Restaurant review: Sunflowers

After being named one of our five favorite places to grab a sandwich, Sunflowers had a lot to live up to when the Out & About team went to lunch.

The Location: Sunflowers is situated at the corner of Peace Street and Halifax Street in Raleigh, right next to Seaboard Station. The building looks like a converted Hardee's building, but it certainly doesn't feel like a fast-food burger joint any more. The porch is lined with trellises and plants, and inside paintings hang on the walls while sunlight streams in. The whole place feels bright and airy.

The Food: Sunflowers has many options for both vegetarians and omnivores. Though they specialize in fresh and delicious sandwiches, they also offer quesadillas and salads.

The Meal: We couldn't go to Sunflowers without ordering sandwiches. All the sandwiches came with chips on the side.

Caitlin: Even though everything on the menu looked good, I decided to go with what caught my eye first: the Cran-Brie-Licious sandwich. Slices of roast turkey and crisp lettuce, topped with melted Brie and tangy cranberry chutney on grilled pumpernickel bread made this sandwich a melty, messy treat. There was a perfect amount of cheese that melted into a creamy texture, instead of too much cheese overpowering the other flavors. The homemade sweet and tangy cranberry sauce paired well with the brie and turkey.

Kathy: I tried the grilled Pepper Jack Pimento Cheese sandwich on sunflower bread. The homemade cheese spread was spot on. The flavors blended nicely together and the pepper jack wasn't overpowering. Served with lettuce and tomato, it was a great lunch combination. I had previously tried the Cran-brie-licious sandwich, which was a great combination of sweet and savory. The cranberry chutney was probably my favorite part. This sandwich was like Thanksgiving on pumpernickel!

Jodi: I had the Sonny – advocado and Havarti on sunflower bread. It was, simply put, smooth. The ingredients combined in a creamy deliciousness yet still allowed me to feel virtuous about ordering vegetarian.

The Service: The only interaction with staff at Sunflowers is while ordering at the counter. However, our meals were prepared quickly.

The Bill: Our lunchtime delights ranged from $6 to $8, quite reasonable for the quality and taste.

The Verdict: Sunflowers' sandwiches have upheld their previous standard, and we'll definitely be back to try more of the menu.