Sunderland Restaurant Week

Stuart Forster provides an overview of Sunderland Restaurant Week, which gives diners opportunities to eat discounted meals in Wearside restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars for £10, £15 and £20.

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The autumn 2023 edition of Sunderland Restaurant Week runs from Saturday the 16th of September to Sunday the 24th of September. Babaji, Diego’s Joint and German Doner Kebab count among the participating venues. So too are Mexico 70, Pho 179 and Slice, the pizza specialist.

The event is held twice a year and provides opportunities for northeast England food lovers to enjoy a three-course dinner for just £20. Two-course meals at participating dining venues are priced at £15. During the daytime, participating venues feature £10 offers.

Selection of desserts served at the Crumb On In cafe at Holmeside in Sunderland.
A selection of desserts served at the Crumb On In cafe at Holmeside in Sunderland.

Restaurants on Wearside serve a broad variety of cuisines. In addition to long-popular Indian, Italian and Mediterranean restaurants, the area’s offerings include restaurants serving modern British, Egyptian and Turkish dishes.

Pan-fried mushrooms served in a garlic and cream sauce at Spent Grain, one of the restaurants participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week
Pan-fried mushrooms served in a garlic and cream sauce at Spent Grain, one of the restaurants participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Sunderland Restaurant Week provides dining establishments with an opportunity to showcase their dishes and win new customers. For diners, the event is a reason to dine out and try new places. It’s also a reason to head out to revisit a venue for a reasonably priced meal.

Fish tacos, one of the small plate dishes on the menu at Spent Grain restaurant in Sunderland
Fish tacos, one of the small plate dishes on the menu at Spent Grain restaurant in Sunderland.

Sunderland Restaurant Week

Dining establishments in and around Sunderland city centre are eligible to participate in the restaurant week.

The Peacock is participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.
The Peacock, in Edwardian premises long known as The Londonderry, has previously participated in Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Organised by Sunderland Business Improvement District, the body commonly known as Sunderland BID, Sunderland Restaurant Week has been held since 2016.

Sign for 808 Bar and Kitchen, one of the businesses participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.
Sign for 808 Bar and Kitchen, one of the businesses participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Foodies living in North East England may be familiar with the concept from the twice-yearly Newcastle NE1 Restaurant Week. Involving restaurants in and around Newcastle city centre, that event usually takes place in January and August.

Mexican cuisine served during Sunderland Restaurant Week.
Mexican cuisine served during Sunderland Restaurant Week.



Sunderland Restaurant Week

Take a look at this video created in 2022 to get an idea of how to download vouchers to eat at participating dining establishments during Sunderland Restaurant Week:

Go Eat Do’s video about Sunderland Restaurant Week.

When is Sunderland Restaurant Week

Typically, the culinary event takes place on Wearside twice a year, one in springtime and the other in autumn.

The dates float, year by year. Sunderland Restaurant Week is usually held in March and September.

Venues participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week

BURGeR, The Engine Room, Chili Mangoes and Spice Empire count among the long list of venues that participated in the autumn 2022 Sunderland Restaurant Week. So too did House of Zen, Enfes and Fausto Coffee, along with Ttonic, The Old Vestry and Spent Grain. Asiana, 808 Bar and Kitchen, Sweet Petite and The Palm are also took part.

Head to the Sunderland BID website to see the full list of participants and download vouchers to take advantage of Sunderland Restaurant Week offers.

If you want to dine at one of the venues, you are encouraged to make a booking and present the restaurant week voucher(s) on arrival.

Bottles of spirits in ttonic, a shisha restaurant in Sunderland that offers drinks packages and is participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week
Bottles of spirits in Ttonic, a bar and restaurant in Sunderland that offers drinks packages and is participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Here’s a look at some of the bars, cafés, pubs and restaurants in Sunderland city centre that have participated in Sunderland Restaurant Week:



Asiana Fusion Restaurant

Asiana Fusion Restaurant (Echo 24 Building) has floor-to-ceiling windows providing outstanding views of nearby Wearmouth Bridge and the River Wear. The University of Sunderland’s St Peter’s Campus is on the far side of the river, next to the National Glass Centre.

Sunset over silhouetted Wearmouth Bridge and the River Wear in Sunderland, England.
Sunset over silhouetted Wearmouth Bridge and the River Wear in Sunderland, England.

Asiana’s name hints that dishes served in the restaurant are inspired by the cuisines and flavours of Southeast Asia.

The menu includes a mixed platter, ideal for sharing, featuring succulent Peking ribs. Aromatic crispy duck and kung po king prawns count among Asiana’s signature dishes.

