Best Beer Gardens in Sunderland

Sunderland's best outdoor drinking is split between two quite different places. On the coast at Roker and Seaburn, a handful of bars and pubs face straight onto the beach and the North Sea, and on a clear day the terraces fill up from late morning. In the city centre the outdoor space is smaller, tucked into back yards, side streets and pedestrian squares, but it is a short walk from the Park Lane Interchange and Sunderland station. Every venue below was trading in 2026 and has some form of outdoor seating. The North East coast can be breezy even in summer, so take a layer, and check opening hours before you set out.

Poetic License Bar, Roker

Poetic License Bar sits beside The Roker Hotel on Roker Terrace and is open to everyone, not only hotel guests. Its own website describes it as having one of the biggest beer gardens in Sunderland, and there is a separate patio area as well as indoor seating. Food is served every day from midday until the evening, with burgers, small plates, a children's menu and Sunday lunch, and the bar is known for its cocktails.

The garden looks across the road towards Roker beach and the pier, which makes it an easy stop after a walk along the promenade.

Best for: Suits groups and families wanting plenty of outdoor space close to the beach.

The Seaburn Inn, Seaburn

The Seaburn Inn on Whitburn Road faces Seaburn beach and the lower promenade. It is run by The Inn Collection Group, and its own page lists an outdoor terrace with sea views and a beer garden. Inside there is a public bar and restaurant serving breakfast, pub classics and a Sunday carvery, so it works for a full meal as well as a drink outside.

It is dog friendly, and with rooms upstairs it is one of the few seafront pubs where you can also stay the night.

Best for: Suits a pub meal with a sea view, and dog walkers coming off Seaburn beach.

Tin of Sardines, Roker

Tin of Sardines occupies the old seafront toilet block on Pier View, close to Roker pier. It is a gin bar and kitchen with a long gin list, and its outside gin terrace looks across Roker beach. Tapas is served on the terrace from Sunday to Thursday evenings, and brunch runs every morning from 8.30am.

It describes itself as dog friendly and is popular with dog walkers for a morning coffee as well as an evening drink.

Best for: Suits a gin with a view of the pier, at almost any time of day.

The Botanist, Keel Square

The Botanist occupies a ground-floor unit on Keel Square, at the top of High Street West. Its outdoor area has festoon lights, rattan furniture and planters, and the bar describes it as a spot for eating outside or a cocktail. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor area.

Live music runs on Friday and Saturday evenings, so the terrace stays busy into the night at weekends. The Culture House and the theatres on High Street West are a few minutes' walk away.

Best for: Suits a drink outdoors in the middle of the city, with or without the dog.

Ttonic, Vine Place

Ttonic has been on Vine Place since 2003, in a building that was once a DIY shop. CAMRA's listing, updated in January 2026, records a beer garden alongside live music, and the bar shows sport during the day before turning to cocktails and music in the evening.

Vine Place is one of the city centre's busiest bar streets, so this is a lively choice rather than a quiet one, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.

Best for: Suits a weekend night out that starts outside.

The Canny Lad, Green Terrace

The Canny Lad is the former Fitzgeralds on Green Terrace, in a Grade II listed building in the Bishopwearmouth conservation area. It reopened under its new name with an Irish theme in 2025 and keeps the real ale tradition going with six handpumps.

There is a small beer garden at the back that catches the sun. Inside there is a games room with pool and darts, and the pub shows live sport and welcomes dogs.

Best for: Suits real ale drinkers who want a quieter garden away from the main bar streets.

Chaplins, Stockton Road

Chaplins is a real ale pub on Stockton Road, two minutes from the Park Lane Interchange. CAMRA's listing, updated in March 2026, notes tables outside at the front and at the rear on Derwent Street, and the pub lists a beer garden among its features. There are seven handpulls, with five changing cask ales and a house beer from Darwin Brewery.

It gets busy on Sunderland match days, when the outside tables go first.

Best for: Suits a pint outside before catching a bus or Metro from Park Lane.

Gatsby, Derwent Street

Gatsby is a bar on the corner of Derwent Street, among the cluster of pubs near Park Lane. CAMRA's listing, updated in January 2026, notes some limited outside seating in the pedestrian area, along with food served all day and breakfast in the mornings.

The outdoor space is modest, but it is a handy spot for a drink in the sun if you are already in this part of town.

Best for: Suits a quick drink outside between other bars around Park Lane.

Planning a day out

If the weather is good, the seafront makes the better day out: Roker and Seaburn are linked by the promenade, so you can walk between Poetic License, Tin of Sardines and The Seaburn Inn in around half an hour. Our Roker and Seaburn seafront guide covers the beaches, cafes and parking, and our guide to the best pubs in Sunderland has more city-centre pubs for when it rains.

Know a place we have missed? Get in touch.