must go when in Nanaimo!

jim bo

Delicious food. Great looking menu items, so I'll have to come back soon to try some more. A very busy restaurant, so try to avoid usual restaurant rush times. …

Beatrice Rodriguez

The whole team at Gabriel's Cafe is killing it. The food is incredible (as always) and they've done an amazing job accommodating all of the new changes with Covid. When you arrive, the staff are friendly and explain thoroughly how to order through their new online platform. Everything is sanitized and kept really clean. Keep up the amazing work!!

Barb Bricker

Very very slow service, it took over half an hour to receive our food that we ordered take-out for. Also sanitation after each party is very limited.

Patrick Linder

I enjoyed it, but it's not somewhere I'd go out of my way to go to, the food was decent, I heard the salad bowls were really good, but my meal was just okay, the atmosphere was rather noisy and it was difficult to enjoy conversation.

Kaitlyn Smith

Went for breakfast and no one at door asking for vaccination passport, people sitting side by side no spacing , will not go back.

Bri Anna

Great breakfast. Cafeteria style ordering but table service with the food. Busy atmosphere.

Taras Tereshchak

So I can't explain why we hadn't checked this place out before, but we went for the first time Saturday past, for an early supper before going to the Port for International Guitar Night. The food is very reasonably priced and of outstanding quality. I had the butter chicken rice bowl and a small soup; my spouse a grass-fed beef burger that was on the evening special board. Her burger was excellent; my rice bowl delicious and more than I anticipated, but I stuffed it all in because it was so good.

Jeffrey Guenther

We ordered 2 omelettes both with no toast and no hash browns , instead we substituted fruit on just one of the omelettes, instead of simply substituting the fruit they charged us 3 $ extra .... you would think that considering they did not have to make any toast or hash browns they could afford to add a little fruit instead !! 31 $ for two tiny omelettes !! Total burn

Lisa Wilson

My breakfast was fantastic (especially my potato pancake) and I appreciate the commitment to local produce, I just wish they had espresso beverages!

Lindsay Suddaby

Pulled pork and pancakes, approx $16. Small portions but tasty. Bottomless dark roast coffee for $3. Spacious feel, self serve water and breakfast options until 3pm.

Kaiden Vasilopoulos

Very unique menu options, all very tasty

Kevin Jesse

By far one of Nanaimo's best restaurants! Always delicious and the staff is truly wonderful!! Always recommended to friends

Barb Smith

Really tasty, fresh food. Service was wonderful.

Kat Ivanov

Good Place...Excellent service and Delicious food. A must go to if you are visiting Nanaimo. Fresh and locally sourced food.

Brent Proctor

Absolutely deelish . Had their eggs Benny with sauteed mushrooms and onions . Perfection. Eggs were perfect ! Firm whites funny yolks, believe it or not hard to find the perfect egg ! Even their pan fries were lovely... not deep fried.. yay ! I'd go back in a heartbeat .. and great coffee.

Shumaila Javed

Great place for breakfast, love the eggs benny with shrimp ????

Sabrina White

The It's Vegan Scramble is one of the best breakfast scrambles I've tried. Huge portion and delicious veggies!

David S

My wife and I went for breakfast. First time. Won't be the last. Beautiful spot with amazing food, all locally sourced. Huge servings. Great service. I had the hash special and my wife had an omelet. Both super tasty and generous portions. I'm a bit of a hash affectionate and I have to say this was the best I've had anywhere.. Highly, highly, recommend

Zach Strauss

Decent food although the hollandaise was on the bland side. Not baby/toddler friendly. Only one high chair in the joint that is much lower than the tables. Lunch with my 8 month old twins was a bit of an adventure.

Franxislay Wencopine

I came with my baby and husband for lunch but was told it was a 25 minute wait for a table and they would text when our table was ready. We went for a walk as there is no place to wait. They texted within 5 minutes and when we came back right away they said we weren't fast enough and gave away our table to the next people in line who weren't even there yet. The manager girl didnt offer to help us and we found her to be rude and unprofessional. It was very disappointing as we have enjoyed Gabriel's as a family friendly restaurant before. Please don't cancel a family's table like that again and please dont tell people it's a long wait when it's really only 5 minutes.

