History of the Nanaimo Bar: From 1950s Kitchen to Modern Craze

Nanaimo bars are not just a tasty treat – they’re a Canadian dessert icon with a story as rich and layered as the bar itself. On the surface it looks like a fancy fudge, but dig in and you’ll find a coconut-graham crumb base, a vanilla custard middle, and a chocolate top. This no-bake bar dessert, named for Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, BC, dates back to the 1950s and has since captured the sweet tooth of the nation. Today, travelers and foodies flock to Vancouver Island not only for its scenery but also to sample the best Nanaimo bars – from classic bakery versions to bold new twists.

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From the very first bite, the Nanaimo Bar’s layers reveal why it’s become a beloved treat. It famously requires no oven time – just press the chocolate-coconut base, whisk up a buttery custard icing, and pour on melted chocolate. (Some purists insist that only Bird’s Custard Powder – once a British Empire staple – gives the authentic yellow filling.) Whether enjoyed with morning coffee or as an after-dinner dessert, the Nanaimo Bar dessert is rich, sweet, and utterly Canadian.

The Sweet Origin Story

Believe it or not, the exact origin of the Nanaimo Bar is a mystery wrapped in chocolate (or so locals will tell you). What we do know is that the earliest confirmed recipes date to the early 1950s on Vancouver Island. In 1952 a Nanaimo Women’s Auxiliary cookbook printed a “Chocolate Square” recipe (with the same three layers) – the first known printed precursor to today’s bar. A year later, Vancouver newspaper editor Edith Adams published the recipe under the name “Nanaimo Bar”. (Prior to that it went by names like “London Fog Bar” and “smog bar” in various home cookbooks.) By the late 1950s the Nanaimo Bar had become part of local lore and even appeared in community cookbooks in Nanaimo itself.
The City of Nanaimo leans into this legend today, coyly noting that if the treat hadn’t been invented there, it might as well have been called the “New York Bar” or “New Brunswick Bar”. Many of the very first original recipes are still on display in Nanaimo’s local museum – a testament to the bars’ hometown pride. In fact, city records recall that in 1986 Mayor Graeme Roberts launched a town-wide contest to find Nanaimo’s ultimate bar recipe. Over 100 entries poured in, and Joyce Hardcastle’s creation was unanimously declared the official Nanaimo Bar recipe. (That recipe – passed down through local bakers – is still published on the city’s website, and many cafes stick close to it.)
Over the years there have been whispers of even earlier roots: some claim coal miners took “chocolate fridge cake” bars to work in the 1930s, or that traveling sailors carried something similar across oceans. While the true origin story may never be fully proved, one thing is clear: Nanaimo put this dessert on the map, and Canadians wouldn’t have it any other way.

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A Canadian Dessert Icon

What started as a regional recipe soon became a point of national pride. By the 1970s and 80s, Nanaimo Bars were popping up at every BC ferry terminal, in deli cases across Vancouver Island, and eventually in kitchens country-wide. When Expo ’86 brought the world to Vancouver, the Nanaimo Bar was showcased as a classic Canadian confection – and suddenly “the best Nanaimo Bar” was a quest for visitors everywhere. In 1987 Canada Post even featured a Nanaimo Bar on a commemorative stamp for its “Sweet Canada” dessert series (though the stamp’s modern twist sparked lively debate among purists!). And in 2016 Nanaimo Bars took centre stage at a Washington, D.C. state dinner honoring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, served alongside other Canadian specialties on plates inspired by the Rockies.
Back on Vancouver Island, the Nanaimo Bar craze continues to grow. In fact, in May 2025 students at Vancouver Island University created a record-breaking 70-foot (21 m) Nanaimo Bar that weighed over 1,200 pounds (544 kg)– drawing thousands of local residents to watch it unwrapped and taste history. The mayor of Nanaimo proudly declared May 17 “Nanaimo Bar Day” during the celebration, cheekily noting, “It is not the Victoria bar, it is not the Saskatoon bar… it is the Nanaimo bar”. Through cookbooks, TV shows (even a MasterChef Canada challenge), and endless Instagram photos, the Nanaimo Bar has cemented itself as Canada’s own favorite sweet.

