Sunderland is famous for its nightlife, however, people regularly overlook its great brunchtime offerings! So, as a lover of brunch, I thought I would take one for the team and do the research to find the best spots in Sunderland offering brunch!
Before I get on the list, if you enjoy this kind of foody post, then please drop your email below and I will happily create more!
Now, let us get onto the list!
Six Pier Point
Six is one of the newer restaurants in Sunderland and has only been open for about a year and a half. And what a journey they’ve had! Six offers Sunderland a bit of luxury which is something the city could do with more of. Their main concept is built around fresh and locally sourced food and their best sellers are their charcuterie, cheese and seafood boards. Also their tapas nights are very popular and always sell out!
However they have just launched a brunch-time menu, and they are in a great location for you to enjoy brunch. They sit down at Roker with a great view of the lighthouse and pier. On a sunny day, you can enjoy your food outside and take in the sea air.
I’ve been to Six many times and as some of you may know I am their social media person (somewhere between an SMM and CC), so I do have a great deal of insight into how they prep their food and the passion that goes into it.
Below is their full brunch menu which you can choose from.
They are open: Sun,11am-7pm
Mon (closed Mondays in the winter) & Tue, 11am-6pm
Wed & Thu, 11am-10pm
Fri & Sat,11am-11pm
It is always better to book though if you are going because they get very full very quickly!
The best place to park to visit is the pay and display (or use the pay by phone app) car park there. It costs 60p per hour or £3 all day to park here.
The Green
The Green is a beautiful tearoom/florist located on the village green in Washington. This is one of those places that I have been seeing crop up on my Instagram for months and finally, visited after exploring Washington Old Hall which is right next to this.
While I only had a cheese scone and a coffee, it has to be said that both were delicious. I really need to go back and try more of their food as everything everyone else was getting looked so amazing. Everything is homemade and you can taste that in their products. Their sausage rolls looked amazing and are one of their most popular items.
I sat outside when I went and it was perfect as the sun was shining. It was glorious. I only wish that I had managed to get some photos of the inside as it is so adorable in there.
There are parking spaces on and around the green for you so it is very accessible. And the green itself is beautiful, it’s such a picturesque little place!
They are open Open 9-5 Mon-Sat 10-4 Sun. Postcode: NE38 7AB
Love Lily
When searching for places to do brunch, Love Lily down in Roker is one of the top-rated and most popular places. However, I have never actually been here for brunch and sat in! The times I have gone they were full inside and we got takeaway, or it was during the lockdown and we had to take away.
What I can say is that their pancakes are absolutely delicious! I tried their Kinder Bueno ones during the lockdown and they were insane. The pancakes from Love Lily are very famous, so if you enjoy sweet brunch, this is the place to be.
They also have incredible coffee. Last autumn I had one of their Pumpkin Spiced Lattes which was Love Lily-fied and was so good.
Love Lily is located on the seafront down at Roker and has a great view of the pier. It is also located right next to the Roker seafront car park (see SIX’s section for details).
If you are wanting to visit, here are the details you’re going to need. They don’t take bookings, so if you want to visit get there early because there is often a queue for it. You can see their full menu on their Instagram Page. They are open 9am -5pm 7 days a week. Postcode: SR6 0PP
Love Lily Herrington Country Park
If you don’t know, Love Lily has opened a second premise which has just opened in Herrington Country Park. This site is much bigger than their Roker site but just as pretty.
I was worried that the food from there would be very pretty but lacking in taste and quality but that is absolutely not the case! You will need to be prepared for a little wait when visiting though as it is a very popular spot.
Parking is free at the site, although on a busy day and during holidays I imagine it will get very busy.
Spent Grain
This is one of two sites on this list that I have not tried for brunch – YET!
I did review Spent Grain when it first opened, however, since then the business has had a new owner and had a PR crisis with they were given a poor food hygiene rating. They did address this and have since rectified the situation. They now have new menus and seem to be very popular and regularly fully booked!
You can see the brunch menu below. There are some great dishes on it, and I do spy their take on avo toast!
Parking is a little difficult for this place because it has a city centre location. But, the best place is probably Sunniside Car Park. Postcode: SR1 1UL
Regardless of any past issues this business has had, I am desperate to give this site a try because it was incredible when I first visited!
