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Top 10 Shopify Themes With Sidebar Menu & How To Edit It

Last updated: January 23 2025

Written and researched by experts at Avada Learn more about our methodology

A sidebar menu can be a game-changer for your Shopify store, especially if you have a large inventory or want to enhance navigation. It keeps your store organized, making it easier for customers to browse products and categories without feeling overwhelmed.

In this article, I’ll introduce you to the top 5 Shopify themes with built-in sidebar menus and show you how to edit them to suit your store’s unique style and needs. Let’s dive in!

The 5 Best Shopify Themes With Sidebar Menus

# Theme Name Vendor Niche Ratings Key Features Get Theme!
1 Yuva Shine Dezign Infonet Multipurpose 4.9/5 Countdown sale banner, Reels & parallax banner, Creative animated stickers Get Theme!
2 Kingdom Krown Themes Fashion, Toys 4.9/5 Interactive sidebar, Vertical slideshow, Unique collection page Get Theme!
3 Sunrise Rawsterne Web Design & Illustration Toy, Fashion 4.8/5 Sidebar menu, enhanced search, promo banners Get Theme!
4 Expression Clean Canvas Ltd Artisanal, Furniture 4.6/5 Sidebar menu, Countdown timer, Quick view Get Theme!
5 Aurora Getsitecontrol Fashion 4.6/5 Enhanced menu, Information collapse sections, Color swatch Get Theme!
6 Loft Trailblaze Media Fashion, Home decor, Pet 4.6/5 Promo banners; Recommended products; Stock counter Get Theme!
7 Paper Brickspace Lab Multipurpose 4.3/5 Store locator, Age verifier, Countdown timer Get Theme!
8 Empire Pixel Union Multipurpose 4.0/5 Advanced filtering, Shoppable images, Product comparison. Get Theme!
9 Minion Softali Pet, Dropshipping fashion 4.0/5 Sidebar menu, mega menu options, quick view Get Theme!
10 North Fuel Themes Multipurpose 4.0/5 Multiple product layouts, Quick shop, Unique collection grid layouts Get Theme

Why Should You Choose a Shopify Theme With a Sidebar Menu?

A sidebar menu isn't just a design choice – it's a strategic advantage for your online store. Let me explain why:

  • Improved Navigation: A sidebar menu keeps your store organized and easy to navigate. Customers can quickly find what they’re looking for without scrolling endlessly or clicking through multiple pages.
  • More Display Space: With a sidebar menu, everything is neatly displayed in one place. This allows for larger product images, more prominent calls-to-action, and a cleaner overall layout.
  • Perfect for Mobile Users: Sidebars work great on mobile devices, offering a smooth and intuitive experience.
  • Unique Visual Presentation In a sea of standard top menu layouts, a well-designed sidebar menu helps your store stand out.

If you’ve ever visited a Shopify site and wondered about the specific Shopify themes it is using, our theme detector tool is here to help.

Shopify Theme Detector

Read our experts' theme evaluation process and methodology for more details.

The 10 Best Shopify Themes With Sidebar Menus

1 - Yuva

Yuva

Yuva is designed for stores with lots of products, so it makes sense that it has a sidebar menu to make browsing easier. This theme is all about being clean and simple, letting high-quality product images and detailed descriptions do the talking. It will always be my favorite Shopify theme with a mega menu.

Best for: Fashion & beauty brands

Key features

  • Countdown sale banner
  • Reels & parallax banner
  • Creative animated stickers
  • Quick buy
  • Back-in-stock alert
  • Slide-out cart
  • Re-order
  • Back-to-top button

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

2 - Kingdom

Kingdom

Kingdom caught my eye right away with its stylish signature sidebar menu. I love how the menu stays fixed, allowing customers to explore categories and filters without losing their place.

If you want a theme that looks great and makes shopping easy, Kingdom is a top choice.

Best for:  Fashion brands; Toy stores

Key Features:

  • Interactive sidebar menu
  • Vertical slideshows with parallax effects.
  • Unique collection page
  • In-store pickups
  • Lookbooks
  • Product videos

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

3 - Sunrise

Sunrise

The Sunrise theme is perfect if you want your store to feel fresh and inviting. The design is light and airy, with just the right amount of color to keep things interesting without being overwhelming. 

What really stands out to me is how the sidebar menu is tucked neatly into the layout—it’s super easy to use and keeps everything organized without distracting from the main content.

Best for: Toy store; Fashion & accessories brands

Key Features:

  • Sidebar menu
  • Promo banners
  • Product videos
  • Enhanced search
  • Product filtering and sorting
  • Image zoom
  • Back-to-top button

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

4 - Expression

Expression

Expression is the Shopify theme that makes a good first impression. It uses textured backgrounds and subtle natural elements to create a warm, inviting feeling. The sidebar menu is both practical and visually appealing, making it easy to find different categories, collections, or pages without cluttering up the main part of the site.

Best for: Artisanal, Furniture

Key Features:

  • Sidebar menu
  • Countdown timer 
  • Quick view
  • Color swatches
  • Trust badges
  • Product videos
  • Shipping/delivery information
  • Slideshow

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

5 - Aurora

Aurora

Aurora is all about simplicity and elegance, making it ideal for stores that want a clean, modern look. The design feels open and uncluttered, with an option to opt for a sidebar menu, guiding customers through your collections without breaking their flow.