Jane Smith

Yum! This cute cafe does a smashing breakfast/brunch menu with heritage island-inspired decor. Friendly staff but counter ordering only. I can highly recommend the coconut pancakes with pulled pork, fried egg, spicey mayonnaise and bourbon infused maple syrup. Good vegetarian options available.

Daniel Graham

Foods decent, the staff act like it's your lucky day that they are serving you. If you dont let it bother you it's worth a stop if your in town.

Liz Flavelle

The 'everything ' salad was outstanding. The size of the veggies , the wide and interesting variety is the right balance of sweetness, crunch and deliciousness. Killer salmon chowder- glad we got the last couple of bowls. Can't wait to visit again.

Michelle Honsberger

If Farm to Table is your thing, Gabriel's is the best breakfast in Nanaimo hands down. Good value, friendly staff. Excited to try lunch next.

Nicole Verity

The eggs benny looks good but i would not recommend the chicken noodle soup with dumplings. Vinegar and soya sauce water with rice balls.

Rayna James

Came in because of the good reviews. Food was great service was the worst I've experienced in a while.

Loressa Champagne

Delicious food and awesome staff there. The only downside is they do need better debit machine ????????

Jon Parkhill

The coconut pancakes and pulled pork are awesome. Friendly service. All around great value!

Maddie Cruz

Really delicious breakfast place and they open early! Lots of food selections and the menu was fun to read with some funny words here and there. There’s often a long wait though especially during the holiday.

Cruz Murray

Friendly staff, good food at very reasonable prices. Will definitely be back!

keenan bevan

Best brunch I've ever had, everything is fresh or homemade and the flavours are wonderful. I dont live in BC but I wouls go back just for this breakfast!

Megan Bilski

Just eat here. Enough said. Its great, excellent food.

Pam Johnson

Gabriel's cafe is a classic Nanaimo restaurant from what I've been told, and I can't argue that one! Prices are moderately higher, but you get what you pay for. A filling meal that, awesome bonus here, is sourced locally! (The food is fresh and wholesome, and the drinks are spunky.) Some of their menu is bound to be variable thanks to that fact, but all things considered that just spices things up! Breakfast is served until 3 for the late bloomers like myself, so you've got more than enough time to go for their eggs benny's deal. I was recommended it, and I wasn't disappointed! That atmosphere seems nice. The place has both an indoor and outdoor eating area, doesn't get too loud (barring a few boisterous customers but that's not their fault). You go to the front, order your food and grab a number from the counter, and they'll bring it to you. Leave plates on the table when done! As far as decoration goes, it's a bit of an industrial-recycled wood chic. Hints of metal softened by upcycled wood and canvas in nice, neutral colors. Very calming. Whether you're looking for a new spot to try out, or want a hangout you can come back to again and again while never getting bored of the menu, it's worth it to check the place out! Parking is always an issue downtown Nanaimo though, so if you're up for a walk and the weather isnt bad, consider parking at the Port Place mall nearby and going for a short jaunt to get here. It's free! Or just hit up a parkade.

Kirsta Fontanilla

Service

Mikayla Davis

First time coming to Gabriel's Cafe and I was beyond impressed. The food was flavourful and fresh. I had the Green Eggs and Ham I yam. Definitely order this. Its big portions but you don't hate yourself after eating it. Staff was friendly and the restaurant has a relaxed feeling to it.

Kathleen M

My favorite restaurant in Nanaimo. I try to make time to visit whenever I am traveling through. The breakfast here is divine. I am celiac and have always been well taken care of here. Many good gluten free options and knowledgeable staff.

Colleen Canning

Decent place for breakfast. Good food, ok service

cam verrier

Always amazing! Great locally sourced meals with many vegetarian options and a nice atmosphere for people watching.

