The Engine Room

About The Engine Room

The Engine Room is the bar and restaurant inside The Fire Station, the restored Edwardian fire station on High Street West that is now one of Sunderland's main arts venues. The building keeps much of its original character, including restored tiling and flooring.

The kitchen uses fresh and locally sourced produce, and the venue describes it as a place to eat before a show at The Fire Station's auditorium or the Sunderland Empire across the road. Next door is the Foyer Bar, which has direct street access and serves drinks before and after performances and during intervals, and the historic Dun Cow pub stands alongside on the corner. Bookings and menus are handled through The Fire Station's website. Keel Square, the Culture House and the Park Lane Interchange are all within a short walk.

Featured in These Guides

Blog posts and guides that feature The Engine Room.

A Weekend in Sunderland: A 48-Hour Itinerary

A two-day plan for Sunderland: St Peter's and the riverside, Roker Pier and the seafront, a night on High Street West, then Penshaw, Washington Old Hall and Mowbray Park.

Date Night in Sunderland

Ideas for a date night in Sunderland, from a show at the Empire or The Fire Station to dinner in Sunniside, cocktails on Keel Square and an evening by the sea at Roker.

Best Restaurants in Sunderland

Where to eat in Sunderland city centre and Sunniside, from family-run Italian and pan-Asian cooking by the river to tacos, pho and pre-theatre dinners on High Street West.