Plus, the theme uses soft colors and plenty of white space, giving everything a calm, sophisticated vibe.

Best for: Lifestyle brands, home decor stores

Key Features:

  • Sidebar menu with media options
  • Custom brand colors
  • Countdown timer
  • Product badges
  • Mega menus
  • Animated visuals
  • Editorial layout

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

6 - Loft

Loft

Loft brings a bold, rustic charm that’s perfect for storytelling brands. It has this dynamic, layered design that makes your products feel like they’re part of a bigger narrative.

The sidebar menu is a real highlight—it’s super intuitive and gives customers quick access to everything without taking them away from the experience. What I really appreciate is how the theme uses warm tones and textured backgrounds to create a cozy, inviting vibe.

Best for: Fashion, Home decor, and Pet stores

Key Features:

  • Sidebar menu
  • In-menu promotions and banners
  • Product recommendations
  • Color swatches
  • Image galleries
  • Enhanced search
  • Mega menu

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

7 - Paper

Paper

Checking the Shopify Paper Theme, I’m really impressed with how you can customize the sidebar menu. The theme’s design is minimalist, using a monochromatic color scheme that really makes the products stand out. 

It’s like a gallery setting, where each product looks like a piece of art on display. What’s really cool about this theme is how it focuses on making the product pages really immersive, giving you a detailed look at each item.

Best for: Fashion and home decor store; Pet dropshippers

Key Features:

  • Sidebar menu
  • EU translations (EN, FR, IT, DE, ES)
  • Store locator
  • Age verifier
  • Countdown timer
  • Color swatches

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

8 - Empire

Empire

The Empire Shopify Theme is a powerhouse for large catalogs. It’s built to handle a high volume of products while keeping everything organized and easy to find, where the sidebar menu is a game-changer. 

What really stands out is the clean, grid-based layout that makes even the largest inventories look neat and accessible. If you’re running a store with lots of items and need a theme that keeps everything running smoothly, this one’s a top pick.


Best for: Large catalog dropshipping businesses

Key Features:

  • Sidebar menu
  • Advanced filtering
  • Shoppable images
  • Upselling and cross-selling
  • Countdown timers
  • Product badges
  • Enhanced sorting

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

9 - Minion

Minion

The Minion Shopify Theme is perfect for stores that want to keep navigation front and center.  Its built-in sidebar menu is a standout feature.

What I love is how the menu stays fixed as customers scroll.  It’s especially handy for stores with a variety of collections, keeping everything organized and accessible.

Best for: Pet stores, Dropshipping

Key Features:

  • Sidebar menu
  • Flexible, customizable layout with 31 sections
  • Mobile-first, thumb-friendly design
  • Quick view and product filtering
  • Trust badges and promo popups
  • Product videos and image galleries
  • Enhanced search and mega menu options

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

10 - North

North

The Shopify North theme comes with 5 preset styles, all with a clean, modern design that works well for all sorts of industries. The navigation bar at the top is easy to see and use, helping customers quickly find what they need. There’s also a sidebar menu that adds more depth to browsing without making the page feel too cluttered.


Best for: High-end fashion stores; Custom jewelry makers

Key features:

  • Multiple product layouts
  • Sidebar menu
  • Unique collection grid layouts
  • EU translations (EN, FR, IT, DE, ES)
  • Store locator
  • Color swatches
  • Quick view
  • Stock counter

    Buy Theme     Theme Demo   

How to Add and Customize a Sidebar Menu in Your Shopify Store

Step 1: Log in to your admin panel.

Step 2: Go to Online Store > Themes

Go to Online Store > Themes

Step 7: Click Customize on your theme. I’ll take the Minion theme as an example.

Click Customize on your theme

Step 3: In the theme editor, click Header.

If your theme has the sidebar menu built-in, you’ll see the option to switch from your classic horizontal menu to your vertical sidebar menu.

In the theme editor, click Header.

Step 4: Click Save to apply the new menu display.

Editing Your Shopify Sidebar Menu

If you want to change which page you want to display in your sidebar menu, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to Online Store > Navigation

Go to Online Store > Navigation

Step 2: Click on the name of the menu that includes the sidebar items you want to edit.

Click on the name of the menu

Step 3: In the Menu items section, click Edit beside the name of the item you want to change. You can:

In the Menu items section, click Edit
  • Change the name of the menu item by entering text in the Name field.
  • Change the destination of the menu item by clicking the x next to the link field and selecting a new destination.
Change the destination of the menu item by clicking the x

Step 4: After making your edits, click Save menu to apply the changes.

If you want to change the text, icon, or the order of the pages shown in your menu, in the theme editor, simply click Main menu icon and make adjustments in the right-bar editor.

click Main menu icon and make adjustments

Final Words

The 10 themes discussed in this article offer excellent features and customization options, allowing you to create a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate website. Take the time to explore these themes and choose the one that best suits your store’s needs and branding.

Sam
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Sam Nguyen is the CEO and founder of Avada Commerce, an e-commerce solution provider headquartered in Singapore. He is an expert on the Shopify e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Sam loves talking about e-commerce and he aims to help over a million online businesses grow and thrive.