The Forge, Washington
The second site I haven’t tried for brunch is The Forge, in Washington. Although I have been there before as part of a Freska Food Event.
Their brunch menu is very new so I haven’t had the chance to try it yet. But it does look delicious!
The items I have my eyes on are their Shakshuka or their Turkish eggs.
There isn’t a designated parking place in Washington, however, there is plenty of on-street parking around the village. Just be mindful of other cars and ensure you don’t block anyone in or any of the roads!
Tin of Sardines, Roker
Tin of Sardines is one of the newest places in Sunderland although, it keeps making the news for very different reasons. If you’ve not heard of it yet, this is the business that is repeatedly broken into!
It’s such a shame the business has had to face this crisis so many times in the year or so since opening. And I hope they can rectify this situation soon!
Lucking for them, their brunch menu seems to be very popular!
I popped in and tried it last year and it was pretty good. A little overpriced for the amount of avocado I had on my toast. But I’m going to put that down to it being a very busy Sunday morning, and it hadn’t long been opened…
Review of Tin of Sardines, Roker
Despite this, I am keen to go back and try some of their other offerings – especially their tapas night as I am keen to write a similar blog post comparing the tapas spots in Sunderland!
The best place to park for this is going to be the Marine Walk car park, which is 60p per hour. Postcode:SR6 0PR
Fausto
Fausto Coffee down in Roker is perhaps one of my favourite little brunch spots in the whole of Sunderland. It has never disappointed me any time I have been (which is a lot).
Fausto is known locally for its bagels. Most of their breakfast and lunch menu items are served in bagels and they are all delicious. They also have great veggie and vegan options as well as plenty for meat eaters.
The coffee is also incredible from Fausto, although I always opt for a large coffee as their regulars are too small for my caffeine addiction.
Fausto is also located in a great place, right down on the seafront at Roker and there are a load of other great places to eat down there so you could be spoilt for choice.
This cafe stays open til late in the evening too and transforms into a pizza place by night. I haven’t tried those pizzas yet but they are on the list!
Fausto is open Monday – Saturday 8-10pm and Sunday 8.30-10pm. The best place to park is at the Roker beach car park, details for which are a little up the page in the SIX sections.
Pop Recs
Pop Recs is a great little hub in the city because it is so much more than just a cafe, it is a music and creative venue. Although I have only just started visiting the place, it has just celebrated its 9th year in the city of Sunderland! Its former premises was near Park Lane but now it is located down in Sunniside and is right next to an open-air car park so it’s very easy to park next to.
The coffee they sell is really delicious and the food is even better! If you enjoy huge sandwiches made in fresh focaccia, hot soup and pastries then pop recs is perfect for you.
However, there is a lot more to this place! It is also home to an incredible music venue. If you are interested in Sunderland’s amazing music scene then you should give Pop recs a follow on Facebook to keep up to date with all the performances they have going on.
If you want to give it a try, they are open 9am-3pm Monday – Saturday. Postcode: SR1 1UP
Flamingo Cafe
Flamingo is perhaps one of the most instagrammable places in Sunderland, and the food isn’t just pretty on the plate, it tastes amazing too. I’ve been a few times and because of how big the menu is, I’ve been able to try something new each time!
They have a great deal of vegan and vegetarian options as well as plenty for the meat-eaters. Located down in Seaham Harbour Marina is ideal because not only is there free parking there, but you can go for a nice walk along the beach after to burn off some of your food!
Flamingo is open 10am-3pm 7 days a week. Postcode: SR7 7EE
The Good Apple Cafe
For those who don’t know, the Good Apple Cafe is the only fully vegan restaurant in the city of Sunderland. Everything they sell is vegan, from coffee to brunch, even their cakes. And as a vegetarian myself, I absolutely love visiting here.
I have been here a few times and each time I absolutely love it. I do have a full blog post about the cafe here on Mackem Life:
Sunderland’s Only Vegan Restaurant, The Good Apple Cafe
They always have their normal menu which consists of breakfast items such as avocado toast, and full vegan breakfasts, and their lunch menu which is more like sandwiches and that type of thing. But they also always have a few specials on, so you can try something different every time you go. Usually, when I go, I opt for avocado toast as it is the cheapest avo-toast I have found in the city! The coffee they serve is also really good. All of course are served with alternative milk.
The cafe is located on Derwent Street in Sunderland city centre, which means there are loads of parking nearby, the closest place will be The Bridges multistory car park.