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Delicious Variations and Vegan Treats

Although the classic three-layer Nanaimo Bar is always a hit, creative chefs have dreamed up endless variations – making it fun to try new flavours on the island. You’ll find peanut-butter Nanaimo Bars, salted caramel and maple-bacon versions that add new twists to the base recipe. Some bakeries even serve Nanaimo Bar-inspired cakes, martinis or cupcakes! On Gabriola Island, Smokin’ George’s famously alternates maple-bacon topped bars with dulce-de-leche bars, while Bocca Cafe on Fitzwilliam Street offers salted caramel and gluten-free Nanaimo Bars alongside the traditional square. (One local travel blogger praised Bocca’s take, calling it one of the most irresistible bars she’d tried.)
For special diets, Nanaimo Bars are far from off-limits. Health-conscious shops on the trail offer organic, vegan and gluten-free versions of the dessert. For example, White Rabbit Coffee Co. in downtown Nanaimo has a vegan-and-gluten-free bar, and Mon Petit Choux (a French bakery) serves wheat-free Nanaimo squares. Even a nut-free (almond-free) recipe is available at Nellie’s European Deli. Whether you’re dairy-free, plant-based or just adventurous, there’s a Nanaimo Bar made just for you.
At the heart of every variation is the same satisfying structure: a crunchy coconut-graham base, a buttery yellow-custard layer, and a chocolate shell. (Hardcore purists insist the filling must be made with Bird’s Custard Powder to be authentic.) But modern bakers have embraced customization. The result? Bars drizzled with Nutella, topped with espresso beans, or stuffed between layers of cheesecake. Some even go fully extreme – yes, you read that right, there are deep-fried Nanaimo Bars at local food shacks! Every bite shows the island’s creative spirit: no two Nanaimo Bars have to be exactly the same.

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Where to Indulge on Vancouver Island

Finding great Nanaimo Bars is almost as much fun as eating them. Vancouver Island has so many hotspots that Tourism Nanaimo even created a Nanaimo Bar Trail: a self-guided tour through dozens of cafés and bakeries each offering their take on the classic bar. Many travelers start in Nanaimo itself – after all, it’s the birthplace! – where you can compare sixteen+ spots in one afternoon if you’re on a mission.
Top stops include:

A Wee Cupcakery (Nanaimo Old City Quarter)

Famous for its Nanaimo Bar cupcake and other sweets

Serious Coffee (Nanaimo)

The local coffee chain (with shops downtown and at Northfield) serves the classic bar alongside a great dark roast

Bocca Cafe (Nanaimo Old City Quarter)

A cozy cafe known for gluten-free and salted-caramel Nanaimo Bars

Hearthstone Artisan Bakery (Lantzville/Nanaimo)

An upscale bakery (wood-fired pizzas too) whose custard-bar was described as “just right,” and who also makes a peanut-butter variant

Red’s Bakery (Nanaimo Downtown)

A classic spot with traditional bars and a popular peanut-butter version

Nellie’s European Deli (Nanaimo Rock City)

Offering gluten- and nut-free Nanaimo Bars for those with allergies

These are just a few examples; the full list includes old favorites and quirky new takes (even Nanaimo Bar ice cream and cocktails). Even travelers passing through on a ferry or road trip can’t miss them: many coffee shops across the Island carry bars, and BC Ferries gift shops often sell Nanaimo Bars or mixes to take home. As one visitor quipped, “These bars are everywhere you look – and in good ways!”.
Beyond Nanaimo city, you’ll find locals devouring them too. In Victoria, the Dutch Bakery and Ruth & Dean are often praised for their versions, and in small towns like Parksville or Tofino you’ll usually find a café special called a “Nanaimo Bar cheesecake” or similar. Essentially, ask for a Nanaimo Bar anywhere on Vancouver Island and you’ll likely get a smile – it’s that well-known here. Locals even joke that “if you don’t think it came from Nanaimo, it’s not a real Nanaimo Bar!”.

Join the Nanaimo Bar Craze!

Whether you call it a Nanaimo Bar or a chocolate-square, there’s no denying this dessert’s charm. Next time you’re exploring Vancouver Island – from the laid-back ferry ride to Nanaimo, to enjoying a forest trail near Cumberland – plan a culinary side-trip for Nanaimo Bars. Make it part of your food-tourism itinerary: follow the Nanaimo Bar Trail brochure from the Visitor Centre, pop into a local café for a taste, and compare who really makes the best ever Nanaimo Bar in town. It’s a delicious adventure that every international and Canadian traveller can enjoy.
So book your trip, bring your sweet tooth, and taste a piece of history. After all, as Nanaimo’s mayor declared at the 2025 record bar unveiling, “it’s only right and proper” that we celebrate our famous dessert. Share your own Nanaimo Bar moment, and you’ll understand why this creamy, chocolatey treat has become Canada’s favourite confection.
Craving more travel tips? Don’t forget to explore other Vancouver Island specialties and hidden gems, and remember – life’s sweeter with a Nanaimo Bar in hand.

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