Sunderland restaurant North once again recognised amongst best in the country

Proving it’s far from grim up North, this Seaburn gem has once again made it into the annual Good Food Guide list of Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants 2026.

Now in their 16th year, the Best Local Restaurant awards celebrate the community driven restaurants that offer brilliant value for money and top-quality cooking in a relaxed, convivial setting.

Taking the top spot was La Locanda in Lancashire, with North the only Sunderland restaurant listed, coming in at no 87, making the top 100 for two years running.

The only other North East restaurants to make the top local 100 this year are Long Friday, The Small Canteen and Lubber Kitchen, all in Newcastle.

Neil Bassett opened North with business partner Ben Wall in December 2022 after transforming the old shelter at the far end of Seaburn prom.

The city businessman said: “We’re ecstatic to have been included in such a prestigious list for two years running now.

“The fact that we’re the only Sunderland-based restaurant to have ever made the list and that there’s only 3 Newcastle restaurants included this year shows how tough the competition is.

“Sunderland is on the up and there’s some great restaurants both new and old and we’re really happy to play our small part in keeping the city on the culinary map.”

North is currently for sale but it’s very much business as usual and it’s hoped any potential new owner will maintain its quality.

In a year of rapidly rising costs for hospitality, this year’s list reflects the proliferation of micro restaurants and multistrand business models.

While 10% of entrants squeeze in 20 or fewer guests, more than 25% of businesses in the list rely on additional income from trading as delis, wine shops or cafés

Head of Reviews & Listings at the Good Food Guide, Chloë Hamilton, said of this year’s list: “In the face of adversity, creativity has flourished in unusual and unlikely places.

“It has been hugely rewarding to see how these tiny operations are offering outstanding quality in a way that so clearly strikes a chord with the local crowd. Arrive with an open mind and a good appetite and you’ll be brilliantly rewarded.”

A new menu is launching soon at North and summer opening hours are: brunch served Wednesday to Sunday from 10:30am and evening small plates served Wednesday to Saturday from 4pm.

Full list of winners (ranked 1-100):

1. La Locanda, Gisburn, Lancashire

2. Cantina Caruso, Margate, Kent

3. Ar Bòrd, Isle of Mull, Highlands & Islands

4. Gina, Chingford, London

5. The Black Bear Inn, Bettws Newydd, Monmouthshire

6. Tiella Trattoria, Bethnal Green, London

7. Wangs, Bristol

8. Wild, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire

9. Almanac, Glossop, Derbyshire

10. Black Wheat Club, York, North Yorkshire

11. Lucky Lychee, Winchester, Hampshire

12. Counter Culture, Newquay, Cornwall

13. Eastfield, Dundee, Tayside

14. Les 2 Garçons, Crouch End, London

15. Redwood Wines, Dunkeld, Perthshire & Kinross

16. Bavette, Leeds, West Yorkshire

17. Fino, Cromer, Norfolk

18. The Lost Kitchen, Chettiscombe, Devon

19. Lupo, Prestwich, Greater Manchester

20. Ida, Queen's Park, London

21. Fish Shop, Ballater, Aberdeen

22. Edie's, St Austell, Cornwall

23. The Union Rye, Rye, East Sussex

24. Gloriosa, Glasgow, Strathclyde

25. Upstairs at Landrace, Bath, Somerset

26. Mambow, Clapton, London

27. Ogof, Cardiff

28. North Street Kitchen, Fowey, Cornwall

29. Long Friday, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear

30. Little Clove Kitchen, Liverpool, Merseyside

31. The Empire Cafe, Leeds, West Yorkshire

32. Tropea, Birmingham, West Midlands

33. Ardfern, Edinburgh, Lothians

34. Soulshine, Bridport, Dorset

35. Dongnae, Bristol

36. The Palmerston, Edinburgh, Lothians

37. Janda Diner, Peckham, London

38. Lark, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

39. Bauji, Worthing, West Sussex

40. Shwen Shwen, Sevenoaks, Kent

41. The Yan, Grasmere, Cumbria

42. The Shed, Swansea

43. Chater's, Saffron Walden, Essex

44. 101 Bridport, Bridport, Dorset

45. The Nettle, Settle, North Yorkshire

46. Seasonality, Maidenhead, Berkshire

47. Nick's at Port of Menteith, Port of Menteith, Stirling

48. Mori Mori, Margate, Kent

49. Home SW15, Putney, London

50. Pompette, Oxford, Oxfordshire

51. Logma, Hackney, London

52. Teal by Sally Abé, Hackney, London

53. The Suffolk, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

54. The Orange Bird, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

55. Ebi Sushi, Derby, Derbyshire

56. Thomas the Brasserie, Cardiff

57. Brusco, Brighton, East Sussex

58. The Spärrows, Manchester, Greater Manchester

59. The Small Canteen, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear

60. Fifteen Square Metres, Broadstairs, Kent

61. Franc, Canterbury, Kent

62. The Gordon Arms, Selkirk, Borders

63. Fern, Uppingham, Rutland

64. Bar Ingo, Broadstairs, Kent

65. Belzan, Liverpool, Merseyside

66. Little Brickhouse, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

67. Amari, Brighton, East Sussex

68. Barry Fish, Edinburgh, Lothians

69. Four Boys, Rock, Cornwall

70. Pip’s, Norwich, Norfolk

71. Eusebi Deli, Glasgow, Strathclyde

72. Leftfield, Edinburgh, Lothians

73. Piccalilli, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

74. Norman's Neighbourhood Kitchen, Kirkburton, West Yorkshire

75. Chin-Zano, Liverpool, Merseyside

76. Lubber Kitchen, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear

77. The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon

78. Soi 1268, Birmingham, West Midlands

79. Outlaw’s Bistro, Port Isaac, Cornwall

80. The Smithfield, Leeds, West Yorkshire

81. Calong, Stoke Newington, London

82. Bolete, Neston, Cheshire

83. Pulpo Negro, Alresford, Hampshire

84. Margaret's, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

85. Â Sé Anar, Blackpool, Lancashire

86. Other, Bristol

87. North, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear

88. Bristol Lido, Bristol

89. Namo, Brighton, East Sussex

90. Tonka, Hastings, East Sussex

91. Post, Newnham on Severn, Gloucestershire

92. A Tavola Gastronomia Siciliana, High Peak, Derbyshire

93. Auction House, Louth, Lincolnshire

94. The Rocket Store, Boscastle, Cornwall

95. Root Wells, Wells, Somerset

96. Y Polyn, Nantgaredig, Carmarthenshire

97. The Dory Bistro, Pittenweem, Fife

98. Tide & Thyme, Tighnabruaich, Argyll & Bute

99. Lupa, Highbury, London

100. The Dining Room, Abersoch, Gwynedd