Melange in Nanaimo

The food was really really good in fact phenomenal. We d recommend it to anybody visiting Nanaimo. It was original too and the flavours were fantastic. Food

Whether it s just meeting a friend or gathering with a group from my association Melange it is top of my list. Menu changes seasonally, especially as locally grown food change. Fantastic staff and gracious owner.

This place is an absolute must! I like spicy, they got it! The Indonesian chicken rice bowl is WOW!Whole family enjoyed everything. Locals and visitors, put this on your list

Everything was delicious, the marrow and beef cheek spectacular 10 out of 10, the waitress (Emily) is lovely. The table next to us ordered some oysters and they had a spectacular presentation, all accompanied by a good wine, they have a good wine list, thank you very much and congratulations for a good job

I m a bit hesitant to write this review after looking at the owner s rude responses to previous reviews, but I want to be honest about my experience. I had the Melange beef burger and my husband had the onion smash burger. The burgers themselves tasted good. It was a bit weird that fries were extra and not included with the price of the burger. Everywhere else you go, fries or a salad usually come with the burger at no extra charge. I ordered a drink, and the drink was brought to me with a bug floating in it. I did not tell the waiter about it and I recognize I probably should have. The drink was okay, definitely not worth the $14 and brought to us in dollar store quality glasses. There were actually a lot of bugs flying around and annoying us during our dinner. I understand it s summer, but maybe get a better cooling system indoors so you don t have to leave the door wide open all the time. The real problem began early the next morning when both my husband and I were violently sick. I ve never expelled so much nor sweated this much in my entire life. We can only thing it was due to the food. I don t know how clean this place really is. I really hope the owner doesn t respond rudely with excuses. Just looking at their responses on other reviews is appalling customer service.

Great tasting food , have to try the house baked bread ! Not that many options on menu for mains though .Great ambience, loved the simple decoration, lighting and overall service. We tried the beef pappardelle pasta and the seafood noodles both were very well prepared and portions were good !

Delicious food, cocktails, and outstanding service! The fact we stumbled across this amazing gem at Happy Hour was a bonus! Recommend the beef brisket, mmmm

This place has the best bartender in Nanaimo. Tommy is always happy to mix up something fresh and exciting. Whether you want a full on dining experience or a dessert and nice drink its always 10/10 we love it and hope you do too!

We had dinner there and it was a good experience. The staff was friendly and nice, and the food was also great. However, finding a parking spot was difficult.

Went for lunch and sat on the patio. The two fellows serving were both lovely and attentive. Food 5 star, delicious!!!!! Will definitely be back

Apparently a very high end restaurant with premium wine and atmosphere specifically on sunny days. Food was ok too but not the strong point here.

I came, I saw, I conquered my plate! The only photo that clearly shows how tasty the Fun-Guy veggie burger really is. Vegetarian options: Great veg-head options, chef is very accommodating. Wheelchair accessibility: Ground level entry.

I must stop in Nanaimo! Amazing ownership and great service. Burger was fantastic and a great wine list. We will be back and will recommend to our friends.

Absolutely wonderful! Great drinks and great food! Staff are friendly and are more then happy to serve you! Could have asked for a better place to eat!

I ve never been disappointed with this place. Definitely our go to restaurant in Nanaimo. The food always surprises us with how delicious it is. Such a great chef and team. Amazing wine selection too. Drinks are always perfectly made. I love this place and always recommend to others!

We have been at Melange for the last 3 years nearly every Wednesday. Owner G, chef Phil and the staff are amazingly professional. The wine list is to die for. We leave the choice to G nowadays....he has specialties which never disappoints. Chef Phil is creating the best food in the region. On the list is a Omakaze (Japanese for let the chef surprise you). We are well in the 900 Omakazes which we always share. Never the same and each of them delicious. DEFINITELY a place to go to when your in Nanaimo in the old art district. If therefore 10 stars I would grand it. For us, a Michelin star rating.

Thomas served myself and some friends and was great! Awesome environment and the service was excellent and quick!!

The quality of ingredients, complexity of dishes and innovative recipes were a very good deal for the price. Our waiter was knowledgeable, and professional, and helped match food and wine (I admit I am picky with wine so it means a lot coming from me).

If you ve never done the 3 course Chefs choice with wine pairing at Melange, treat yourself It was outstanding!! We always have fabulous food nd bevies here but we decided to be adventurous and leave it up to the chef. My husband and I had different meals and everything from starter to main to dessert with a different wine pairing for each was elegantly presented and tasted even better. Our favourite restaurant in town.

Everything is perfect here. We enjoyed our visit.

Excellent unique food and the service was top notch

Strawberry Short Cake - YES!! Light and delicate, super tasty. Nothing is like homemade but this is close! Other than a bit small for $14 it was very tasty! Worth coming back for

Excellent dining experience!

Always our date spot! Thanks for the great service

friendly service, great food, owner and staff were very attentive! Got the jjampong - would recommend!

Very welcoming, the manager and the staff were so hospitable. Food was amazing as well :) will definitely come back when I visit nanaimo again

Compared to modern Cafe which was a couple blocks away. Melange was exceptional and gave amazing service. Such a warm welcome and accommodating even when we had a big group. All the staff was so friendly and wanted our presence. Please give them a try

Melange has been such a joy to dine at! Exceptional service, friendly servers, and the manager was so accommodating (especially with a party of 13). The food was the cherry on top! I would highly recommend.

Had a pleasant time here, service and food was great!

