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If you’re looking for culture, Nelson, British Columbia has got it. It wasn’t easy picking the best restaurants in Nelson, but we’ve done our best to do it so that you can reap the benefits. Here are our picks for the 10 best restaurants in Nelson.

Nelson, BC

Oso Negro Coffee

Whether you’re looking for a fine cup of coffee, a delicious meal, or just a great place to while away a couple of hours, Oso Negro is one of the top places to go to in Nelson. It sports a varied clientele and the friendliest of atmospheres, something that will make you want to stick around well after you’ve finished your coffee. The baristas are true experts in their field and will be happy to advise you about the many different varieties of coffee they offer.

Hume Hotel

Hotel

For one thing, the Hume Hotel is a gorgeously renovated piece of history right in the middle of Nelson, so you know that you’ll be eating in surroundings that you won’t soon forget. Their in-house pub doesn’t just rest on those laurels, however. They’ve recently re-done their menu to offer an exciting selection of dishes that cater to all sorts of dietary needs and feature different culinary styles. Did we mention their mouthwatering starters? You’ll enjoy the whole meal better if you and your group start out with a couple of those.

West Coast Grill

With fine dining at any time of day and the most photogenic location possible, visiting West Coast Grill is always a good idea. Located at the Prestige Inn, West Coast Grill takes real pride in both the quality of their food, whether you’re in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Beyond that, though, people really love their service, which always goes above and beyond to give guests the best possible all-around dining experience. Their salads come with particularly high reviews, and they’re not just your basic caesars and cobbs — try instead, for example, quinoa salad with citrus miso dressing.

Full Circle Café

Cafe, Diner, Tea , Canadian, Contemporary

Nicoise salad at All Seasons Cafe
Courtesy of All Seasons Cafe
As is the case with most great diners, Full Circle Café may not look like much, but that’s what allows it to keep its status as one of Nelson’s true hidden gems. Coming at their busiest times is sure to guarantee a wait, but you’ll agree with all of the locals that it’s worth it. Their menu is very long, giving you all sorts of choices, many along the lines of diner classics with a non-traditional spin. Both vegetarians and carnivores will appreciate the flavor of their black bean and yam burger, and the chicken club sandwich is another perennial favorite.

All Seasons Cafe

Cafe, Restaurant, Canadian, Vegetarian, Vegan, Healthy, Fast Food

If fine dining is your aim, try the local favorite All Seasons Cafe first. This intimate little restaurant has staked itself out as the height of creative, flavorful, and beautiful food in the whole town. The chef is quite adventurous, and plays around with the ‘West coast fusion’ label of the restaurant to create the most amazing culinary combinations, always using the best local and seasonal ingredients that they can find. The menu is, therefore, always changing, so it’s a great place to come back to again and again — you can never try it all, and your culinary boundaries will be pushed further each time you go.

Thor’s Pizzeria

A good pizza is a special thing, and Thor’s is the best place to get one in Nelson. You can get a normal, pizza, sure, but why not step out of the box and try one of their special creations? Going with the theme of their name, several of their pizzas are named after various gods, and they have a good time matching the pizza to the mythical character. If you’re not in the mood for pizza, they also have a number of other options, like flatbreads, ciabattas, and paninis.

Max & Irma’s Restaurant

Restaurant, Canadian, Italian

Another excellent pizza option in town is the centrally located Max & Irma’s Restaurant, a quirky little wood-fired pizza joint that loves cooking up international cuisine and playing with different flavor combinations. You’ll love the local artwork covering the walls and the friendly service you’ll receive. They also have more than just pizza; their salads are great, as are their daily soups. If you come in on Monday, you’re in luck — they have a weekly ethnic night that always offers up something exciting. This is a fun, lively place, perfect for when a little noise won’t bother you.

BiBo

The fact that BiBo is carved out of a renovated home should give you a sense of how cozy your entire experience will be there. Their seasonally changing menu is small, and they complement it with daily specials. Each menu item is specially crafted to reflect the seasonally available local ingredients, and you’ll be able to taste the freshness in the results. Their wine list will please even the most expert drinkers. For a fun time, try getting a number of their sharing plates to get a true sense of the variety of flavors that they proudly offer.

Jackson’s Hole & Grill

Pub, Bar, American, Pub Grub, Canadian

Jackson’s Hole & Grill is a prime choice if there’s a big game you want to watch or if you’re just looking for some high-quality pub food. They’ve got plenty of TVs showing anything you’d like, and their wide range of your favorite choices will leave you fully satisfied. It’s usually quite busy, but you’ll understand why when you try their fresh salads, tasty soups, or burgers — try the Jackson’s Loaded Burger for one of their specialties. In keeping with the trend around Nelson, Jackson’s Hole & Grill is known for having excellent service.

Smokewood BBQ

Nelson might not be the first place you’d expect to find expertly cooked barbeque just like they make it in the American South, but Smokewood BBQ will meet your high expectations. Smokewood brings you the exact same flavors and techniques that you’d find in Kentucky, Texas, or the Carolinas. Their menu isn’t long, but you’ll find all the basic barbecue mains and sides that you need to put together a family meal.

About the author

Lani is a freelance writer and translator currently living in Prague, Czech Republic. After growing up in Durham, North Carolina, she went to university at Northwestern University in Chicago and then went on to live in Georgia, Scotland, Hungary, and various cities in the Czech Republic.

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