Should you open a Turkish restaurant in Sunderland?
Sunderland scores 37 out of 100 on our demand index — a tough market right now. The council currently has 6 Turkish restaurants against an estimated 440 monthly searches for Turkish food, which works out to roughly 30,464 residents for every Turkish restaurant already trading here. The single biggest factor behind that number is residents per restaurant, which ranks higher here than in most other councils in England and Wales. That combination of supply, search interest and population is what the verdict above is based on: Sunderland looks a tough market right now for someone weighing up whether to open a Turkish restaurant in the area, relative to every other council we track.
Read next: How to Open a Turkish Restaurant in the UK in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide
How this score breaks down
How Sunderland compares in North East
Sunderland ranks 8 of 12 councils in North East by demand score, and 2 of 12 by number of Turkish restaurants. The table below shows its four nearest neighbours by score.
| Council | Demand score | Verdict | Turkish restaurants | Monthly searches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | 37 | Saturated | 6 | 440 |
| Darlington | 45 | Balanced | 0 | 320 |
| Gateshead | 43 | Balanced | 3 | 320 |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 34 | Saturated | 4 | 330 |
| South Tyneside | 32 | Saturated | 4 | 390 |
Where the gap is
- Turkish restaurants already trading in Sunderland average a 4.1-star Google rating, below the 4.3-star average across England and Wales — there looks to be room for a higher-quality newcomer here.
- Searches per restaurant here run at 49 a month, well below the 108-a-month median across councils with reliable data — a sign the market may already be saturated relative to demand.
The hygiene picture
Of the 6 Turkish food businesses we hold hygiene data for in Sunderland, 67% are rated 5 (the top FSA score) and 0% are rated 2 or below, with 1 still awaiting inspection — hygiene standards locally are mixed, leaving room to differentiate on cleanliness.
Where they cluster: Most Turkish restaurants in Sunderland sit in DH4, SR4 and SR1 — 1 in DH4, 1 in SR4, 1 in SR1.
Restaurants already here
| # | Name | Postcode | Hygiene rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Cactus Pizzeria | NE37 2AP | 5 |
| 02 | Enfes | SR1 3NT | 5 |
| 03 | Delish-Dish | SR5 2JE | 4 |
| 04 | The Canny Lads | DH5 0EE | AwaitingInspection |
| 05 | Hylton Kings's Chicken | SR4 7XA | — |
| 06 | Mangal House | DH4 6LP | — |
What it would cost here
Fitting out a 100 m² Turkish restaurant in Sunderland with a mid-range fit-out, using our small-town cost assumptions, comes to roughly £174,402 – £348,546 up front. The two largest lines are fit-out & build (£90,000 – £150,000) and kitchen equipment (£20,847 – £76,060).
Open the full cost calculator for Sunderland →
Planning estimate only — see the cost calculator for the full breakdown and assumptions.
Frequently asked questions
- How many Turkish restaurants are in Sunderland?
- Sunderland currently has 6 Turkish restaurants.
- Is there demand for a Turkish restaurant in Sunderland?
- Yes — an estimated 440 monthly searches relate to Turkish food in Sunderland, giving it a demand score of 37/100.
- What would it cost to open a Turkish restaurant in Sunderland?
- A 100 m² restaurant with a mid-range fit-out costs roughly £174,402 – £348,546 to open in Sunderland, based on our cost model.
- How does Sunderland compare to the rest of North East?
- Sunderland scores 37/100 and ranks 8 of 12 in North East. The region's top-scoring council is County Durham, at 84/100.
Thinking about opening here?
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