BAY OF QUINTE SHOPPING GUIDE
A Day of Shopping in Belleville
Belleville is the kind of place where you can spend the morning wandering historic Front Street, ducking into independent boutiques and vintage shops, then keep going until you’ve filled the trunk.
Start with coffee, browse the downtown shops, hunt for something wonderfully weird, pick up a gift, discover a local maker and stop for something delicious along the way. Then, if you’re still not ready to call it a day, head north for even more shopping at Quinte Mall.
The best part? Belleville gives you options. You can shop small, shop local, hunt for vintage or go full retail therapy.
Read time: 3 min
AT A GLANCE
DURATION
Full Day
WHERE
Downtown Belleville + nearby shopping stops
BEST FOR
Boutique shoppers, vintage hunters, food lovers, gift hunters, and fashion fans
BEST TIME
Year-round, with seasonal markets and special shopping events.
First, there's coffee
Ease into the day with a coffee before you start browsing.
Benji’s Coffee Bar
Start your Belleville shopping day with a coffee at Benji’s Coffee Bar, tucked into the historic Scale House at 29 Market Street.
What began as a summer pop-up became a permanent downtown favourite, serving specialty coffee, creative drinks and baked goods from a wonderfully characterful little space.
And you’re starting in exactly the right place.
Benji’s was the first business to open as part of the transformation of Belleville’s former Memorial Arena, helping kick off what is now Memorial Market Place — a growing downtown hub for independent businesses, makers, food and shopping.
Good for: Coffee, breakfast, a slow start and getting your bearings.
Start Shopping at Memorial Market Place
Once you’ve had your caffeine fix, walk over and start browsing. The former Memorial Arena has been given a whole new life as Memorial Market Place, bringing more than 15,000 square feet of retail, food, services and creative businesses into the heart of downtown.
LOFT & Co.
Fashion-forward but easygoing, LOFT & Co. is a contemporary women’s clothing boutique offering clothing, shoes, hats, jewellery and accessories in a range of styles and sizes.
Look for brands including Free People, Mica Denim, Thread & Supply, Salt Water Luxe and Zenana, alongside Canadian and international labels. The boutique focuses on comfortable, everyday pieces with a little something extra, with sizes ranging from petite through curvy.
Good for: Women’s fashion, accessories and finding something new to wear.
The Kiln Ceramics Studio
Pick a piece of pottery, choose your colours and make something of your own at The Kiln. Your finished creation is fired and becomes a one-of-a-kind Belleville souvenir.
Good for: Families, creative types, rainy days and souvenirs you actually made yourself.
Cracked Glass Design
Browse beautiful stained-glass work or get hands-on at Cracked Glass Design, a working studio offering workshops, supplies, custom work and repairs.
Good for: Art lovers, makers, creative experiences and unique gifts.
The Salon
Need a little retail therapy of the beauty variety? The Salon brings hair, beauty and personal care into the Memorial Market Place mix.
Good for: Beauty, self-care and a little pre- or post-shopping pampering.
Cross the street to the Farmers’ Market
If you’re shopping on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, make this your next stop. It’s literally across Market Street in Market Square.
Belleville Farmers’ Market
The Belleville Farmers’ Market has been part of the city’s downtown life for generations, with local farmers, food producers and makers bringing everything from fresh produce and baked goods to handmade goods and seasonal finds.
Good for: Local food, seasonal finds, gifts and market-day atmosphere.
Shop the downtown district
The Downtown District is made for wandering, with independent shops clustered along Front Street, Bridge Street and the surrounding blocks. You can find women’s fashion, menswear, jewellery, gifts, home décor and plenty of things you didn’t know you needed until you saw them.
Miss Priss
Looking for something to wear? Start at Miss Priss, an independent women’s boutique on Front Street known for curated clothing, accessories and personal service.
It’s the kind of place where a quick browse can turn into a completely new outfit.
Miss Priss was named Belleville’s Best Women’s Clothing Store in the latest published Best of the Bay results.
Good for: Women’s fashion, accessories and finding something a little different.
