Spent Grain - Sunderland

Walk into Spent Grain and you're immediately in the kind of place that takes both its beer and its kitchen seriously. Located on John Street in Sunniside, this is Sunderland's answer to the craft brewery movement — the sort of spot where locals actually want to spend an evening, not just pass through. The atmosphere strikes that sweet spot between casual and considered: you can rock up in your work clothes or dress it up slightly, and either way you'll fit right in. They've clearly thought about what they're doing here, whether that's the beer selection or what's coming out of the kitchen.