Andrew Jakes

Really delicious breakfast options!

Jordan McIver

Consistency of service & quality of food here is always way above par. I eat here whenever I'm in Nanaimo.

Vanessa Messina

Really wonderful experience. Cozy seating, delicious comfort food (vegan, vegetarian options-a-plenty), quick service and it’s kid-friendly.

C M

Delicious! Check out their specials. Super busy so reserve your spot and go shopping

amardeep saini

Meal type

Wayne C

Excellent value. Large, delicious portions, locally sourced. Consistently excellent, food fast service. Our go-to choice for brunch downtown.

G G

Higher price range for breakfast which is ok considering the advertised quality sourced ingredients. After adding an extra 3.00$ for drip coffee (nobody came to refill) because they don't have an espresso machine you're left with a 20$ check for their basic breakfast mostly full of what's supposed to be corn cake... Thick, stiff and tasteless mixture, toasts drenched in not so local margarine, eggs and salsa were good. Friendly staff

Martyn Christensen

Great breakfast food, have yet to go to their lunch. Local ingredients and lots of options, with a nice atmosphere.

Sarah T

Start your day off right by ordering the pulled pork breakfast wrap. Flavourful, not drowning in BBQ sauce like most pulled pork, crispy lettuce, a bit of a spice kick, the perfect amount of eggs and excellent hashbrowns. A hearty wrap for the price. If we were locals this would be a regular spot.

Nick Lee

Loved it. Casual interior, friendly service. Had the lunch special that day, halibut wraps, par excellent wrap. Suggestion, keep some Udi's gluten free wraps on hand for the gluten sensitive. Otherwise, very happy to discover. Locally sourced- yes, yes. Both my friend and I were quite happy to eat there. Definitely will be back again!

Zaahira Lalani

Gabriel's is a local treasure! Great, fresh, locally sourced ingredients, flavorfuly spiced food. Always have a great soup if you're not overly hungry. Nice atmosphere, friendly staff. Reasonable prices...especially considering the quality and generous portions. I've never left unhappy...for any reason!

Lama Bean

The worst breakfast experience ever! The food tasted pathetic, customer service was rude! I am surprised this restaurant has such high rating. I will never recommend it to anyone.

Craig Harris

The food is very good, which means that they're always quite busy! Count on a wait for a seat if you go during peak hours. Service is order at the counter, and then sit down at a table, not much in the way of interaction with staff (which is not a bad thing in these times). A must when in Nanaimo!

Elisa Gold

The food is amazing and local. I would eat here everyday if I could. Portion sizes are decent too, I got a rice bowl and had leftovers!

Maxime Brunet

We enjoyed this local hole-in-the-wall for breakfast a few weeks ago, but it could be better. It would really benefit by some more indoor seating -- right now it fits four people max! We didn't like hearing how hungover the single server/cook was or how much she was dying for a smoke. Although my partner requested medium-hard eggs, they were jelly-like and translucent. I would try it again though, more likely for take-out or in the summer when there are a couple of tables outside.

Gilbert Thompson

Somewhat awkward set up to order. Menus are in baskets at the front door then you stand in line to order then find a seat. The girl who took my order was not friendly! I even said we've never been here before and had questions about the menus yet she didn't offer any help. The food was interesting but overly priced.

Stan Beech

OMG!!! Only one word for the service and food at this Cafe.....AMAZING!!

samuel coyle

It was a beautiful day and we had a table outside. Staff have gone out of their way to help customers feel safe and comfortable. Nice variety of dishes on the menu and the food was delicious and reasonably priced. I will definitely be back!

nancy villeneuve

Super convenient online registration for the wait list, and ordering (even for in-restaurant eating). The food was excellent - our family of four had an off-the-charts brunch, and we came in HUNGRY. Aside from our 16-yo bottomless pit, we were all full. We'll definitely be back!

