Sunflowers Cafe

Healthy. Delicious. These words go together like a horse and carriage. Sunflowers is the frequent eatery option for downtown folks who want to enjoy music, good food and a little sun in the big windows. The restaurant also has unique paintings from time to time like a rendering of two unicorns, floral still life and other offerings.
Get the Pepper Jack Pimento Cheese Sandwich. Then ask for it to be Grilled and Toasted for an ooey gooey cheese explosion! Otherwise get it Toasted if there is a preference for Hot Bread and Cold Filling. Perfect either way!
An Italian Cream Soda makes the day a little easiest with numerous flavors or the tray of daily desserts. Pay the cashier and then food will be delivered to the table or you will be called up front.
Don’t miss out on the Carrot and Ginger Soup or the Manhattan Chowder. But call to know the day’s choice as the Soups rotate. Plenty of Vegetarian options! Lunch only!

My girlfriend had been asking to go to this place for a while but it’s never open when we want to go. It’s open 11 – 3 Monday — Saturday. We both ordered the fish tacos, I got mine with no pico. You order at the counter and they call your name when the food is ready, the tacos were tasty and the cilantro jalapeño sauce was good! They had a good selection of desserts but we didn’t get any, maybe next time when we get there during their open hours.

Went here for lunch while in town for a conference. Food was delicious and reasonably priced. And the staff was super friendly. Highly recommend.

I have had the avocado pesto melt a few times now and it was extra great today. Really hit the spot. They have great pesto, put an amazing amount of yummy cheese and the sunflower bread is always a dense, hearty bread. Great place for a good sandwhich and chips. Highly recommend for a sandwhich, especially if you want anything including veggies.

Fantastic sandwiches and salads. Used to work downtown and get takeout often. Was in the area today and thought I’d head over to pick up a Pear and Pecan salad (w/​grilled chicken). As always, café was packed and salad was loaded with chicken, pecans, pears and other fresh ingredients, all with great flavor. Other favorites here are The Californian, Awesome Anna, and JJ sandwiches.

I had a pleasant experience at the Sunflowers Café. They offer a rather nice variety of sandwich/​wrap options with wholesome ingredients; many vegetarian options as well as hot & cold sandwiches. The food came out quick and my friend & I’s sandwiches were delicious!!! The prices are reasonable. I also bought a lemon bar dessert which was very pleasing. Unfortunately, I did ask for no cheese on my order but that was not the case. The chips are salty as all get out, but addicting like all chips. They would benefit from switching varieties– like kettle cooked/​baked/​or sunchips.
The restaurant was clean with some cute flare including an antique dresser being used as a napkin and straw station. We didn’t have any problems with the staff. I would go back again if the opportunity presented itself– for a quick affordable lunch meal.

I got the chicken salad sandwich which has grapes & pecans in it which should’ve been good under normal circumstances. However I actually had to return it because it was just full of LEMON flavor which isn’t good in chicken salad of any kind!

So glad to get to come here while I was in town bc I remember this restaurant from my college years! Food was very good & good quality. Prices on par for quality. Service was fast & bathroom was cute & clean! Only downside was the tea was terrible! Just brown water.

I have loved sunflowers for a long time. I ate there almost everyday while I was a student at Peace. The last time I stopped in, the gentlemen who I assume owns the place, was beyond rude. I have never been treated in such a way at any place that I am spending my money!!! So for that sunflowers, I will miss you, but I will take my business elsewhere.

Unfortunately this was one of my favorite places to eat on P St. until an old man cleaning tables was extremely rude to me! So nasty so rude will not return.

The service was very friendly especially when packed with people — no one seemed flustered or impolite.
There were a lot of vegetarian options which was great, but they felt the same: basically a grilled cheese with some veggies. There were no vegan options, but you can create your own by ordering a sandwich without cheese. (Not sure if bread is vegan though).
We got our food: a veggie sandwich, no cheese. They forgot the sauce that was supposed to come on it. An order of fish tacos, supposed to come with cilantro-​jalapeño sauce, but it was missing. Sandwiches come with chips or you can sub in fruit or a side salad for $ 1.95 extra.
We thought the food was alright but could have been improved with some Veganaise or just by being a little more flavorful. I was expecting to be more excited but I would still return again for a day when I needed something quick.

