A Bar So Good, They Named It After the Town
- Ginger North
- Apr 10
- 6 min read
#30CanadianFoods: The no-bake dessert you can't get enough of!
Every province has its crown jewel. Alberta’s got beef. Newfoundland’s got toutons. And British Columbia? Oh, it brought dessert to the national potluck with the iconic Nanaimo bar.
Named after the harbour city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, this no-bake beauty is a three-layer treat of crumbly coconut-graham base, dreamy custard buttercream, and a snappy chocolate top. It’s the kind of dessert that makes you want to eat one square, then ten more squares, then pretend you didn’t.
If you’ve never had one, today’s your day. If you have, today’s your excuse to make them again.
Before we go any further—new here? You can catch up on why we started the #30CanadianFoods challenge in this post or explore all the provinces and foods we’ve featured so far. We promise it’s tasty reading.
Beautiful British Columbia: Where Mountains, Markets & Moss Meet
B.C. is the kind of province that makes you think, is this even real? With lush rainforests, jagged mountains, ocean spray, and some of the best sushi this side of Japan, it’s no wonder people fall hard for it.
A few fun facts:
It’s home to Canada’s mildest climate (sorry, Winnipeg).
Vancouver has more food trucks per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
The Okanagan grows over 75% of B.C.’s tree fruits, and yes, that includes peaches so juicy they should come with a bib.
B.C. is also home to the Pacific temperate rainforest—one of the largest temperate rainforests in the world. So if you like trees, moss, or pretending you're in Twilight (no judgment), this place delivers.
Grounded in Tradition: Honouring First Nations in B.C.
British Columbia is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of over 200 distinct First Nations. That’s not a typo—over 200. Each with unique languages, histories, and cultural practices that have existed here long before the idea of “Canada” ever did.
If you’re lucky enough to visit, look for ways to connect meaningfully:
Talaysay Tours in Vancouver offers Indigenous-led walking tours that explore local history through a First Nations lens. Their motto? "Our stories. Our land. Our people."
The U'mista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay is home to stunning collections of Potlatch regalia and offers a powerful window into Kwakwaka’wakw traditions.
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler is immersive and moving—beautiful storytelling and strong coffee included.
Learning directly from First Nations communities is one small but meaningful way we show respect, fight ignorance, and make better choices as Canadians. And let’s be honest: that’s way more impactful than a performative land acknowledgement.
Featured Indigenous Businesses
If you can’t get to these experiences first hand, you can support Indigenous businesses at Shop First Nations. Headquartered in B.C., this site was created to give people an easy way to connect with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis businesses across Canada
If You Visit B.C., You Gotta…
1. Explore the Gulf Islands
Think coastal charm dialled up to eleven. Salt Spring Island has lavender fields, cheese farms, and artist studios. Pender Island has hidden beaches. Every island has its own vibe, and all of them are postcard-pretty.
2. Hike the Joffre Lakes Trail
Near Pemberton, this moderately challenging hike rewards you with jaw-dropping turquoise lakes that look like someone cranked the saturation up too high. Bonus: you’ll feel like a hiking influencer with half the effort.
3. Sip and wander in the Cowichan Valley
Often called "Canada’s Provence," this valley on Vancouver Island is packed with vineyards, cideries, and farm-to-table cafés. It’s lowkey and lovely—and less crowded than the Okanagan.
Local Food Gems Worth the Fork
🐟 Go Fish Ocean Emporium (Vancouver)
Right by Fisherman’s Wharf, this shack serves up sustainably caught seafood with a West Coast twist. The halibut tacones (yes, that’s a real thing) are a revelation. Friendly staff, killer views, and everything tastes like the ocean whispered its secrets into the seasoning.
🥦 Nourish Kitchen & Café (Victoria)
This whimsical spot in a heritage house serves up seasonal eats with a wellness twist. Think turmeric lattes and beet benny on sourdough. Everything is locally sourced, beautifully plated, and feels like it’s healing your inner child and your gut flora.
🍜 Harvest Community Foods (Vancouver)
Part grocery, part noodle bar, this Chinatown gem is all about local, sustainable ingredients and serious comfort food. Their ramen is legendary—especially the pork shoulder with candied bacon. Plus, they stock local pantry goods like small-batch pickles and handmade sauces, so you can take a little B.C. home with you. It’s the kind of place that feels like a community hug.
🥟 The Wheelhouse (Prince Rupert)
Tucked away in the misty coastal town of Prince Rupert, The Wheelhouse is a small but mighty brewery with serious B.C. soul. They serve up craft beer brewed on-site—often using locally foraged ingredients—and you can usually find a food truck parked nearby dishing up fish tacos or bannock burgers. It's cozy, quirky, and absolutely worth the detour. Bonus: it’s right by the harbour, so you can sip a kelp stout while watching bald eagles fly over fishing boats. Doesn’t get more West Coast than that.
📦 Can’t Visit? Order a Taste of B.C. Online
🍫 RockCoast Confections – rockcoast.ca
Based in Sidney, B.C., they make small-batch chocolate bark, sea-salted caramels, and hand-cut nougat. Their Salted Chocolate Espresso Bark is dangerously snackable and ships across Canada.
🍯 Twin Sisters Native Plants & Goods – twinsisters.ca
Indigenous-owned and located in northeastern B.C., they sell wild-harvested teas, salves, and infused honey. It’s thoughtful, healing stuff—perfect for gift-giving or treating yourself.
🧂 Salt Spring Sea Salt – saltspringseasalt.com
Award-winning fleur de sel made from Vancouver Island seawater. Their lemon-ginger flavour makes plain rice taste fancy. Orders ship coast to coast.
Not Edible, But Absolutely Delicious
🎁 Birch Hill Studio – birchhillstudio.com
Okay, so they don’t sell food (although they have some sweet snacks)—but they do feed your soul. Birch Hill Studio is a Métis- and woman-owned “curated gift and lifestyle and tourism boutique”. In their Okanagan-based shop (and online), you can find fashion, art, and gifts selected with a huge side of heart. Whether you're after a cozy Canadianmade sweatshirt, a candle that smells like a forest spell, or curated seasonal boxes to explore new products, this place is packed with pieces that make a statement Bonus: they ship Canada-wide, so you can shop with purpose from wherever you are.
🍫 The Nanaimo Bar: A Canadian Classic
This no-bake dessert has a bit of a mystery about its origin, but the first known recipe appeared in a 1952 Nanaimo hospital cookbook. It’s won baking contests, spawned spinoffs (pumpkin, mint, peanut butter), and even landed in The New York Times.
Here’s our go-to version, adapted from the City of Nanaimo’s official recipe. This one’s as close to the real deal as it gets.
Nanaimo Bars
Makes: 16 squares
Prep time: 30 mins
Chill time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Base Layer:
½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
1¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Custard Layer:
½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 tbsp vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
Top Layer:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Directions
Base:
Combine butter, sugar, and cocoa in a bowl over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Whisk in the egg until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and walnuts. Press into a greased 8x8-inch pan. Chill.
Custard layer:
Cream butter, custard powder, icing sugar, and milk until light and fluffy. Spread over base. Chill again.
Top:
Melt chocolate and butter together until smooth. Cool slightly, then spread gently over the custard layer. Chill until firm, then cut with a hot knife.
Final Crumbs
There’s something kind of wonderful about baking a slice of B.C. and sharing it with your people. Nanaimo bars are messy, rich, and unapologetically extra—just like the province they came from.
If you do try the recipe, let us know how it turned out on BlueSky. And if you can swing it, treat yourself to something delicious from the featured B.C. businesses. You deserve good things made by good people.
Stick around—next stop: the territories!
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