Vessela Terzieva

Stopped here after having a large appetite, while coming off the ferry, from the mainland ..and oh boy, I was NOT disappointed! Ordered The Mt. Benny and I didn't have a single negative thing to say about it! Eggs cooked flawlessly, hollandaise sauce on point and side of hashbrown-style potatoes seasoned perfectly! (I'm more of a fan of crunchy potatoes, but were still super delicious, even if they were on the softer side; no issues from me, this time around) I would recommend this breakfast entree to anyone who values and appreciated a good egg benny! Highly recommended A+

Gabriella T

Delicious breakfast. This spot is popular for good reasons.

Kaylin Godin

We go for breakfast frequently. Everything is fresh and cooked perfectly. They use local ingredients. Really, really delicious. Get there early to get a table! They could easily expand again and still fill every table :)

SN

When my daughter first told me about "When Pigs Fly", I thought it sounded like the weirdest combination ever, but when she brought me there for my first time, I was absolutely blown away by the flavour combination. Sweet, salty, spicy from the sour cream. Incredible. I dreamt about it so had to bring my husband and step-daughter. We all had it and they both loved it as well.

Vince Bl

Absolutely horrible customer service attitudes amongst the staff here. Food is ok but way over priced. Not worth all the hype.

James Roberts

Yum ... I had smoked tuna with avocado and chipotle in a whole wheat wrap and it was outstanding! Very tasty, very fresh, very affordable.

Mando Bobando

Nice place to having a good quality time with friends, companion or family. They served the best breakfast food ever and I am satisfied with what they served, taste excellent, the staff were polite and friendly.

Kaleena Brayden

Yummy... The coconut milk pancakes are heavenly!!! I had the ones with the pulled pork, a fried egg, and the bourbon syrup. So good, next time I'll try the one that come with fruit. I wish I knew the recipe so I can make them for my family when I visit them abroad.

Celia Payne

Disappointed. I quite enjoyed going to Gabe's as they have great vegan options. When the 6 of us visited this morning I asked to push two tables together so that we could sit together. The server said that this was fine. I reaffirmed this to her by saying "I just want to make sure that it's okay that we move things around", she agreed once again. We started moving tables and the Manager, Sarah, approached, told us that we couldn't sit in the area that we were in, and that we couldn't use more than one table. I explained that we had asked another Server, and she approved it. The Manager then said "Well, I'm the Manager, and they're just wrong". She then proceeded to tell us that we likely wouldn't even get the table due to the line up that was forming while this discussion was being had. We elected to leave. No accountability was taken for the staff member's mistake, no accommodations were made to invite us to stay. Instead we were only told that we received wrong information from her staff and that we were going to have just wait and sit apart when we finally got our order taken. I've brought large groups in for work meetings during just as busy of times and never experienced this. I've got better places to eat in town.

Gil McEachern

No complaints. Service was friendly but not exceptional. Food was adequate. A great little local place. Worth checking out. I’ll be back. You should check it out too.

Shari Sorensen

The best breakfast I have ever had. Was in Nanaimo for 2 days and ate here both mornings. Already planning on coming back just to try more of the menu. The place is busy but service is fast and super friendly. Love it here.

Lynne Vander Linde

We were really looking forward to trying out Gabriel’s Cafe. But, they ran out of Hollandaise sauce for the bennies. So, we walked over to Modern Cafe and had a great brunch/breakfast.

Dawn Skopnik

An outstanding, well crafted menu at an affordable price. Great lunch and dinner spot. More restaurant than cafe, but by no means lacking because of it.

K. C.

Dinner

Thomas COWLEY

I love ordering and paying before receiving my meal. Well organized, lots of fun upcycled things. All day breakfast made me happy at 230pm. The person who took my order was very knowledgable about beer selection and portion sizes. Open concept atmosphere with kitchen in view.

