Sunderland Italian restaurant named as one of the 15 best independent restaurants in the UK

Aperitif on High Street West in Sunderland has been selected from thousands of eateries across the country based on its TripAdvisor reviews, boasting a 5/5 rating with an 95% Excellent review ratio.

Research by Coffee Friend have picked out some of the highest-rated restaurants across the nation while steering clear of the big franchises and popular household names.

Italian eatery Aperitif has been named in the top 15 best restaurants for its food and unique atmosphere based of 373 reviews.

Owner David Liu, 57 who has owned the same building since 1987 and changed his old restaurant to Aperitif in 2019 said: “I’m very proud of my business, we were so shocked and overwhelmed to hear that we had made the top 15 across the country and want to say a massive thank you to our customers who have continued to support us, especially through Covid.

"But also a massive thank you to our team who work tirelessly to give our customers the full experience from our quality chefs in the kitchen to our friendly, approachable front of house.

David added: "Our main goal that we have always strived for has been that every customer that walks through our door leaves happy and content with a smile on their face!”

Hartlepool’s Glady's Vintage Tea Room also made the top 15 list based on their 83% excellent rate.

Aurimas Vainauskas, CEO of Coffee Friend, said: “We know the UK is a nation of foodies and that there is no better feeling than finding a local eatery to have a really quality whole-hearted meal – particularly away from the crowds and the big franchises that now dominate the high streets.“With the world now on the brink of normality again following a tough time for restaurants and the hospitality industry as a whole, we hope people will return to their old lives and begin to embrace the great food and drink on our local high streets once again.”

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

The Sunderland Echo has been on Wearside since 1873, and your support means we can continue telling your stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe.