Best Chinese and Thai Restaurants in Sunderland

Most of Sunderland's Chinese and Thai food is sold through takeaways, and the number of sit-down restaurants is smaller than you might expect for a city of its size. Several well-known names have closed or changed hands in recent years, so this guide sticks to restaurants we could confirm are trading in 2026. Rather than a strict split between Chinese and Thai, most of them cook across several Asian cuisines, so we have grouped them together and added a Vietnamese restaurant for anyone who wants noodle soups and rice dishes in the same spirit.

All four took part in Sunderland Restaurant Week in September 2026. Opening times change, especially around Christmas and New Year, so check before you go.

Asiana Fusion

Asiana Fusion is on the ground floor of the Echo 24 building on West Wear Street, between Sunniside and the river. Its menu brings together Thai, Malaysian, Chinese, Indonesian and Vietnamese dishes, which makes it the closest thing in the city centre to a Thai and Chinese restaurant under one roof. The dining room looks out across the Wear towards Wearmouth Bridge.

It is open for dinner from Tuesday to Sunday, with lunch added on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and is closed on Mondays. Tables can be booked online through the restaurant's own reservation page. It is a short walk from Sunderland station and the bars of Sunniside, so it fits well into an evening in town.

Best for: Suits a sit-down Thai or Chinese meal in the city centre, with river views.

House of Zen

House of Zen is on Whitburn Road at Seaburn, facing the sea. It describes its food as contemporary Asian, with a strong Japanese influence, and the building includes BAR 88, a bar with views over the beach. The restaurant is owned by Eddie Fung, whose group also runs House of Zen in Belfast.

It opens seven days a week from midday, closing at 9.30pm from Sunday to Thursday and 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday. That long day makes it a good option for lunch after a walk along the seafront as well as for dinner. The venue is large enough to host weddings, parties and other functions, and private hire details are on the House of Zen website. Weekends and summer evenings get busy, so book ahead.

Best for: Suits a seaside lunch or dinner, and larger celebrations that need a function space.

Panda Garden

Panda Garden is an all-you-can-eat buffet on Holmeside in the city centre, a short walk from the Park Lane interchange. The buffet format means a set price and a wide spread of hot dishes to help yourself from, which suits groups with different tastes and families with children who like to choose for themselves.

Panda Garden does not have its own website, so prices and opening times are posted on its Instagram account. Buffet prices usually differ between lunch, evenings and weekends, so it is worth checking which applies before you go.

Best for: Suits families and groups who want to try a little of everything at a fixed price.

Pho 179

Pho 179 on Waterloo Place is Vietnamese rather than Chinese or Thai, but it is a natural alternative for anyone looking for Asian food in the city centre. The menu centres on pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup the restaurant is named after, alongside rice dishes and Vietnamese street food made with fresh ingredients.

It sits between Holmeside and High Street West, close to The Bridges and the Empire, and describes itself as suited to anything from a quick bite to a family meal. There is no separate website, so its Facebook page is the place to check menus and current opening times.

Best for: Suits a quick bowl of noodle soup at lunchtime, or a relaxed family meal in town.

A note on takeaways and closures

Sunderland has many Chinese and Thai takeaways, and they change hands often. Our best takeaways in Sunderland guide covers delivery and collection across the city. Several restaurants that used to appear in round-ups such as this one have closed or moved in the last few years, so if a place you remember is missing, that is usually why. If you know of a Chinese or Thai restaurant in the city that is trading and we have not included it, we would like to hear about it.

Picking the right one

For a sit-down Thai or Chinese meal in town, Asiana Fusion is the natural starting point. House of Zen is the choice at the coast, and pairs well with our Roker and Seaburn seafront guide. Panda Garden suits a group on a budget, and Pho 179 is the pick for noodle soups. For more ideas, see the best restaurants in Sunderland and date night in Sunderland.

Know a place we have missed? Get in touch.