That Special Touch
Another downtown favourite for women’s fashion, That Special Touch brings together clothing, jewellery and accessories in a boutique setting.
It’s a good stop when you want something polished without wandering through a sea of chain stores.
Good for: Women’s clothing, jewellery and accessories.
Lafferty’s Menswear
Shopping for him? Lafferty’s has been part of downtown Belleville’s retail scene for decades, offering menswear, formalwear and tailoring.
It’s a good reminder that shopping local doesn’t have to mean sacrificing selection — or a proper fit.
Lafferty’s was named Belleville’s Best Men’s Clothing Store in the latest published Best of the Bay results.
Good for: Men’s clothing, suits, tailoring and classic style.
Park Provisioners & Haberdashery
For men’s clothing with a little more personality, stop at Park Provisioners.
Part barber shop, part haberdashery, it’s a place for classic men’s goods, accessories and grooming — with plenty of character thrown in.
Good for: Men’s accessories, gifts, grooming and old-school style.
Find Something You Didn't Know You Needed
Some of the best shopping stops are the ones you didn’t put on the list.
Cookie Jar
A shopping day needs provisions. Cookie Jar is a boutique bakery in downtown Belleville creating beautifully decorated cakes, cupcakes, cookies, macarons, cheesecakes and other seriously tempting treats.
Pop in for something sweet to take along as you keep exploring Front Street, or order one of their custom creations for a birthday, wedding or special occasion. The macarons and decorated sugar cookies also make pretty excellent edible souvenirs.
Good for: Sweet treats, edible souvenirs, macarons, custom cakes and a little reward for making it through all that shopping.
The Tinkered Decor and More Store
Step into The Tinkered Decor and More Store for a curated mix of gifts, home décor, handmade goods, vintage and upcycled finds.
It’s exactly the sort of shop where you go in looking for one thing and leave wondering where you’re going to put the other three.
The Tinkered Decor and More Store was named Belleville’s Best Gift Shop in the 2025 Best of the Bay results.
Good for: Gifts, home décor, vintage finds and one-of-a-kind pieces.
Happy Buddha Health, Wellness & Gifts
For something a little more eclectic, wander into Happy Buddha for home and garden décor, candles, wellness products, gifts and other little treasures.
This is a good stop for the person who is notoriously difficult to shop for.
Good for: Gifts, wellness, candles, décor and little luxuries.
Doki Doki
For something completely different, head to Doki Doki on Front Street.
This specialty shop is packed with anime, Japanese, Korean and Chinese pop-culture goods, collectibles, trading cards, plushies and hobby finds.
You may not know exactly what you’re looking for. That’s kind of the point.
Good for: Anime fans, collectors, gamers, pop-culture gifts and curious browsers.
Obi's Kitchen
Looking for a souvenir you can actually eat? Obi’s Kitchen is a small downtown specialty food shop packed with big flavours. Browse shelves of hot sauces, BBQ sauces, rubs, marinades, jams, jellies, dips and other hard-to-find pantry goodies, with more than 95% of the products made in Canada and some made right here in the Bay of Quinte region.
It’s the kind of place where you go in looking for one thing and leave with three more — especially if you like discovering small-batch Canadian makers.
And keep an eye out for Dooher’s Doughnuts, available at Obi’s on Fridays and Saturdays.
Good for: Foodies, BBQ fans, hot-sauce lovers, edible souvenirs and finding something you didn’t know you needed.
Good Food. Good Finds. Good Company.
Some shops are worth visiting for more than what’s on the menu. Good Company is a neighbourhood food shop with a creative little twist. Local chef Matt DeMille brings his kitchen experience to a rotating selection of chef-made sandwiches, house-made sauces, salads, pantry staples and prepared meals.
But don’t stop at the food. At the front of the shop, Erin DeMille curates a thoughtful collection of handmade ceramics and beautiful soft goods, making this a lovely place to discover something unexpected while you’re picking up lunch. It’s part gourmet food shop, part design-minded retail nook — and a very good reason to wander into this stretch of Front Street.