The food was great, the service was amazing! So friendly and welcoming! Thank you! Would definitely recommend this place to my friends! If I came back to Nanaimo, I would return to here again :)

Would definitely recommend for a large party. Their food and service was amazing!!

Disappointed

Always good!

Delicious food and lovely staff. Vegan-friendly, too. Highly recommend. Vegetarian options: Tofu rice bowl Food : 5/5 |

I had a reservation as part of a group of nine visiting from the mainland, and we enjoyed a delightful meal at Melange. The food was exceptional, and the customer service was warm and attentive. We particularly appreciated the beautiful Indigenous art displayed throughout the restaurant. The kitchen staff went above and beyond to help us celebrate a colleague with a stunning strawberry white chocolate dessert, complete with congratulations beautifully hand-written in chocolate on the plate. Highly recommended!

Recommended

My wife and I went for dinner for the first time to try something new and had a very underwhelming experience. I had the slow roast veal which was a very small portion (I left hungry) and the meat was very tough and chewy.,how that happens with slow roast veal, who knows. My wife had asked for the chefs choice for her main course and had a very bland seafood pasta, it was essentially butter noodles with about 10 cloves of garlic just sliced down the middle. We had ordered an oyster appetizer so they threw some out of shell oysters on the pasta, which just felt very lazy. The owner asked if he could buy us dessert or a drink, I explained we are sober and we do not eat sugar so I guess he felt he did his part and charged us full price. Service was mid at best, lots of other good local places in the downtown area

Excellent dining experience. Locally sourced foods and wonderful waitstaff.

The host and staff were very welcoming. The food was exceptional. The atmosphere and decor exudes both a casual and a high-end environment. It is a perfect dining spot for friends, families, clients or business meetings.The wine list in particular offers a choice of a 2 oz. serving on several wines which is almost unheard of. This is a great opportunity to discover new wines. I highly recommend this restaurant.

They squeezed us in on a busy Saturday night. Excellent food. Service was friendly and prompt. Well be back soon.

Great service. Good food. Good drinks.

If in Nanaimo, just give this place a shot. You simply will not be disappointed! We got the chef s surprise appetizer and the Seared Tuna. Amazing!! Delicate and sophisticated! Then we had the duck flatbread and the clams. Everything was delicious. We had a bottle of wine, pino noir of Okanagan that was a perfect pair. All suggestions came from the wonderful server, Seaira. She made the experience a memorable one for sure. She is such a character, an incredible storyteller, with experience in the hospitality industry. As it turns out we actually visited a few years back another restaurant where she worked as a manager, in Toronto/Junction. Now how funny is that!! Thanks Seaira for making a rainy/snowy day a very enjoyable one!

Delicious food. Quality ingredients. Good service. Very Tasty. Id love to go back. Vegetarian options: Im not vegan but they had a bunch of vegan stuff

Great food and great service every time we dine at melange. Also some of the best cocktails in town (A proper Negroni and Manhattan)

Pricey. Food tastes good but not good enough for the price. I will say this, if you go there have their cocktails. We ordered a few, and they were all delicious. Pricey but because they were delicious we were okay with it. Smoked duck as appy was 9/10.

Very nice ambiance and excellent service here! Out waitress was attentive. I tried the whiskey sour (delicious) and variety of oysters, they have an amazing assortment of hot sauces ranging from mild to hot, something for everyone. I had the brisket soup for a main and my bf had the shrimp pasta. Everything was cooked perfectly and the manager even comped us a port for dessert. We loved our dinner here and will be back!

Fun food, creative presentation, attentive service.

Ordered the burger, was asked fries or salad. Charged extra for fries. I would be less annoyed not being asked at all and just getting a burger. Ordered the mystery mocktail for 11 dollars expecting a decent drink, was given a small glass with a large ball of ice and maybe 3 ounces of liquid. Ridiculous for a drink with no liquor. It tasted great but hard price to pay for being the DD.

I dined here with my family tonight and overall the experience was meh. I have worked many years in fine dining myself and this evening was disappointing. First off, the managers demeanour towards the guests was very blasé. He greeted us at the door and we didnt feel welcomed whatsoever, just ushered to our table. Our server, Tracy was super friendly and welcoming, but by the end you could tell she was done with us, which is fair, but it wasnt appreciated that it showed. We did not have a good experience and the staff didnt help make it much better, we could feel the judgment of staff gossip as we left. We just wanted to go out and have a wonderful dinner as a family, celebrating a special occasion, not to have to complain about anything and just relax together. One of the members of our group had their mind set on having the octopus and we were not told on arrival that the octopus was unavailable, but were rather informed as the table was all ordering together. Overall, the presentation of the food was very dull. Nothing looked appetizing when it came to the table, and then you taste it and the flavours were not there. Several of the dishes were over salted, and the clams were not served with bread (as shown in another review). The risotto with the duck was cold, the veggies with the veal were cold. The veal was also served several minutes later than the other meals. The duck was served with a slathering of sweet BBQ sauce (maybe to offset the over curing) and the risoto was mushy and tasted like nothing. The veal was extremely tomato-y. The tuna torro was tough, but the flavour of the sauce was great. We felt quite awkward about complaining for our mains, as we had already complained about the wine and a miscommunication about the meal. We definitely should have spoken up sooner about the issues with our meals. We were also celebrating a 65th birthday, and wanted to try to keep the mood up. So we take responsibility for not speaking up and giving them the opportunity to correct it sooner, and given that several of the plates werent being enjoyed, our faith in ordering other items was low. We were comped desserts and a meal that wasnt finished, which is very nice, but also standard for issues like this. We also had a discount given on top, which was appreciated. The ambiance of the restaurant was nice, but the bench seating should have cushions. The bathrooms are absolutely freezing cold as well and there was only cold water to wash your hands. Also, I recommend reading some of the review responses from the owner/chef. They are quite unprofessional and unwilling to receive negative feedback.

