Welcome to Knowledge Restaurant

“ We came on the recommendation of the owner of the hotel that is above the restaurant and it was very good. We had a really nice meal and would definitely recommend The staff were very friendly and helpful. There were several people there so does seem popular. ”

“ Party of 8. Rustic feel to the place with great views of river. Free on street parking and a little car park. Food was overall tasty, especially pizza, garlic breads, pasta and the sea bass- all good value for money. Prawns a bit over cooked as were the burgers. Service was excellent , friendly staff. The place used to be the boars head pub and sadly the toilets need a major upgrade, especially women's. ”

“ Fantastic service. Food was lovely, hot and plentiful. I'd invited my eldest son and his wife who had lost their daughter last Christmas day. They travelled up from Mansfield on Christmas morning and my younger son came too. We were given a fabulous table in the window overlooking the River and bridges. Every thing was well organised. It certainly took our minds off what would have been a rather sad day. The staff were lovely and very accommodating. Yes, the cost was quite high but for me, I thought it was worth every penny. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this restaurant. ”

“ Fantastic authentic Italian restaurant in Sunderland overlooking the River Wear. We had cocktails on the balcony with great river views. Cocktail menu is extensive and exciting - I had my first burnt orange Serena! We were served by Caterina who was friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. She made excellent recommendations for both my cocktail and my main course. The food is delicious. We will definitely return! ”

“ Fantastic lunch today in Knowledge. Lovely freshly made pasta with delicious meatballs, the tomatoes sauce was to die far . Starters was fresh grilled squid , straight from the fish quay in Sunderland. All washed down with a bottle of red wine. The prices are excellent and the service exceptional. ”

“ The place looks really nice and cosy with fabulous views over the river. The food was excellent and drinks were too. The whisky was served with a tiny side of dried apricot, candied almonds and square of dark chocolate which was a lovely touch, much appreciated. We had Sunday lunch - absolutley lovely and generous portions. The main menu looks really interesting so we will be back to try that. ”

“ We had Christmas dinner here. The staff were very attentive and the food was lovely ”

“ We had our Christmas lunch at Knowledge. As a family we always gather at one home or another and cater for ourselves. Sadly on Christmas day 2024 my brother and his wife lost their daughter very suddenly, this altered our thoughts on how we could mark the occasion and still celebrate our Christmas. In the end, having seen a post about recommendations for Sunderland venues catering on Christmas day on Facebook, I found praise for Knowledge. I had eaten at this location under its previous guise, so it was familiar. I suggested it to my mother who in turn put it to the wider extended family, but they made their own arrangements primarily owing to the cost, the Christmas Day lunch was £90 a head, so I can understand why people might be hesitant, but as a fourseome - myself, mother, brother and sister-in-law, we had an absolutely fantastic Christmas lunch. We arrived at noon and were greeted at the door and taken to our table at the very back with a view over the river. We really liked the whole set-up and presntation immediately. Our table for four was spacious and had plenty of elbow room and space around the seats, we didn't feel hemmed in. We were offered a welcome drink of fizz or mocktail and a very tasty quiche-type canape. We were given a festive drinks menu (which would be my only tiny gripe, it appeared to be simple photocopied black and white booklet, It could have looked a little more festive or colourful). The staff were all really helpful or obliging, despite working their own Christmas day, nothing was too much trouble, taking drink orders even if they were simply clearing the plates. We had pre-ordered our meals through Whatsapp in advance. All of the food we had was of a fantastic standard. The main courses were huge, I can be picky with the veg, but ate everything. A bit of mashed swede would have gotten the food 5*, but everything we did have, was cooked very well. The Yorkshire pudding was massive, and we also got a filled gravy boat for the table to help wash that down. I really felt the staff had the pacing of the service just right, it didn't feel rushed or like they were desperate for the table back. We were there just under three hours. My brother and his wife no longer live in the area, so the icing on the cake was that iconic view of their former homeland. We passed the day in a quiet, but very dignified way, no one in the restaurant would have know what brought us there that day, we were just a small table celebrating Christmas Day, but it was much deeper than that. The first Christmas with the loss of your child will always be difficult, but they both remarked how the change of scene and the small intimate nature of our meal in a quiet section of a much larger venue made their day easier to bear. Yes, the cost is high, but we were all more than happy with the way things worked out. I'd happily recommend Knowledge for anyone else who doesn't want a houseful on Christmas day with all the noise, mess and fuss. They took all that away and made the day about what Christmas actually should be - family. ”