Fodor's Expert Review BELLA Mercantile

To find a well-stocked kitchen store in the middle of a small town like La Grande is a welcome surprise. BELLA carries such high-end brands as Oregon's own FINEX, maker of fine cast-iron cookware. Wine lovers will enjoy perusing the many bottles of wines for sale (the original BELLA's was started as a wine shop by owner Beverly Calder, who came from the wine industry); there's also a great selection of chocolates, candy, imported packaged foods, cheese, and other items perfect for the charcuterie board. Shelves are brimming with fine linens, cookbooks, kitchen gadgets and small appliances, housewares, decor, fun gifts, and all the other things one would expect to find in a good kitchen shop. The store also offers its own unique line of quinine water concentrates called Ruby D Tonics, which are naturally sugar-free and come in four flavors; the tonics are brewed at BELLA Main St. Market in Baker City, the original and larger BELLA store that makes a great stop while in that town, too.