During the January cold snap, the restaurant was comfortably heated. However, it would have been nice if the washrooms were heated as well. The atmosphere in the restaurant was pleasant, and it seemed to be well staffed. I ordered the Portugese Clam Pataplana, which was very salty, I could not fully taste the actual flavors of the dish and wine pairing. The sauce also appeared to contain a lot of tomato paste. My first choice of meal was the Pacific Octopus Escabeche. However, when I placed my meal order, I was told this was not available. It would have been nice to have been informed of this when the menus were distributed. My wife ordered the Braised Veal Osso Buco. Like my clam dish, this dish did not look appealing. It tasted very bland. The beets were cold inside. She did not finish the meal, and it was taken off the bill. The restaurant comped us with a desert. However, it did not make our overall meal experience any better.

Awesome owner and such a great vibe for Nanaimo. Would highly recommend to anyone

Absolutely incredible. Portuguese clam cataplana was delicious, char siu pork sliders too! Would absolutely return!

Vegan review! Great service, but the food was not impressive, especially considering the price. I heard a lot of good things about this place, so I was excited to finally go! I was the only vegan in the group of friends from Vancouver but we were all a little disappointed with our dishes. The menu looked really fun and delicious and our server was great! I ordered the vegan ramen, and my friends ordered a variety of meat and pasta dishes and a burger. My ramen was tasty, but nothing special. I could easily make the same dish at home. For my friends: the burger bun was mushy from the liquid-y sauce, and the pasta sauce was extremely sweet. I dont think we will be returning, but I wish the resto and staff all the best!

Just go, its good!

Absolutely amazing experience. A regular haunt for our friends, but this was my first time. Food was spectacular, Mia provided unbelievable service, and Gaetan was an incredible host. Cant wait to come back to Nanaimo so we can go again!

We came for the dine in. My son ordered off the dine in menu cod something.i had a burger. The food was very good, presentation beautiful. Waitress was good although she didnt seem to know the plates as she could not answer any questions or give a recommendation. Just 2 suggestions: the code main course was very small, really not enough for an adult meal. And the fries were so overcooked I could hardly bite them. For the price a little disappointed. Im sure we will give it another try, with different choices, at some point. I think you almost have it right, keep up the great job.

Food and service here was fantastic. Quite reasonably priced for how fancy it looked. Tried the miso steak pasta. Never had a restaurant attempt asian/Italian fusion, but it was fantastic!

Service was top notch. Drinks were delicious. Food was incredible. Vibe was on point. Strongly recommend over any of the other restaurants in the area.

Only stopped for afternoon snack. Service was great. Definately high end dining.

Knocked down some stars for their immature responses to reviews without words. Greasy

Amazing experience at Melange! The food and wine were great, but what really stood out was the customer service. There was a mistake on our bill (very honest mistake that could happen anywhere) and the way they went above and beyond to course correct was incredible.

Went for Valentines Day. Great food and amazing service, despite it being so busy. Steak was great!

The menu took a bit of explanation from the server for us to understand how to read it. She rattled off about 6 alternatives as specials for the evening but we finally understood that they have chicken, beef and fish as their three main meals and then each day they change it up by pairing them with different starch and vegetables, which is a nice way to keep going back for something different. I had the salmon and the pairing was excellent. My friend had the beef and said it was good but the local beer was excellent. The atmosphere is relaxed and we both really enjoyed the evening. It is a bit pricy though.

Overall, we had a fantastic evening and will definitely be returning soon. Thank you for providing such a fantastic dining experience. The service was exceptional. Our server was attentive and friendly, making sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. The menu was extensive and we were impressed with the variety of options available. Each dish we tried was beautifully presented and tasted absolutely delicious.

Great little restaurant. Bastion St parkade near by. Standard modern warehouse type decor. Staff were great. Food is fantastic. New brave, and other the chefs specials. You wont be disappointed. Parking: Usually there is street parking available. But I recommend parking in the Bastion Street parkade. The alley by the Old City Pub brings you right to Melange.

Always a unique experience food is always delicious

They have happy hour on the weekends from 2:30-4:30 (10% off drinks and 20% off food). We went in a Saturday afternoon and it was not busy at all. I think they were training the waitress as the service was slow which is ironic because it was pretty much dead in there. We had the squid sauté, boneless beef rib, and halibut cheek burger. Best dish was the halibut: fries had a dusting of some slice and it was good, not spicy at all and the burger itself was quite tasty. Recommend. The squid was also very good although a bit on the small side. Squid not chewy at all. Recommend. The beef rib was not great. The cut of the rib was mostly fat. They need to ensure the customers are getting mostly the beef cuz with the amt of fat on that rib, we should have gotten it at a much cheaper price. They have a great selection of cocktails. And parking may be challenging. If we lived here I d give this place another try.

Very nice gem, amazing humorous menu, exquisite food and drinks. Exceedingly unique, very well crafted. Im honestly not doing it justice. Just go there for yourself.

Been a few times, had some decent meals. Absolutely loved the cocktails, been raving about them for weeks, went to bring a friend to try them, showed up at 9pm, server said we couldnt get seated because the kitchen was closed, we clarified we didnt intend to get food and they still wouldnt seat us even though their hours say they are open until 10pm. Should probably just change your hours to close at 9pm? Will definitely still go back just a little disappointed!!

