Aperitif restaurant

You'll find Aperitif tucked away on High Street West, in that sweet spot where Sunderland's eating scene actually gets interesting. It's the kind of place where they take their wine list seriously—proper Italian selections that actually pair with what's on the plate—but never make you feel like you need a degree to order a glass. The room itself is intimate without being cramped; exposed brick, warm lighting, the sort of setup that works equally well for a weeknight drink with mates or something slightly more deliberate. Their tapas menu reads like someone's actually thought about what tastes good together rather than just throwing random stuff on small plates and calling it trendy.