If you’re looking for cosy gastro pubs or trendy hot spots with Instagram-worthy décor to try then you are in luck, as Sunderland has been named the best city in the UK for independent restaurants, according to new research.

The city ranked first place and scored 76.2 per cent out of 100 in the top 20 'best UK cities for independent restaurants' list which was put together by business energy experts at Bionic.

The experts have analysed almost 65,000 restaurants across the UK creating the ultimate index, to discover which UK cities are the champions of independent eateries.

To do this, they used data such as the average amount that each city is spending on dining out, how much each city is posting to social media about dining out, along with the proportion of chain restaurants in each city.

What did the experts say about Sunderland?

Bionic commented: “Sunderland comes out on top as the best city in the UK for independent restaurants, scoring 76.2 out of 100.

“With a population of nearly 175,000, Sunderland has an impressive 1.344 independent restaurants per capita, giving plenty of options to choose from.

“Sunderland residents spend on average 3.89 per cent of their disposable income on eating out and being the best city in the UK when it comes to independent dining, it is no doubt that the locals are making the most of the fantastic family-run restaurants on their doorsteps!”

Newcastle and Middlesbrough named among best UK cities for independent restaurants

Other North East cities also made the top 20 list when it came to analysing the best UK cities for independent restaurants.

Newcastle ranked in ninth place with a total score of 63.3 per cent, while Middlesbrough came in nineteenth place, scoring 55.1 per cent.

The Northern Echo: Altogether, three cities in the North East have been named in the top 20 'best UK cities for independent restaurant' listAltogether, three cities in the North East have been named in the top 20 'best UK cities for independent restaurant' list (Image: Canva)

The top 20 UK cities for independent restaurants

  1. Sunderland – 76.2 per cent
  2. Bradford – 75.1 per cent
  3. Northampton – 72.8 per cent
  4. Belfast – 68.6 per cent
  5. Swansea – 66.2 per cent
  6. Blackpool – 65.4 per cent
  7. Leeds – 65 per cent
  8. Cardiff – 64.1 per cent
  9. Newcastle – 63.3 per cent
  10. Wolverhampton – 63.2 per cent
  11. York – 60.2 per cent
  12. Brighton and Hove – 60.1 per cent
  13. Bolton – 58.1 per cent
  14. Telford – 57.6 per cent
  15. Birmingham - 56.6 per cent
  16. Glasgow – 56.4 per cent
  17. Warrington – 55.5 per cent
  18. Dundee – 55.4 per cent
  19. Middlesbrough – 55.1 per cent
  20. Stoke-on-Trent – 53.5 per cent

If you would like to support independent businesses, a city in the top 20 list could be your next go-to for a city break, where you can see what different restaurants are on offer for a well-earned feast.