The staff are super charming. Food is delicious, and our non alcoholic cocktails were perfect. Food

They make THE best Whiskey Sour in town. The menu is very unique, Ive been multiples times and each time has been wonderful!

I am so happy I could cry! This restaurant really ignited my food passion all over again. It is so rare to find a restaurant that has amazing food, kind and attentive staff and beautiful atmosphere all wrapped into one at a price point that makes sense for quality and care. Mélange does it all! I had the seared tuna eggs benedict and it was lovely in every way- Its hard to find places that offer tuna but its one of my favourites. I cant wait to come back for lunch or dinner and try it all! Thanks so much for having me I had a wonderful time!

Great experience. Portions are small and i m a tall dude (6 6 ) but i was happy and full. Not too pricey either, and unique flavour to every dish and drink, will definitely come back & recommend to others

Best Veggie Burger ever!

Changed menu not same photos as online. No ramen

This place will tickle your tastebuds with amazing flavour. The chefs and the services are amazing

I adore this restaurant. I went here for the first time on a date with my partner and we head back at least once a month to experience the fabulous food, cocktails and atmosphere. Theyve recently updated their menu and it is just as delicious as before!

The drinks were amazing, really delicious, the food meh, didn t like the food at all, and expensive, and took a long time to bring the food to us.

Great food and even better service :)

Great spot to eat

I had the smash cheese burger here. They sourced their beef from Gabrila Island and it and the caramelized onion, secret sauce and bun were delicious! So was the ice cream we had for dessert. Very friendly staff as well, happy to answer any questions we had. As a farmer, I love that they truly support local farms for their ingredients. The taste is so much better! Vegetarian options: There were many vegetarian options and some vegan ones too. Parking: We easily found street parking nearby but I imagine at times that could be difficult. There may be other parking options too. Kid-friendliness: There was a family with kids at the next table and the servers and owner made them feel very welcome. Wheelchair accessibility: There was a wheelchair washroom there.

Love this restaurant! We ve always had amazing service here and the food is fantastic. They offer very interesting dishes and change their menu regularly which is fun. They also make a real effort to source local ingredients. I m vegetarian and always find great dishes here. Highly recommend. Vegetarian options: Great vegetarian options here - I ve loved everything I ve tried.

A satisfying dining experience with diverse menu and pleasant ambiance. The food is thoughtfully prepared, showcasing a range of flavors and ingredients. The presence of a knowledgeable sommelier adds value to the experience, as they can provide helpful recommendations to complement your meal. The service is attentive and efficient, ensuring a smooth dining experience. While there is room for improvement in terms of meat temperature, as the medium was slightly overcooked, Melange overall provides a solid option for those seeking a reliable and enjoyable meal in Nanaimo.

Food is 10/10 every time. The atmosphere is great as well. I ve had the same server the last two times I ve been, which is the reason for the one less star. Service was painfully slow, and she didn t seem very excited to be there. A shame for such a beautiful restaurant.

I chose an odd combination of burger and red wine and it was top notch. The chef gives a seemingly normal burger an intriguing upscale taste. The wine wasnt out of place at all!

I dine out a lot for work. A LOT. And this restaurant is so good not just for Nanaimo but by any standards. This was the toro crudo salad. They made pickles out of the watermelon rind. The combination of ingredients and tastes were amazing and melts in your mouth. They have a rotating menu and it never ceases to surprise and delight me!!

Excellent food! Great service! You wont be disappointed. You can tell the owner and staff take great care and pride in the restaurant and food

The menu was fun. The food was tasty and pretty but a bit pricey. I like the mystery order option. However, we ordered a couple rounds of mixed drinks to the table and most of them were off. I dont know if that is the usual, or if the bartender was just off, she seemed frazzled but it was busy (brown hair/piercings). Drinks are expensive so that was annoying. The atmosphere is kiiiinda swanky and even though it was busy it still felt intimate.

Ridiculously good food, you can really tell how much care goes into the flavour profile and ingredient selection. Great music, a classy but casual atmosphere, and lovely staff.

Really good food and great service. My friend and I came to Melange before our flight and let our server know we had a tight timeline. Our server was so accommodating, we wish we could have stayed for longer. We definitely wish we could have gone earlier in our trip. Don t let the fine dining label fool you, it s just food done really well and for the right price. Will be recommending this place to anyone who visits Nanaimo.

We couldnt say enough good things about this delicious local restaurant. Not to be missed if you enjoy fine dining!!!

Made an impromptu stop for lunch here. We had our dog, and they allowed dogs on their sidewalk patio. Good menu, with great options. Our server even brought water for our dog! Would definitely return.

Outstanding food everything was atleast an 8 or 9 out of 10 drinks were great and well priced enjoyed ordering a few nice small things to munch on with some quality beverages will return again update unnecessary all previous statements still apply over a year later and the quality and portions remain the same and generous and of high quality will without a doubt continue to recommend

Really didnt live up to expectations. We were there for brunch and the food was not good. I ordered a poached eggs hash. The eggs were done completely wrong and had to be remade. When the plate returned, they replated everything, just with new eggs. That is tacky and not how a customer should be treated. But on top of that, the food was greasy and tasteless. The potato hash was soggy and in a puddle of oil. The eggs were of poor quality (but cooked better the second time) and there was no choice of toast given, leaving me with white bread not a favorite. The hollandaise had no flavor. My dining companion had their croque madame dish. It was better, but nothing to rave about (pork belly looked good). Our server was pretty good although didnt bring pepper over once she said she would. My dining companion liked the music. In all, I ate what was there, but I didnt want to. (Oh, and PS, do turn on the lights if someone needs to find the ladies room. Its dark and hidden when there are no lights.)

