There’s one thing that’s indisputable about us Wearsiders – our resilience.
And that resilience has been absolutely proven by the amount of businesses opening up, expanding and revamping despite all the hardships of the last year or so.
It’s great to see so many amazing businesses open their doors for the first time in the region and we’ve listed 9 of our favourite new Sunderland businesses…
SUNDERLAND BOWL
The pandemic has hit a lot of business in the city hard, but it also provided some with the breathing space they needed to reassess and come back bigger and better. And that’s exactly what the Sunderland Bowl took the opportunity to do.
As we reported back in June, after 18 months of being closed the bowl invested to create 23 jobs and completely reinvigorated the venue that’s always been a hit with children and fun loving adults alike.
They’re the first venue in the region to offer a number of groundbreaking “socially competitive” electronic games such as smart darts and they’ve also installed a new nine hole mini golf course.
There’s a wicked SEGA Arcade too if you’re a bit of an old school gamer like ourselves.
If you’re feeling like more of a big night out then the Bowl has got you covered in that department too, with live DJs dropping big tunes on weekends to get the party going – there’s something for everyone at the revamped Sunderland Bowl!
PROVEN PEOPLE
What do you get when you combine three lads with a passion for good food and good music with a vacant former Victorian office in Sunderland? Proven People is what you get!
The brainchild of friends Lee Forster, Paul Stewart and Elliot Towsey, Proven People serves up beautiful hand-stretched pizza with an extra slice of quality music in the form of live DJs and a meticulously curated playlist of disco, funk and Ibiza classics.
The trio have years of experience DJing and running events in the local music scene, so when they came together to open a restaurant they knew they wanted music to be in the forefront of their operation when they opened in July.
Proven People is set to become one of the hottest new food and music spots in town and we can’t wait to get a slice of the action for ourselves.
facebook.com/provenpeoplesunderland
HALO BAR & KITCHEN
Another new addition to Sunderland’s thriving bar scene, Halo Bar & Kitchen has been a popular spot to grab a cocktail and some great scran since it opened back in May.
A spacious bar with plenty of seats both indoors and out, as well as its fair share of big screens, Halo is the perfect spot to relax and watch the next big match, fight or race with your mates!
And the aforementioned scran is top quality as well, Halo serves everything from stonebaked pizzas to spicy tacos. Add this one to your Sunderland pub crawl list – you won’t regret it.
STREETBAR
Sunderland’s newest dedicated sports bar, Streetbar has been a hit with locals since it opened in June after completely transforming the former Revolution bar in the Victoria Buildings.
Buzzing with atmosphere during the Euro 2020 tournament, Streetbar has quickly become the go-to place for sports fans. Geared for catching all your favourite sporting action whilst enjoying a crisp pint, Streetbar is kitted out with 15 75-inch TVs around its zany world sport themed bar.
And the walls are covered in sporting memorabilia as far as the eye can see – they’ve even got an old NASCAR in the pub! Get yourself down there for the next big game and see what all the talk is about.
BENNELLI’S
Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens have welcomed a brand new Italian-style coffee shop to their ranks, the fantastic Bennelli’s.
The independent family owned and run cafe boasts an inviting atmosphere and a delicious range of traditional Italian dishes alongside some English classics. So, whether it’s some lovingly made Lasagna you’re after or some succulent Roast Chicken, Bennelli’s has got you covered.
Or imagine a day of museum magic, followed up by a piping hot cappuccino whilst you look out over Mowbray Park – what’s not to love? Bellissimo!
FAUSTO PIZZA
With the amount of new and exciting pizza places opening up across the city, it’s safe to say Sunderland is quickly becoming the pizza capital of the North East. And Fausto Pizza is the latest new business to get a slice of the Wearside pizza boom action.
Boasting one of the best views in the city on Marine Walk overlooking Roker Pier, Fautso’s will be dishing out wood-fired pizza, cocktails and crisp beers from local breweries such as Vaux and North Pier Brew Co.
An already established spot for great coffee, Fausto’s expansion into the pizza world is a welcome one – great scran AND great views? We can’t wait to get down to this!
UNDISCLOSED
From the same team that brought you the fine dining at home experience with Emily’s Table, Undisclosed takes exciting fine dining to St.Johns Street and the menu is a thing to behold.
A first for Sunderland, Undisclosed specialises in creating mind bendingly delicious food and cocktails through molecular gastronomy – put simply they’re creating food science!
From tongue tingling Lemon Posset to their mouthwatering 8oz fillet served with burnt onion and sweet potato pomme puree, this is futuristic fine dining right on your doorstep.
SLICE SEAHAM
This wicked little pizza hatch on the back of The Coalface micro pub on Church Street is the perfect place to pick up a little slice of heaven and a takeaway pint.
They specialise in New York-style pizzas which are sold by the slice and designed to be folded up and eaten on the go!
A novel idea thought up during lockdown by The Coalface owners Andy Smith and Mark Milroy, the pair wanted to utilise unused storage space behind their bar and it’s proved an absolute hit since opening their hatch doors in April 2021.
So, if you’re feeling peckish for a slice of big apple goodness then get yourself down to Slice!
NORTH BEACH COFFEE BAR
This sweet coffee and bait stop sits in a lovely spot next to Seaham Hall looking over the cliffs.
Formerly Tonia’s, this popular seafront cafe was completely revamped during lockdown and came back with an absolute bang!
Boasting a beautiful outdoor dining area within it’s stylish black wooden structure, North Beach Coffee Bar has everything you’d ever need for a scran filled sea-side sit down.
Fancy a juicy burger? They’ve got you covered. A pint with a view? They’ve got you covered? Or maybe you’re just wanting a top notch coffee? North Beach has you covered on all food fronts!
facebook.com/northbeachcoffeebarseaham
Have you visited any of these new Sunderland businesses? Get in touch online. Twitter: @SunderlandVibe, Instagram: @SunderlandVibe, Facebook: @SunderlandVibe.
