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- 14th Oct 2026
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New cafes and restaurants in Seaburn and Roker you’ll want to try
By Erin Malik
New cafes and restaurants in Seaburn and Roker are popping up all the time, thanks to Sunderland’s ongoing regeneration of the seafront, and the area’s become a thriving hub for breakfast, drinks and beyond.
It feels like there’s a new opening to get excited about every month, so we’ve compiled the standout openings from the past year or so to give you a handy guide to new cafes and restaurants in Seaburn and Roker.
MALABAR: A TASTE OF INDIA’S SPICE COAST IN SEABURN
Dykelands Road, Sunderland SR6 8DD
MALABAR is the newest addition to Seaburn’s seafront. It’s a new Indian restaurant from Sunderland businessman Taz Ahmed, who’s also behind Goa, and it’s served delicious, authentic cuisine since Wednesday 12th August.
Formerly the site of Italian restaurant Prego, the building underwent a £250,000 transformation this year before opening its doors as MALABAR.
The restaurant promises “exceptional food, fine flavours, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere,” and it delivers. Expect signature fish curries, small plates and tandoori mains, served in an elegant dining room with a coastal-inspired bar for a pre-dinner drink.
MALABAR is open Tuesday to Friday 5pm to 10pm and Saturday to Sunday 12pm to 10pm. Plus, parking is free when you register your car on arrival.
Seaburn’s curry scene just levelled up.
SLICE: PIZZA, PINTS AND SAND BETWEEN YOUR TOES IN ROKER
Marine Walk, Roker, Sunderland SR6 0PL
Slice is your new go-to pizza spot on the Roker seafront. Serving New York-style pizza by the slice as well as 24in pizza pies, it opened in early July to rave reviews.
The Roker branch is the third from homegrown duo Mark Milroy and Andy Smith, joining the Seaham and Sunderland city centre sites. It’s in the former Pier fish and chip shop in one of the old lighthouse keeper cottages, and the real draw is the beach club terrace, filled with 10 tonnes of sand and seating for 168. There’s only a handful of stools inside, so it’s best saved for a bright, dry day.
Pizzas start at just £4 per slice and pizza pies begin at £28 to serve up to six people. Wash it down with Vaux on draught or a frozen cocktail.
Slice is open Monday to Saturday 12pm to 8pm and Sunday 12pm to 6pm.
Sand between your toes, slice in hand. Sorted.
ELEPHANT ROCK: A VICTORIAN SHELTER REBORN ON ROKER’S PROMENADE
Marine Walk, Roker, Sunderland SR6 0PL
Situated in the former Victorian beach shelter on Marine Walk, Elephant Rock beach cafe and bar was one of this year’s biggest openings in Sunderland, opening its doors on Friday 6th February. The promenade shelter was formerly adorned with an Alice in Sunderland style mural, but was renovated with a new roof, bar, kitchen and bifold doors that open onto Roker Beach.
Elephant Rock is named after Holey Rock, nicknamed Elephant Rock for its trunk-like shape, which once divided Roker and Seaburn before it was demolished in the 1930s. It was created by Vaux Brewery directors Michael Thompson and Steve Smith with Sunderland’s own TV architect George Clarke. The menu ranges from breakfast dishes and brunch options to pizzas in the evening, with lattes made with Baristocracy beans from North Shields, wines, and draught beer.
Brunch is served from 9am to 2.30pm every day, and pizzas are served from 5pm to 9pm, Wednesday to Sunday.
Elephant Rock is dog-friendly and has views out over Roker Beach and the sea, with seats for 66 inside.
1842 CAFÉ & BISTRO: AFTERNOON TEA WITH A SEA VIEW IN ROKER
The Roker Hotel, Roker Terrace, Sunderland SR6 9ND
1842 Café & Bistro is inside the Roker Hotel, with views straight out to sea. It’s named after the year the hotel was built, back when it was the Roker Baths Hotel. The restaurant promises “a fresh take on seaside dining, blending contemporary charm with a nod to timeless flavours.”
1842’s menu features breakfasts, pastries, cakes, brunches, and afternoon teas served throughout the day. From dippy egg and focaccia to tempura locally sourced fish, the menu covers plenty of ground.
It replaced the hotel’s Let There Be Crumbs tearoom in 2025, and it’s been thriving ever since, with plenty of diners singing the praises of its Sunday lunches.
Breakfast is served daily from 7am to 11am, with afternoon tea from 12pm to 4.30pm and brunch from 12pm to 5pm.
Nearly two centuries of seaside history, served with scones.
Molly Ferry
CONTENT ASSISTANT
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