Weeknight solo dinner on work trip Saw lots of good reviews about this place, and this is close to the hotel I am staying in, and they didn t disappoint. Service was great, manager(maybe owner) super friendly, made sure I have what I needed. Came right away as soon as I closed my menu. Where do you find that level of service? The ahi tuna is a little bit over cooked to my taste, but it is as delicious. The mixture of all the sauces, and spices work well together. The braised veal was so good, bone marrow still intact, meat falls off the bone, and super flavourful. The beans soaks up all that goodness as well, fantastic dish. They don t have that many tables, it was packed even on a week night in Nanaimo. I suggest you make a reservation before you go. I ll go back for sure

The food was great! I had the clam dish, and my boyfriend had the Westholme burger. The service was great! The staff made sure we were well looked after, and the atmosphere was great! with real candlelight and lively conversation. The only thing I would change is I was given a comically large piece of bread that was too large to eat with no butter.

Code stumps

Awesome service and food. Its definitely going to be my boyfriend and I dinner spot. Absolutely loved it.

Went twice and both time the food and services was excellent.

A great discovery! The service was very friendly, owner took the time to talk with all customers. The food was beautiful, original and most of all, super yummy! Place was colorful, welcoming with great arts displayed, very original. Additional point for speaking French lol Will definitely go back if I am in the area again!

Excellent Brunch!! Highly recommend this fabulous establishment !! Had taco s , Best Ever! Husband enjoyed burger and delicious ceaser salad! Amazing desert Will be back soon!

Friendly greeter and efficient and professional service. Excellent burger and salad. Great way to spend a sunday visiting with my friend.

Fantastic customer service, try the Lush shot!

Amazing food. Amazing service. Beautiful dining room. We will be back.

I had an exquisite evening Chez Melange! From the cocktail to the array of appetizers chosen and finally dessert - each course was presented beautifully and each mouthful was filled with incredible flavours and textures. Owner chose a wine that complemented our food wonderfully. Servers were excellent and bravo to kitchen staff.

Extremely accommodating, amazing service, fun menu, high quality food and drinks. My favourite restaurant on Vancouver Island.

Good food and cocktails. Nice atmosphere. Would recommend.

Very disappointed with this restaurant. Limited menu and the room was very cold.

Great food and awesome servers

AMAZING food and service.

Amazing drinks, food, and service! Will def be back!

Cozy little restaurant in the downtown area. The service, food and ambience was good. A lot of locals around which usually is a good indicator of the general character of any eatery. The beef burger was excellent. Lost some points for the Ramen.

We were out looking for a place to eat on our last evening of holidays, when we found Melange....WHAT A FIND!! From salad to desert is was delicious. My compliments to the Chef, Host and the Waitress.

Melange- this little gem turned a mid day snack into a culinary festivus . for the rest of us. For a nicely appointed restaurant with great service and original recipes, I expected a lineup. Nanaimo needs more restaurants like this. The staff are friendly and attentive without being clingy, like that first big relationship that never worked out. I would have never suggested a let the kitchen choose my meal option until now. My palette (a French word) is maturing! The Yuk is the kitchen s choice of meal, and they didn t disappoint. My only wish was that I had chosen this option. My fear of unplanned meals got the best of me, but my taco dish crushed all that fear too. Try the Yuk . The food is all very fresh. Mid day meals are fairly quiet here. This restaurant deserves crowds.

Service, killer. Fries, deadly. Burger, kicks the s!#& out of the one down the street. See you tonight Melange

Probably the best restaurant in town. The food and the service could not be better. It was a beautiful night.

Excellent food and a great cocktail list. You know theres passion when theres a whole section for Martinis. Everyone in our group had something different, and we all loved it. The Mumbai Street food was a really fresh and bright appy, would recommend for anyone! The Fettuccine gochugaru carbonara was top notch as well. Really impressed, and will be back again!

I came from Edmonton with my sister and we found this Hidden gem restaraunt!!!! with our aunt. Emily was our server and I havent had such kind and dedicated customer service in a very long time. The food was so delicious!!! I am going to send over all my friends and family.Thank you Melange!!

We came to eat here and we ordered oysters and 3/4 of oysters were full of shell and sand and were the fishiest tasting oysters I ever had....also we ordered the tuna which also tasted extremely fishy....and we have eatem raw seafood all over Canada and along our travels overseas... not pleasant trying to pick shells out of my mouth and sand. And when we told manager he tried to tell us we were wrong...which we didnt appreciate.... He could have just apologized it wasnt to our liking.

We had a birthday get together for 11 family members. Every one of us raved about the food,--service--and ambiance. A great restaurant all around. Would recommend this to any any and all. GREAT JOB

Its nice to see culinary talent in downtown Nanaimo again! The cashew burger is amazing (and Im not vegetarian) - the tuna appetizer and Yuk were both delectable. GREAT wine list and phenomenal service. Best youll find in Nanaimo for sure.

Good ambience. My family enjoyed their food (I believe it was salmon, mussels, and a pork sandwich) but I personally found their vegan lo mein, which used udon noodles instead of egg noodles (this was back in 2021), to be rather bland as it was in some sort of kimchi broth instead of the soy sauce fried noodles I was expecting. Nonetheless, it was a nice experience overall.

Amazing food and cocktails. Great wine list. Service deserves 10 S!!! Best Mai Tai I ve ever had and I ve had many in Maui. Food is clean with great flavors and gluten free options too. Highly recommend.