Q L

It was a decent place, but not my favourite. The staff seemed friendly enough, but the atmosphere was really loud even with the reduced tables. It wasn't a relaxing atmosphere at all. All I could hear the entire time was dishes being cranked around by the dishwasher and the sound just amplifies in this place. The portion sizes are big enough (couldn't finish it all), but did find $25 a bit on the expensive side for a breakfast.

B

Ive taken my son to Gabriels since it opened. I love their fresh food and fun and changing menu. Good food and decent prices. The staff is really nice

Jerica Willison

Incredibly delicious food, and a great place to stop on the way to the ferry. Very relaxed vibe, too; just make sure you leave enough time to enjoy your meal

Erin LS

Some recent reviewers have complained about the online ordering system, in my lived experience it has been excellent. Other than my coffee they forgot; however, the coffee was quickly delivered after a requested it in person. Obviously we want to be inclusive of other experiences but it would seem to me that their experiences would not be representive of the complete range of diverse opinions. Cheers.

Bianca Up

Kudos to the kitchen for making really delicious food at such a high demand. Can't give the same appreciation for the hostess though. Asked multiple times for water and all I got back was sass. I had to trouble another waitress (who was so kind) and she brought it to our table. I should've paid after my meal because I tipped way too much beforehand for such bad service.

Bailey Pavcek

Food is pretty good. But very overpriced for what you get. With covid restrictions, this place takes it to a whole new level with how serious they take it. A little too serious. To order you are prompted to either have a seat and order online or go the til and order there where there is a giant plexiglass partition and you have to yell your order in order for them to hear you. Once you have ordered from the til you are prompted to pay right away and leave a tip. Not sure what the tip was for as I did most of the work myself but I found that a little odd and decided to hold off on the tip until after served my food. Which I'm glad I did. The portions were pretty small and for 2 with drinks and breakfast mains each and one side pancake it was a total of $42! For breakfast ! The side pancake alone was $6.50! For one thin medium sized pancake. It was good but different and not a good value for the money. I read other reviews that said that the portions were quite large. Maybe thats for different items. We ordered eggs Benedict and it was just average and I left hungry. Bottomless coffee is what it said on the menu but no one came around once to refill or top up. Personally, I found the atmosphere a bit pretentious and trying to be fancier than it is. I wouldnt return again to be honest. There are alot more options in the area.

Matt Ollech

Fabulous food & friendly atmosphere! This is my Nanaimo go-to for brunch or a healthy dinner. My friends from out of town always enjoy it here.

raven gagnon

The food is very good, which means that they're always quite busy! Count on a wait for a seat if you go during peak hours. Service is order at the counter, and then sit down at a table, not much in the way of interaction with staff (which is not a bad thing in these times). A must when in Nanaimo!

Anne Marie Vanstone

Honestly...not really worth the hype. I've tried this place twice. The food is good, but not amazing. And for a place that has 'cafe' in the name and serves breakfast it would be nice if they had a more extensive coffee menu (espresso based drinks etc).

Tom Rokeby

Really unflexible with customizing orders to fit dietary restrictions here. Had a painful encounter trying to get a menu item with vegetables I could eat instead of the listed vegetables. Seems it's too hard to replace potatoes with mushrooms. Walked out.

Stephen W

The food here was quite good but definitely lacked visual appeal. Had the veggie kebabs and veggie burger, both tasted great. The kebab was a bit weird and looked very unappealing, but good to taste so give it a chance. Everything tastes as fresh as they advertise which is my biggest draw.

Laurel Ternus

My potatoes were cold and tasted old and bad. The staff were really unfriendly so I didn't even bother complaining about my food. Overall really unhappy. Do not recommend this place.

Jillian Harrison

Yum! The potato cakes with eggs and salsa was delicious!

Jessica Kirkwood

Dine in

cole schafer

Good food and friendly attentive service covid friendly not busy as usual for eating in

Mr E

Excellent food, well balanced flavours on the tame side soft and sweeter, easy on the palate nice selection of foods and I'd go back to enjoy some more dishes there, recommended stop for the traveller wanting to get a local sample of foods.