Fabulous Food & Drink in Trent Hills

Get your taste buds ready. You can find outstanding food and drink in Trent Hills. Here are some eateries, bakeries, breweries, specialty food shops, and local markets to visit, sorted by community. 

Here’s a Google Map so you can see everything in one place as part of the Trent Hills Flavour Trail.

Campbellford

Campbellford Farmers’ Market

Take a look around the bustling Campbellford Farmers’ Market, open Saturdays, 8 am  to noon, May to late October. You can find local honey, jams and maple syrup, locally-grown vegetables and fresh fruits, as well as locally-raised meats. Plus lots of local, fresh baking (pies and butter tarts anyone?), and artisan crafts and wares. Did we mention local? Check updates here.    

Church-Key Brewing

Sit on the porch of a former 1878 Methodist church and raise a pint. Church-Key Brewing, a microbrewery just north of Campbellford, is a memorable spot – and not just because you can see local hops brewing under church rafters. It offers up some fantastic, award-winning craft beer. Church-Key is also known for using energy-saving brew technologies. Be sure to check brewery hours before you go.

Dooher’s Bakery

You need to visit Dooher’s Bakery (in Campbellford since 1956) in order to say you’ve really been to Trent Hills. Get there early if you can. On Saturdays, you’ll see locals and visitors lined up to get Dooher’s fresh donuts – they actually make 5,000 donuts before noon. Dooher’s extra-puffy, cream-filled and icing-sugar-sprinkled donuts are a total treat. Or take home some gooey Chelsea buns (just warm out of the oven). We suggest you order ahead online. (Closed Sundays and Mondays.) 

Empire Cheese and Butter Co-op

Taste the slightly salty, fresh, warm cheese curd made here every day, except Sunday. In fact, this local curd is so fresh, you can get that satisfying “squeak” when you chew it. Plus, Empire Cheese and Butter Co-op has over 50 kinds of cheese to choose from. You can make up your mind when there, or order ahead. Their cheddars, goudas and specialty varieties like caraway, cranberry and dill are all yummy. Owned by local dairy farmers, this co-op first started up in the late 1870s and became the first cheese manufacturing plant east of Toronto. Find shop hours here.

Fogorig Brewing

Cheese with a chaser of great craft beer? You’ll find Fogorig Brewing just a short drive up County Rd. 8 from Empire Cheese. With a historic mill (c. 1834) on this farm property – and a stunning hilltop view from which to sip and savour – this is another must-stop micro-brewery. Taste a craft-made IPA, session ale, lager, pilsner or sour – or go for a tasting sampler. Sunsets are included. Check hours of operation here. 

World’s Finest® Chocolate Factory Outlet Store

Craving sweets in bulk? You’ll want to head to the World’s Finest Chocolate Factory Outlet. You can seal any sweet deals here, since this fun outlet is just minutes away from Dooher’s Bakery. You’ll discover barrels of premium, factory seconds and bulk chocolate – including chocolate covered almonds and pecans – but also World’s Finest Mint Meltaways, Caramel Whirls, Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate Bars. Check outlet hours here.

Hastings

Bridgewater Café and Pizza

Order a fully-loaded jumbo pizza at Bridgewater Café and Pizza. Make it to go, for a picnic near Lock 18 on the Trent-Severn Waterway. (The Bridgewater’s pizza sizes start at large, and go up from there.) Plump wings, house-made sandwiches, daily soups, hot drinks and desserts are also on the menu. Order their Lock 18 Butter Tart (with rich, flaky pastry and gooey, pecan goodness), or try a cinnamon bun (generous on the icing). These tasty treats offer lots to share, but are delicious enough to tackle alone. Check Bridgewater’s hours here. 

Focal Brewing Co. 

You’ll find Focal Brewing Co. just outside of Hastings, on a nice piece of farmland with lots of open picnic tables and a welcoming taproom. Focal – named for its “focus on being local” – has a handle on crafting quality beer in small batches. Try their Dooher’s Pastry Stout, made with local Dooher’s donuts in their original recipe – or sample any one of the eight beers on tap. Come for one of their Trivia nights, designed so everybody at the table can sip and have fun. 

MoreRoses Apiaries and Honey

Lavender or creamed cinnamon honey? MoreRoses Apiaries and Honey creates premium honey sourced from more than 150 beehives across the region. MoreRoses won the title of “Reserve Grand Champion Liquid Honey” at the 2021 Royal Winter Fair. And if you want to see where this artisanal, unpasteurized honey comes from, you can book a tour with beekeepers Linda and Ron. Their honey stand is open 7 days a week.