Great service, amazing food, and so many vegan options for my partner I cannot recommend this place enough. For added intrigue I tried the Yuk and was pleasantly surprised!

10/10 would do it again

Very disappointed some of the food was cold the rest mediocre

Very nice for Sunday Brunch.. service, ambience and staff were great

Phil is the best chef I have ever experienced, my God the food was presented like I was back in Vancouver living the good life and tasted vastly better. The man has passion I thought you could not find in Nanaimo. As pretentious as it is, its worth it to call in and ask if Phil is working. He is the picture of a true passionate and detailed chef you see in the movies. The man makes life his art and we are lucky we are able to experience it through his cooking

Food was good but seemed a tad overpriced.

The food and service were mediocre. When my friend bit into her chicken, there was still a bit of blood. We let the waiter (the owner?) know about it and he just took it away with attitude. We just wished the staff was a little bit more apologetic as it seemed like the chicken was just recooked. Looking at the other reviews with low stars, it seems like the chef has some problems with taking any kind of criticism. I find it immature. Not everyone is comfortable with confrontation. If you, as a chef, want to make a pleasant experience for everyone, maybe check in with your customers personally and be more sympathetic. Because right now you re just being pathetic.

sea food platter taste great! Steak is tender and juicy! one of the beat meal I had in Nanaimo!

I would have taken pictures of the food, but we ate it too quickly. Melange is the best of the best, the kind of place that knows its the best and isnt afraid to brag. Any place that lets patrons leave it up to the kitchen to decide what they have for supper is one that is confident in the skills of their chef. The food here is all locally sourced, so they were sadly out of many ingredients for dishes we wanted to try, but what they did with the things they had was better than anything Id get from anywhere else. Honestly, if you want to eat pricey, local food, prepared by a staff that takes food prep seriously and makes their creations works of art as much as a meal, come to Melange. Youll never be so happy to spend $100+ for a meal.

This restaurant was a great find. Excellent food and service. Well definitely be back here the next time were in the area.

The salmon was overcooked but the dining was otherwise enjoyable. Well prepared seasonal vegetables were our highlight. Good system with the wine, which is graduated into several serving sizes (more than you typically see at a restaurant) so that you can have exactly the amount you want. Friendly service, too

I love the Korean style pasta, really delicious. Need to be more spicy , but is my preference because I love spicy.

Great food! Great drinks! Great service! Mia is one Amazing Bartender! One the BEST places downtown Nanaimo!

We had good time, food was good,service time can be improved. Seating was good.

BEST COCKTAILS IN TOWN, I am not talking about frufy bellini or iced margarita. Real delicious, well crafted good grade spirts AND GREAT MIXOLOGY. And the food! Delicious Cheese boards, local greens and gabriola beef burgers with thick cut bacon & pickled jalapeños. Plus so much more! Seems to be the only resturant on a sunday open pass 5. Tue -sun till 10pm Date night, birthdays, girls nught, family meals. Gayton the owner is welcoming and a seasoned resturanteer!

Absolutely delicious!! We ate here by complete chance , we went out for our anniversary and were turned away from 4 restaurants (we forgot a reservation) but stumbled across Melange and were greeted and seated within seconds! Killer tacos, spring rolls and the steak dinner was to die for. Thank you for a great anniversary dinner

Great food! Fries particularly are amazing! Super accommodating staff and friendly. Thank you

The food was great! Ate here last week and had a good experience. Came back this week looking for dessert and drinks, excited to share the restaurant with friends. The owner was really rude to us and refused to serve us becuase we had eaten dinner elsewhere. I am disappointed because I really enjoyed it there last time, but I dont see myself going back after this interaction.

This is by far the best restaurant in Nanaimo. Everything was elegant, well prepared, with beautiful technique, and delicious. The cocktails were also an amazing discovery.

Some of the best food in Canada. Cant wait to go again and explore their menu. Thanks to the staff for a wonderful evening.

Food is not good. Too slow service

Amazing little place with outdoor tables, candles, and very flavorful food. Every time I go to small coastal towns, i try to find good fish (i am very picky about it and only eat fish a few times a year). This place delivered spectacularly. The fish is fresh and cooked to perfection. Fried polenta was the best i ever had. The vegetables were superb, especially the zucchini. And the touch of dill was amazing. Very happy I stopped by.

Food isnt up to its previous standard and service was so so.

Nice patio and very tasty food (had Cashew burger) with plenty of vegan options.

Wonderful appetizers, great mains, incredible wine and the best service weve had in Nanaimo.

Melange is a hidden gem at the top of Commercial Street! Excellent food & drinks, fantastic service & ambiance. The owner Gaetan has unparalleled knowledge of wines and always makes time to chat with guests. I love the weekend brunch menu!

First time. Meal was amazing from appys to the Surprise Dessert. I cant tell you how good it was.

This place deserves so much more praise! Were new to Nanaimo and we asked around at the best places for brunch and nearly everyone mentioned Gabriels. Gabriels is nice, but this place takes it to a whole nother level. I am going to recommend this place to all the real foodies that come to visit us. You guys deserve way more recognition! We had the Yuk and the chef absolutely delivered. Im not easy to impress with food but they served a delicious pork belly with a nice curry and beet sauce. OMG SO GOOD. Keep up the good work, we will definitely be back!

