Steve Bruce endured a disappointing day in the Potteries as Dave Kitson fired home the only goal to secure maximum points for Stoke.
Sunderland generated few chances at the Britannia Stadium and Tony Pulis' City capitalised when former Reading man Kitson pounced for the game's lone goal just before the break.
Despite a brief rally late on, Sunderland couldn't find the finesse required to lever open a stubborn home defence marshalled well by imposing captain Abdoulaye Faye.
Stoke, meanwhile, have now won both their home games so far this season and in the end were worthy victors after creating the majority of the chances.
They were the first to threaten after nine minutes courtesy of a trademark missile from the touchline by Rory Delap.
The midfielder's throw from the left fell nicely for striker Kitson, who snatched at his shot from eight yards out and fired well wide.
At the other end Stoke skipper Faye had to pull off a sprawling block to prevent Darren Bent's feed finding Kenwyne Jones in front of goal, while Bent himself then saw a powerful effort charged down by the home defence.
Neither side really took control of a fast-paced encounter early on, with most of the early pressure coming from Stoke set-pieces.
Another Delap throw-in caused confusion in the visitors' defence before Gordon gathered, while a clever set piece 25 minutes in gave Glenn Whelan the time and space to fire in a powerful effort which struck Jones and spun behind.
Captain Faye got above his opposite number Lorik Cana to head a right-wing corner off-target. Then Albanian international Cana countered at the other end moments later as he directed Kieran Richardson's flag-kick over the top.
Nine minutes before half-time Sunderland weathered a real scare. Anton Ferdinand's cushioned header through to Gordon was too casual and the Scottish keeper was forced to clear his lines rapidly before the lurking Kitson could cash in.
The Black Cats responded with their best move of the game thus far - Jones finding Cana who in turn played in Bent to curl a well-struck shot just past Thomas Sorensen's far post.
But the stream of corners continued for the home side and Sunderland were eventually punished two minutes before half-time. A half-cleared delivery was pumped back into the box and Kitson pounced on Jones' attempted clearing header to ram the ball home from six yards out.
One-nil at the break - and Stoke started like a train in the second period as the useful Whelan had a shot blocked on the edge of the box before ex-Sunderland man Liam Lawrence twice came close to adding a second goal.
First he ripped a shot through a crowd of players only to see Phil Bardsley get his body in the way to somehow hook the effort away almost on his own goal-line.
Shortly afterwards a deep cross to the back post evaded everyone and Lawrence manoeuvred in front of his marker to plant a header just past the post with Gordon scrambling across goal to make up the ground.
Faced with finding a way of re-energising his side, boss Bruce responded with a double substitution, refreshing either flank by introducing Andy Reid - impressive in midweek - and Fraizer Campbell in place of Kieran Richardson and Steed Malbranque.
But although the Black Cats began to see more of the ball, Stoke continued to press, with Ricardo Fuller firing over from a decent position before Kitson gave Gordon a scare with a flying header which flashed just past the post.
Sunderland's best spell of a disappointing afternoon came in the final ten minutes after Phil Bardsley tested Sorensen with a low drive from distance.
With Jordan Henderson on for Lee Cattermole, the Black Cats pushed on and came close when sub Reid's cross dropped over Sorensen's head and just beyond Jones at the back post.
But there was to be no dramatic equaliser during the four minutes of added time as the visitors pumped long ball into the box with no avail in their desperate search for a late leveller.
With Hull next at the Stadium of Light, Bruce now has two weeks to prepare his squad for a return to action on Wearside.
