Beefing up Restaurant Week
Sunderland’s first ever Restaurant Week just got saucy, as a trendy city burger bar has signed up to take part.
Saucy Burger and neighbouring Liberty Brown, both owned by The Apartment Group, have signed up to Eat Drink Sunderland Restaurant Week, which will take place between Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, October 2.
The hip city restaurants join a line-up eateries that will be showcasing their flavours as part of the nine-day event, which aims to shine a light on all that Sunderland has to offer in the food and drink stakes.
The burger restaurant, which opened earlier this year, will be offering two courses for £10 during the week, allowing diners to sample their food while saving money.
Restaurant manager Murray Greer said: “As part of the Apartment Group with other bars and restaurants across the region, we have signed up to restaurant weeks in other cities before, and we know just how effective they are in profiling the great plates of food that are served up in our restaurants day-in-day-out.
“We are really excited to take part in Sunderland’s first ever Restaurant Week and we hope people in the city get behind it, and ensure it is a week in which we show off all that we have to offer on Wearside.”
The nine-day event, which is being led by Sunderland Business Improvement District (BID), with support from a number of Sunderland business partners, is a tried and tested initiative.
Launched in New York in 2010 and since adopted as annual events in cities across the world, restaurant weeks provide an opportunity for cafes, diners and restaurants to attract new customers, as well as showing off the complete offer of towns and cities.
Eat Drink Sunderland Restaurant Week will see venues across the city showcase their unique flavours, offering special two and three course menus for £10 or £15 as part of the event.
The week will also see cafes have their chance to shine, with a £5 daytime offer, encouraging visitors to explore a number of new eateries and rediscover traditional cake shops that have been part of the fabric of Sunderland for many years.
Diners will be able to log on to the BID’s website during the week to find out about the offers available, and download a city centre map, as well as an online copy of Eat Drink Sunderland, a magazine that showcases some of the cafes and eateries both in the city centre and around the city.
Restaurants including Port of Call and The Karbon Grill have signed up already.
Gary Hutchinson, commercial director at Sunderland AFC and chairman of Sunderland Business Partnership, which is backing the week, said: “We’re delighted to see Saucy Burger and Liberty Brown sign up to be part of Restaurant Week.
“It’s great that we are expanding the week beyond the city centre and clearly the appetite is there among restauranteurs to get behind the week and make it a big success for Sunderland.
“The city has a whole host of great places to eat – from established eateries, to new and exciting new venues, and it certainly feels like we have the quality and variety to successfully run a Restaurant Week.”
Those who eat out during the week are encouraged to share their food pictures and talk about their meal using the hashtag #EDSWeek in social media posts.
Anyone who posts a positive review on social media and uses the hashtag during the week will be in with a chance of winning a VIP table for four at the city’s newly opened Karbon Grill in the Hilton Garden Inn, tucking in at the exclusive chef ’s table.
More about Restaurant Week can be found at Sunderland BID’s website www. experienceithere.co.uk
You can also keep up to date by following @SunderlandBID and Facebook page.
Eateries keen to sign up can contact Sunderland BID on 0191 562 3130 or info@ bidsunderland.com if they are based in the city centre, or Creo Communications on 0191 562 3134 or hello@ wearecreo.co.uk for those in other parts of the city.
“It’s great we are expanding the week beyond the city centre” GARY HUTCHINSON