In Nanaimo for a fundraising event, we needed a late-lunch/early-dinner option near our hotel. So glad we found Melange. While we werent clear it was open for food service between rushes, a quick phone call cleared that up and we happily made our way in. Its in the old town with great street views, and a massive patio out front looks like itd be superb on summer afternoons and evenings! We sat inside and benefitted from friendly and attentive service, with much wit and charm. The decor is bistro-with-class, but the vibe is much more -- its bistro, gastro-pub, and neighbourhood charmer all in one. The cocktail menu is vast and our choices ended up being quite delicious. We also split a half of wine, chosen from a diverse and decently priced list. You can order small, medium or large glasses, and half-litres in addition to full bottles. Kudos to Melange for this approach, which makes so much sense! Food-wise, we opted to share a few small plates -- which included the squid, the daily taco, the beef rib, almost a caesar salad, and an order of the bread. All were generously portioned except the taco, at $8 each, and the rib - which at $17, was mostly fat, so worked out to about $4 per bite. Without fail, each dish was creative and very delicious, and clearly crafted, rather than thrown together. While the tacos were over-priced, they featured house-roasted (maybe even smoked?) pork and quality corn tortillas -- so perhaps at a dollar less, theyd have been about perfect for me. Or maybe Im just still shocked at the current state of inflation. The squid was, bar none, the best either of us had ever had -- and while Im not a big squid fan, it was undeniably delicious (and it was well-portioned!). We finished by sharing the third dessert, which was in our case a spice cake with caramel sauce and some vanilla ice cream -- all made in house, and all quite good. A note about the menu and food choices at Melange. Theres a cheekiness built in to the menu and service, and the website also reflects this (as do the responses to reviews here on Google). Fun, yes, but it can get in the way when its so heavy-handed, and heavy-handed it is. Thus I had to call to see if they were actually open for food at 3pm -- because we couldnt tell from the website. Thus we had to ask a lot of questions as we ordered. And thus we werent sure what we were getting for dessert, even though we asked for clarification. Im a foodie, and I love an adventure -- more than once Ive left my choices in the hands of the chef or the bartender. But I think Melange might be going a bit far on the cheeky wordings and the just trust us scale, which could be costing a few customers, ie those who arent inclined to leave things to chance, or who want a straightforward answer to a straightforward question. Maybe when the food is this good (and the drinks, for that matter) the owners dont have to care, and can just take customers who are hip with the sarcasm and take it or leave it approach. Thats an enviable position to be in. But I admit that while Im okay with the adventure, it limits my ability to refer other people to Melange, because I know many of them wont be okay with it. Otherwise, it was an incredible experience on an afternoon that might otherwise have just given us an unremarkable meal in a ho-hum unremarkable resto -- by choosing Melange, we got a remarkable, very good, creative meal and drinks, with the kind of sarcastic but wholly competent service we can appreciate.

Excellent dining and service with unique, well presented and extremely good food. The local ingredients, especially in the mains, is a nice touch. Vegetarian options: Vegan and GF options.

We stumbled on this place and are so glad we found it! Excellent service, and very interesting and unique dishes and cocktails is what I will remember about this place. I love that they support local producers and you can tell the ingredients are so fresh. We will definitely be back!

First time here and we love the restaurant. Everything was delicious. The place is beautiful and the staff were super nice. We will comeback for sure.

Highly recommend! They were fully booked for Valentine s Day so we dined 2 days before Our second time to Melange for dinner and was a real treat again. From the owner who greets and brings us out to the table to the very attentive staff who all come across as genuine and caring. The food is excellent. They even have my absolute favourite dish, surprise! It s actually called Yuk?! No matter what the occasion or cuisine I love asking for a surprise, chef or waiters choice. Only thing is I can t really ever complain haha. They honestly gave me no reason to. The dishes are excellent!! The drinks are top notch too. The atmosphere and location are nice as well Will be seeing you soon to try out Brunch! Thank you

Oysters Oysters Oysters!!!

The Gabriola Burger was one of the best burgers I ve ever eaten, and the fries? Could not stop! Seasoned with an explosion of flavour. Best brunch/lunch place in Nanaimo!

Has an interesting menu but somewhat not informative because some of was surprised which you don t what your getting which is fun but could be an issue if you have dietary issues because they don t tell when you ask what is. I think this place could be five stars but not telling the customers what is you get it is an odd choice because you might like and want to get it again.

Food, service and atmosphere was amazing! Definitely will be back!

Stopped in for some lunch and what a great experience! The food was unique, beautifully presented and delicious! A great selection of interesting dishes, really good wine selection, lovely patio and the interior is well done! We will be making it a destination place whenever we are in Nanaimo.

Everything I have ever gotten is 5 stars, even if its not to my taste! Highly recommend the Yuk, every time Ive ordered it, its been something I wouldnt normally order but loved! The bar is the true shining star though, every drink Ive ever ordered has been absolutely divine. These folks only use the highest quality ingredients, clearly treat their staff like people (expect casual, attentive and knowledgeable service), and run wild with creativity! Absolutely my number one recommendation for high end food in Nanaimo. Vegetarian options: Vegan options on every layer of their menu Dietary restrictions: Kitchen will adhere to almost any dietary requirements at request Wheelchair accessibility: Single floor restaurant with accessible tables throughout

Every time we go to Melange it is always a fantastic experience. From the service, to the food and the atmosphere, it is an incredible time. The owner, Gaetan, is the best restaurant owner Ive ever met and seen. From greeting you at the door to be seated, and then him coming around to check on every table is the greatest example of a restaurant owner who cares and loves what they do. Gaetan and his staff makes Melange a wonderful experience ever time. 12/10 favourite restaurant!

