A restaurant week which took place in one North East city last week has been heralded as a resounding success as organisers estimate it added nearly £650,000 to the local economy.
Over 21,000 hungry diners flocked to Sunderland last week (March 18-24) to take advantage of tasty deals which were available across the city during the event.
Diners had a multitude of choices from a range of cafes and restaurants, paying as little as £10, £15 or £20 per person.
Organisers have now said the week was a huge triumph as they look forward to 2024's second restaurant week in September.
The three most popular venues were: Rumour Has It at Green Terrace, House of Zen at Seaburn and Asiana, based at the Echo 24 building.
Ian Wong, owner of Asiana which has just undergone a major refurbishment prior to Sunderland Restaurant Week, said it had once again been a huge success.
“This can be traditionally a quiet time of year – after Mother’s Day and in the run-up to Easter – so restaurant week is a real boost,” he said.
“It was another really successful event and we were delighted to welcome so many diners into Asiana, many of whom were getting their first opportunity to see its new look.”
Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive of Sunderland BID, said that restaurant week continued to make a huge impact.
“We have so many great places to eat and so many new restaurants and bars opening that it’s fantastic to be able to give people from the city and beyond the opportunity to try them,” she said.
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“The many different cuisines that are now available in Sunderland means that the event has a real international flavour and is drawing an audience from far and wide.
“Sunderland Restaurant Week makes a considerable economic impact and that doesn’t take into account the fact that – once they’ve visited – many people come back time and time again throughout the year.
“We look forward to the event returning again in September when hopefully we will have even more dining experiences available for people to try.”
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