Good Company Food Shop
Stop in for chef-made sandwiches and specialty pantry goods, then browse Erin’s collection of handmade ceramics and beautifully curated gifts ideas. A delicious little downtown discovery.
Good for: Chef-made sandwiches, specialty pantry finds, handmade ceramics, thoughtful gifts and a little inspiration for home.
Go Vintage
Belleville is particularly good at the art of the secondhand find.
Boretski Gallery
Boretski Gallery is part vintage shop, part gallery and part treasure hunt, with vintage clothing, jewellery, accessories, décor and antique pieces in a beautifully restored downtown setting.
This is the stop for anyone who likes their shopping with a little history attached.
Good for: Vintage fashion, jewellery, antiques and one-of-a-kind finds.
Funk & Gruven A–Z
If your idea of shopping involves bringing home a piece of furniture with a story, make time for Funk & Gruven A–Z.
This downtown antique and vintage shop specializes in furniture, mid-century pieces, art, décor and the kind of objects that make you wonder who owned them before you.
Good for: Vintage furniture, mid-century finds, antiques and home décor.
Explore our guide to Vintage, Antique & Thrift Shopping in the Bay of Quinte.
Time for Lunch, but Make it French
You’ve worked up an appetite. Take a break at L’Auberge de France for a leisurely lunch in the heart of downtown, then keep exploring Front Street — there are nearly 200 shops, restaurants and services packed into the Downtown District, so there’s plenty more to discover.
Prefer to stay close to where you started? Memorial Market Place has food options too, making it an easy place to grab a bite without straying far from the shops. Then head back out and keep exploring — because there’s always room for one more find.
If French bistro fare isn’t calling your name, downtown has plenty of other options within an easy walk, including Ukrainian and Eastern European fare at The Kafana, Vietnamese at Pho Blue Basil, or scratch-made dishes and a lively atmosphere at Capers.
L'Auberge de France
L’Auberge de France is a little slice of France tucked into downtown Belleville. This charming French bistro, café, patisserie and gourmet shop feels a world away from your typical shopping-day pit stop, with a warm, European atmosphere and a tempting display of French pastries, breads and specialty foods.
Good for: A leisurely lunch, French pastries, coffee and a little gourmet shopping.
Pick Up Something Made in Belleville
Before you head home, leave a little room for something local.
Donini Chocolate Factory
Make a stop at Donini Chocolate for an edible souvenir made right here in Belleville.
This family business has been making chocolate for generations, with everything from bars and bark to truffles, gift boxes and chocolate-covered treats.
It’s a particularly good stop if your definition of a souvenir is “something I can eat on the drive home.”
Good for: Chocolate lovers, gifts, sweet treats and edible souvenirs.
Make a Detour to Taste of Country
Just when you think you’ve finished shopping, make a detour to this “it’s got everything” shop.
Taste of Country
Housed in a beautifully restored 1830s stone house just north of the 401, this long-time Belleville favourite is part specialty food shop, part bakery and part country gift store.
Browse the freezers for everything from frozen fruits and vegetables to prepared foods, seafood and Ontario meats, then wander through the shelves for sauces, preserves, maple syrup, cheese and other specialty goodies. There’s also a bakery, a café and a rotating collection of gifts, home décor and seasonal finds.
Good for: Specialty foods, baked goods, edible souvenirs, gifts, home décor and a wonderfully old-school country-store browse.
Want the Big-Brand Fix?
If your shopping list includes familiar brands, big-box favourites or a little more retail therapy, Quinte Mall has you covered.
Quinte Mall
With more than 125 stores and services, there’s plenty to browse — including Roots, Sephora, Old Navy, Winners, HomeSense, Sport Chek, GAP Factory and more. It’s also home to Cineplex, so you can easily turn a shopping stop into an afternoon out.
Think of it as the other side of Belleville shopping: downtown for the discoveries, Quinte Mall for the brands you already know and love.
Good for: Big-name brands, fashion, beauty, home goods, family shopping, rainy days and when your “quick shopping trip” has somehow become an afternoon.
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