Went for brunch, our orders took an extended amount of time. When they did come my meal looked amazing! Unfortunately it slightly missed the mark on taste. I have heard great reviews of this place. Ill be back just to try out the dinner menu. Maybe we caught them on a bad day.

Edit: I am adding a star as I had a nice lunch here recently and appreciate the owner is no longer giving too much sass to critical reviews. Will be back soon! Very much enjoyed the food, but I found the interior of the restaurant left something to be desired in terms of design & atmosphere for a restaurant that is aiming for an upscale approach. The worst part I have now seen about this place is the sassy responses from the owner to all and any bad reviews. It reads as though a teenager is running the place.

Really great food and service!!

I recently hosted an holiday event here in the back room. Melange was so good to work with - they created a custom menu for our group and the food was delicious, generous portions and great value. Food restrictions were well accomodated. The communication with us was excellent for the planning and execution of the event. The service was really great. The space was well decorated and they allowed us to adapt it to our needs. Overall it was a wonderful evening and I would highly recommend hosting an event here.

We visited from bowen island and were honestly not originally planning on eating here, by chance our original restaurant was full. Truth be told this was a amazing dining experience, our server (Amanda) was beyond helpful and always attentive, and the food was on par with some of the top restaurants in Vancouver. We highly recommend dining here!

Great food and cocktails! Best in town!

Excellent eating experience. Food, service, and ambiance fantastic. Highly recommend this restaurant.

We are a quiet and reserved couple so the atmosphere was a little too loud and the attitude a bit too chummy for taste. That said, the food was excellent.

This is the second time we visited Melange. As usual the best restaurant and food in Downtown Nanaimo (BC). Restaurant is located right in the heart of Nanaimo Downtown. We were greeted by the owner and he walked us to our table. Mia was the waitress for our table. It was nice chatting with Mia. She had knowledge about cuisines around the world. She also told us the origin of the Kir Royale cocktail. The cocktail itself was interesting. I ordered an Old Fashioned and later a Whiskey Sour. Both the cocktails were up to the mark. We ordered Mumbai Street Food, Vegan Pasta, Vegan Lo Mein. Mumbai Street Food - One of the Best Bhel I have had outside Inside. Vegan Pasta - Brilliant flavors, beautiful texture of the Puttanesca. I loved it. Vegan Lo Mein - Was not a big fan only because there was a lot going on in the plate. I strongly think Carrots were redundant in the dish. I love the Ambience of the Restaurant. However, I suggest, in the far left dining area, please move the boxes of supplies to a storage room. They should not be visible to a customer. Overall, I strongly recommend trying out Melange. I am sure you will love it. Service: 10 (Mia needs a raise) Food: 9 Ambience: 9 Price: $$ Experience: 9

Good food, decent service, reasonably priced!

A real recommendation if you want to enjoy exceptional cuisine in Nanaimo. We enjoyed every bite. Very nice atmosphere and extremely friendly service.

Very interesting and imaginative menu. Be brave and try the mystery cocktail, we were not disappointed.

Fabulous experience all round. Food was delicious, stellar service. One happy birthday boy! Cant ask for more than that!

Our first date night in months and we couldnt have chosen a better spot! Jared was amazing, very friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about food and beverages.. He gave beautiful recommendations and excellent pairings for us. Ambience was lovely. The menu is exciting, its unique and there are ample opportunities for surprise, if youre an adventurous eater. The mussels were perfection and the fries were beyond.. Cannot recommend enough. Looking forward to coming back and trying the rest of the menu!

Located close to the water. Food was excellent and service was very attentive. We had the salmon and rib eye steak. Bothe served with succotash and local veg. Delicious!

On a double date night, Melange was a last resort because wed never tried it. Let me tell you, it was the best direction we were pushed in and would definitely go back. To start, I had ordered the soft taco. I was a little disappointed. The food was rather flavourless but the presentation was beautiful. I thought that this was going to set the mood for the whole evening. For a main, I ordered the Gabriola Beef Burger with fries. I hate beef burgers normally, but have come to order this on every menu. Mainly because beef is hard to season and easy to over cook. If I dont like the burger, I wont come back. The fries were very well seasoned. They were nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - cooked to perfection. The burger - WOW! Im the first to complain about the lack of sauce on a burger. This burger didnt have much sauce but it didnt need it, at all. The beef was well cooked and very well seasoned. I havent had a burger like that since Vegas! The desert - well, that was something else. Each mouthful tickled my taste buds. If youre looking for somewhere nice to go for dinner, this is a great choice!

A lovely place to eat . The food were really amazing and staff were really friendly. My boyfriend and I really love it there. We will be back

Great food all local and fresh delicious

Amazing food, I personally enjoy ordering the YUK and letting the kitchen do what they do best, make absolutely delicious food! Their Ramen is amazing too. Their curry sauce that goes with their black lime fries is addictive..

Update : 1 star for the pathetic owners response. Pretty overhyped. Overpriced for what was served. Came for lunch and had the Indian street food appy, Thai rice balls appy, raw oysters (way above market price), seared Tuna, the French rice dish with duck, and the best thing we had was the one we let the kitchen make up on the fly. I think its good for a small town, but hard not to compare to places like Mackenzie Room in Vancouver. Service staff just wore mouth guards, not masks. Would not recommend.

So good! Just enough humor to remind me not to tale myself so seriously. Food was excellent... absolutely superb. Brilliant Westcoast Salish art on the walls. Slightly smaller portion sizes, but priced fairly and those flavors easily make up for it. It just means you cam have more! Topped off with a lovely server who was professional yet friendly... well, it was worth the wait. I wont wait long to go back though!