Sunderland city centre is packed with restaurants and cafés offering flavours from all over the world, such as Arabesque, as well as a raft of British favourites. Helping you find the very best cafés and restaurants in Sunderland, here is our pick of the bunch for you to tuck into.
Places to eat in Sunderland
Restaurants
If you like your food fresh, hearty and packed with flavour, look no further than ENFES. This cosy Turkish restaurant serves up delectable Middle Eastern cuisine and their chicken shish, mixed mezze grill and Turkish flatbread are hard to say no to.
A near neighbour, Arabesque in High Street West offers a wide-ranging menu with Egyptian and Grecian influences and a warm, vibrant setting as you tuck into their famous falafel, moussaka and tabbouleh.
For some hearty European food, nowhere beats D’Acqua. Right in the heart of the city, in John Street, D’Acqua’s slick interiors and robust menu make it a firm favourite for locals and visitors alike. Meat lovers will delight in their sizzlers and grill dishes, and you can personalise the experience with a choice of seven sauces to garnish your steak or fish.
If the tempting aromas of Indian food make your stomach rumble, Goa Exemplary restaurant certainly lives up to its name. Just an 8-minute drive from our Sunderland City Centre hotel, expect a bustling atmosphere, great service and high-quality Indian food, just a stone’s throw away from Seaburn beach. For more hot tips, check out our expanded guide to restaurants in Sunderland.
Holmeside Coffee
D’Acqua
Cafés
Sunderland is not short on delightful cafés and leading the charge is the Good Apple. A welcoming vegetarian and vegan café in Derwent Street, the Good Apple serves up a variety of hearty breakfast and lunch options, including full English ‘veggie’ breakfasts, filling toasted ciabattas and bagels, healthy wraps, and sweet potato fries. The café also participates in the goodwill Suspended Coffee scheme, where diners can pre-pay for a coffee or hot drink for someone who needs it more than they do.
Widely touted as the best coffee in Sunderland, Holmeside Coffee takes its craft seriously. Using renowned local roasters Ouseburn Coffee, Holmeside’s baristas make a truly expert brew and serve a range of freshly made cakes and toastie sandwiches set to a cool playlist.
Serendipity Tea and Trinkets is the epitome of English tearoom charm. You’ll feel like you’re in a doll’s house as you sip from the mismatched china amidst bunting and eclectic vintage kitsch, or you can order a takeaway from their fresh deli counter.
If you’re visiting the popular Roker beach, no more than 15 minutes’ drive from our A19/A1231 hotel, stop in at Fausto Coffee. It’s hard to miss, thanks to its colourful exterior and you’ll be pleased you didn’t as you enjoy the jolly ambience, English farmhouse decor and excellent food on offer, all served with an unimpeded view of the beach.