The subtly lit Prosecco Bar in Sunderland, England.
Southeast Asian dishes, including Peking spare rib and duck spring roll taken from a sharing platter served at Asiana Fusion Restaurant in Sunderland.

Grinder Coffee Co.

An independent coffee shop, Grinder Coffee Co. operates two venues in Sunderland. One of them is inside the Hills Arts Centre (Waterloo Place), which opened in premises long occupied by the Hills bookshop. The other is on Durham Road.

MyDelhi Sunderland

MyDelhi (39 Borough Road) opened its Sunderland premises in the spring of 2022. Colourfully decorated, this restaurant serves dishes that are popular in India’s national capital. Cauliflower Manchurian (an Indo-Chinese dish often called Gobi Manchurian), paneer tikka and Punjabi dhaba chicken count among the flavour-packed dishes being served on the Sunderland Restaurant Week menu.

Chef Gaurav at MyDelhi in Sunderland.
Chef Gaurav at MyDelhi in Sunderland.

No. 2 Church Lane

No. 2 Church Lane is a casual dining space and bar opposite Sunderland’s Empire Theatre. No prizes for guessing the address (there’s a big clue in the name of the restaurant) which proves a popular place for pre-show dinners in Sunderland.

Sunderland Empire illuminated as dusk falls over North East England.
Sunderland Empire illuminated as dusk falls over North East England. How about combining dining out with a night of live entertainment?

The interiors are characterised by walls of exposed brickwork and stone plus chalkboard menus. Since opening in 2016 No. 2 Church Lane has won a reputation for serving quality burgers, including vegetarian and vegan options.

Crispy onions top a Hawt Diggity Dawg served at No 2 Church Lane, one of the venues participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.
Crispy onions top a Hawt Diggity Dawg served at No 2 Church Lane, one of the venues participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Looking for an informal place to gorge on comfort food? Try this restaurant and order a side of halloumi fries.

One of the burgers served No 2 Church Lane, one of the venues participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.
One of the burgers served at No 2 Church Lane, one of the venues participating in Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Port of Call

Port of Call (1 Park Lane) is a bar and grill restaurant. If you enjoy smokehouse-style dishes look for the barbecued pulled pork and brisket. Pulled pork tops a six-ounce beef patty and cheese to create Port of Call’s smokestack burger.

A gourmet burger served on a wooden board at Port of Call during Sunderland Restaurant Week.
A gourmet burger served on a wooden board at Port of Call during Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Flatbreads and loaded fries (chips with toppings such as cheese and bacon) feature on the menu. If you enjoy hefty chunks of meat you’ll enjoy making this a port of call.

Grilled sausages drizzled with mustard and served on a wooden board in Sunderland.
Grilled sausages drizzled with mustard and served on a wooden board in Sunderland.

Travel to Sunderland

Grand Central trains operate direct connections between London and Sunderland.

The Tyne and Wear Metro connects Sunderland with Newcastle and other urban hubs in the region. The Metro journey to Sunderland from Newcastle International Airport takes 55 minutes.

Hotels in Sunderland

How about making a night of it? Search for accommodation in Sunderland and the surrounding area on Booking.com:
Booking.com

Map of Sunderland

Zoom into the map below to find cafés and restaurants in Sunderland city centre.

Google Map showing streets in Sunderland city centre.

Further information

Follow the #EatDrinkSunderland and #SunderlandRestaurantWeek hashtags on social media to find information about Sunderland Restaurant Week, including food photography posted on Instagram.

View the See it Do It Sunderland website for an overview of attractions on Wearside.

Thank you for visiting Go Eat Do and reading this post about Sunderland Restaurant Week. If you are planning on visiting Sunderland, you may also enjoy this post outlining things to do in Sunderland.

Stuart Forster, the author of this post, is a food and travel writer based in North East England. Born and raised in Sunderland, Stuart knows the region well and is available for editorial and copywriting commissions. His work has been published by BBC Good Food, Great British Chefs and Love Exploring.

Chips served in a mug at a restaurant in North East England.
Chips served in a mug as a snack in a bar in North East England.

Photos illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography.

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Pinterest pin showing Sunderland's Wearmouth Bridge for Go Eat Do's blog post about Sunderland Restaurant Week.

Use Pinterest? Pin this, showing Sunderland’s Wearmouth Bridge, and share Go Eat Do’s blog post about Sunderland Restaurant Week.

2 Comments

  • JelenaM

    October 12, 2021 at 07:57 Reply

    I appreciate a good sized portion. Hate it when I am left hungry and the bill is unreal.

    • Go Eat Do

      October 20, 2021 at 15:26 Reply

      Look at that tower of meat served at No 2 Church Lane. Hopefully you’ll be satisfied in Sunderland.

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