Warkworth

Campbell’s Honey House

You’ll find raw, unpasteurized local honey at Campbell’s Honey House. Did you know that unpasteurized honey is known to provide the most nutrients so you can feel good eating this deliciously natural sweetener. Varieties of honey harvested here include fall wildflowers, summer wildflowers, buckwheat and loosestrife honey. As an option, you can bring your own containers to fill, and be charged by the pound. Campbell’s is usually open Fridays and Saturdays in the summer, but contact Leslie on facebook for hours.

Centre & Main Chocolate Co.

Stop into Centre & Main Chocolate Co. – an absolute treat for the chocolate connoisseur. Chocolatier Angela Roest combines the flavours of Northumberland County with the finest, ethically-sourced chocolate from around the world. The result: an award-winning gourmet chocolate bar infused with ingredients like Popham Lane Farm blackcurrants, maple from Sandy Flat Sugar Bush and chioggia beets from Art Farm Produce. That’s just the beginning – indulge in plenty of other fusion flavours and local treasures at the shop or online. Check store hours here. 

Glover’s Farm Market

Give yourself a great country store experience stopping at Glover’s Farm Market, about 5 minutes east of the village of Warkworth. You’ll find local produce in season, plus homemade fruit pies, chicken pot pies, beef pot pies, tourtieres and butter tarts. Glovers carries local cheeses, and is also proud of the quality of their locally-raised meats. Check store hours here. 

Market at the Mews

Head into Warkworth on a Saturday morning (10 am to 1 pm, late May to October) and you’ll discover a real delight – the Market at the Mews. Outdoors, right near The Village Pantry on Main St., you can sip on a fresh-brewed java (there’s a great selection at K Okay Café & Roasters) and take a look at all the goodies at this home-grown market. Take in the friendly atmosphere. See handmade wares. Talk to local artisans. Buy fresh flowers, produce, meats, or other local specialties. Check for market updates here. 

K Okay Café & Roasters (Our Lucky Stars Cafe)

Stop in for a raspberry white chocolate scone and fresh espresso made with fair trade organic beans at K Okay Café & Roasters. Located on the main street of Warkworth, this charming café roasts its beans in house, sourced from around the world. The staff are committed to serving “from scratch” natural baked goods, soups, quiches, salads and sandwiches. Where possible, ingredients are from local growers and producers, meaning you get delicious, sustainable food. Check café hours here. 

Pizza by the Bakery

Taste the difference local, fresh ingredients can make at Pizza by the Bakery in Warkworth. The pizza is New York style (so you get to enjoy a large, hand-tossed thin crust). It’s topped with your favorite, build-your-own combination, and then stone-baked. On the sweet side, you can choose from fresh, hand-rolled pastries like scones or butter tarts baked daily – or the specialty loaves baked weekly. Check hours here. 

Robin’s Nest Farm

Make an appointment ahead of time to visit Robin’s Nest Farm to see how this family’s farm practices produce high-quality beef, chicken and pork. The focus of Robin’s Nest Farm is to offer responsibly-raised meat products. You can select from their menu of pre-made freezer packages, make a custom package, or purchase individual items.  Review order pricing and contact info here. 

Sandy Flat Sugar Bush

If it’s early spring (or even March Break), make Sandy Flat Sugar Bush a family destination. You’ll find prime, Canadian maple syrup to take home. Look into the timing of the Warkworth Maple Syrup Festival hosted at Sandy Flat. When it's on, you can see the trees being tapped, taste warm pancakes topped with fresh syrup, and try your luck at maple taffy making. Sandy Flat also makes maple candies and other maple-inspired treats. The sugar bush is typically open 9 am-3 pm, early March to late April. Call ahead to ask about maple syrup pick-ups in the other months – (705) 924-2057. 

The Village Pantry 

Treat yourself to a quick trip to Europe by visiting The Village Pantry, where owner Raquilda stocks many of her favourites from Holland and beyond. This eclectic country store offers amazing Dutch pantry items, plus international and local specialty foods. Find the perfect cheeses to top your charcuterie board. Pick out some imported olives, salami or olive oil. Select a beautiful piece of cookware, or fun gadget for a foodie you know. And there’s fresh scoop ice cream. Have a cone – or try their amazing stroopwafel sandwich (your choice of ice cream, wedged between two, sweet, Dutch waffle cookies). Check hours for The Village Pantry here.

More to Explore in Trent Hills 

Try some great adventures here:

• The Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge in Campbellford

• Canada’s Giant $2 Coin in Campbellford

• Lock stations along the Trent-Severn Waterway

• Whopping Pisces Pete (a walleye sculpture) and Pisces Park in Hastings

• The Millennium Trail in Warkworth

• Art Galleries and Studios in Warkworth and around

Find out more about Trent Hills and plan your getaway today.