Blacks Corner
Blacks Corner is one of the more well-known brunch spots in Sunderland, and rightfully so! It is an absolutely beautiful place in which you can tell that freshness and locally sourced ingredients have made a huge difference to the food.
I love it so much that I wrote a whole review about the place when I went:
A Review: Blacks Corner East Boldon
The food was absolutely delicious. I have only been the once but I will absolutely be going back as soon as I can. And the coffee was just as good.
They have a pretty big menu although there aren’t a lot of veggie options. However, based on what I had, I can forgive them!
There are limited parking spaces outside of Blacks Corner, they recommend people park at East Boldon metro station and walk as the parking is so scarce. Postcode: NE36 0LE
They are open Tuesday 9am – 5pm, Wednesday & Thursday 9am – 10pm, Friday & Saturday 9am – 11pm, and Sunday 11am – 10pm
Otto Coffee, Sunderland
Otto Coffee is the birthchild of the former CoffeeHaus. Ashley, who runs it, is absolutely the best coffee maker in the city. The time and effort she puts into each and every cup is an art form – genuinely!
Otto Coffee is just along Park Lane Interchange, near the former PopRecs site. They have a small food menu too. Honestly, other than an incredible avocado toast, I’m not sure what else was on it because I stopped reading! You know me, I LOVE avo toast.
Parking is a little tricky for this site however the best secure car park is just across the street at Boughton Street car park. Postcode: SR1 3NH. I cannot find any information on prices however I know it is one of the city car parks which is free after 3pm.
Cole Kitchen
Cole Kitchen is a must-visit if you haven’t already! They are famous for their fresh sandwiches which are made fresh to order. They also create different specials all the time so there is always something new on the menu.
They also serve really great coffee and it is in an ideal location if you just wanted to go for a walk down the beach with a nice coffee. It has been a while since I went, in fact, the last time I was there was during lockdown so we had to take our food away to the car and eat it there. But you could take your food down to the beach with you too.
There is parking in the streets around Cole Kitchen making it so easy for you to park up and grab your food. Although on a sunny day, it may be a little difficult as people use these spaces to park for the beach.
Breakfast is served from 9am and Lunch from 12pm. They are open 9-2 Tuesday to Friday,
9-3 Saturday and 9-2 Sunday.
Clean Bean
The last place on this list is perhaps my favourite as they make my absolute favourite avocado toast combination. And coincidentally, it’s the one I have the least amount of photos of as I can never wait to start eating before I dive right in.
Clean Bean is a great little restaurant in Seaham. It’s on North Terrace and is a lovely place to visit. They have a great menu with loads of different options. They also cater to veggies and vegans as well as having great gluten-free options.
My absolute go-to from here is their avocado toast with feta cheese and a poached egg! It’s simply divine!!!
There is a decent amount of parking around the Tommy statue on the green outside of the restaurant which is ideal for visiting. Postcode: SR7 7EU
Open 9am-4pm Sunday to Thursday, 9am-9pm Friday and Saturday.
Well, that’s my whole list of the top 10 brunch sites in Sunderland. If you think there is anywhere I have missed and need to add then by all means let me know. And if you enjoy this post and want to see more then drop your email into the box below as I will quite happily create more lists like this.
Thank you as always for your support!
Stay Safe and Happy Adventuring!
Want to feature on Mackemlife? Whether it be here on my blog, Facebook Page or Instagram, I am always looking for new businesses to work with. If you are interested, make sure to have a look at my Work With Me page and get in contact with me!
Latest Posts
North East Christmas Gift Guide
The North East of England is full of small; and independent businesses. So here is a Christmas gift guide with products from my favourite North East small and local businesses. At this time of year I always like to do what I can to support these businesses because if we don’t use them, we will…
Guide to Prague, Czech Republic
Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Its nickname is the city of a hundred spires because of the many it has. Along with a rich and in some parts dark history, food and drink culture and stunning architecture, Prague is definitely a city worth seeing.…
Guide to High and Low Force Waterfalls, County Durham
High Force is perhaps the most famous waterfall in the North East. The waterfall is part of the River Tees in the equally stunning Teesdale Valley. You can make the most of your day by visiting the other nearby falls of Low Force and Summerhill Force. High and Low Force has been on my list…
Mackem Life 