The service… Always courteous and friendly until today. I am not sure if this girl was new or she just thought her poo poo didn’t stink. So here is what happened… my wife ordered a turkey sandwich and she asked them to microwave the turkey before making the sandwich. My wife is pregnant and it is dangerous for pregnant women to eat deli meat unless it’s heated. Check out the link:
Now that you know eating deli meat can cause listeriosis during pregnancy I think you will agree that it is a reasonable request to take 30 seconds to heat up the meat. The employee in question acted like I asked her to sing the star spangled banner on one leg while making the sandwich. She literally asked me 3 times about why they had to microwave the meat, finally my wife stood up and said, «I’m pregnant’. After that the employee said in the smuggest tone imaginable, «I guess I learn something new everyday». After that she and her fellow employees were obviously talking about my wife and I because they keep staring at us while whispering to each other in the corner. Said employee also screwed up the order (ranch on the side) but she offered to replace it and we said don’t worry about it. Here’s the deal… if you get a very reasonable request from a customer don’t interrogate them about it. It could be a food allergy, a religious reason, or something they just don’t like. I guess this girl was new to working with the public or like I said… she’s just a smug bitch. The owner or manager of this place was not there on this particular visit but I am not sure that it would have made a difference.
Experiences like this turn me off of a restaurant very quickly. I will not return and tell everyone I know not to eat here. However, they will still get my money eventually because my wife and mother in law like to eat here. I hope they don’t have any to ask the staff to go out of their way to heat something up or put dressing on the side.
The food… I have had lunch here numerous times over the years and I typically have a good but not great experience. They make sandwiches the way I make them (not a ton of meat and fresh toppings). They also have decent desserts. I wish they would offer better chips with their sandwiches other than the cheapest ruffles you can find. The food is a little on the pricey side for what you get. I have seen some other reviews on here about the presentation and portions and I hear you loud and clear
The atmosphere… I always feel a little out of place because the majority of their clientele consists of older women but that doesn’t really bother me. It’s an old Hardee’s they turned into a sandwich shop.
Well.there you have it. One star because of one rude employee. I guess I would have given them 3 otherwise.

I love everything about this place! Especially the pick up window ;)
My go to lunch spot!

I work across the street from Sunflower’s and have eaten here often over the past few years. The sandwiches are good but the prices are too high for what you get. Last Wednesday I called ahead to order a simple sandwich: ham and cheese on a Kaiser roll. Nothing else, really simple. When I arrived at the window, I was ignored for about five minutes, even though there was no line at the counter. At one point, a young woman who was on the phone taking an order looked at me and waved slightly. I kept waiting. When she got off the phone she disappeared behind counters and then emerged to begin taking an order from a person who had just arrived to the counter. I called out, asking if I could please pick up my sandwich. There were several bags by the pick up window but she couldn’t find mine. Then another woman came over and helped her find it. At this point, I’ve been sitting at the window for over 10 minutes and there are two cars behind me. It turns out my order was sitting among the bags at the window. They rang up the order and said the total was $ 9.51. It seemed high but I figured maybe it was a really big sandwich. When I looked in the bag it was not– and I had to ask for the little bag of chips it is supposed to come with. I’m posting a photo of my $ 9.51 lunch so you can be the judge. I won’t be paying that much for a Sunflower’s sandwich again.

Sunflower’s quite possibly may be my new favorite healthy eating place!
Cozy & casual with a comfortable home kitchen ambiance, you order at the counter & go sit.
I think they had me at Watermelon Gazpacho… Then along came the Cob Salad — with slices of melon, egg, & most importantly, no foul blue cheese crumbles.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I added the Lemon Tahini dressing…
I’m in love.

I love Sunflower’s so much, it is literally borderline obsessive. Always a fan of a café where I can get a great sandwich or salad, and this place fits the bill! They have a huge lunch selection that will please even the pickiest eater, including those with dietary restrictions (vegetarian, gluten-​free, etc.). I think their portions are on-​point, and the service is always quick and friendly even during the busiest lunch hour. I haven’t tried everything on the menu because I keep ordering their chicken salad (not too much mayonnaise!), pimiento cheese, and pretty much all of their salads. Great daily specials and free refills on sweet tea… what’s not to love?

I can’t really speak to the quality and flavor of the overall menu, I can only speak to my experience as a vegan. As a vegan, this place is no more vegan friendly than Subway or Olive Garden. There is nothing made vegan, only things that can become vegan by eliminating ingredients, such as cheese, mayo, etc. I am not from Raleigh, but I get the impression that Raleigh is about 10 years behind the times on this, as the Whole Foods had some of the fewest vegan options I have seen at any WF I have ever been to, so I’ll give this place a little slack on this, but, for the benefit of any vegans that may consider going here, I would suggest trying some of the other more vegan friendly places. This place is not vegan friendly. They are vegan tolerant, at best.

Very fresh, delicious sandwiches and salads with MANY vegetarian options! The bonus of chilled soups as a side option during the hot summers is a big plus.

I’m giving them 5 stars because of how hard it is to find healthy ptions in the South. In business from California, and wanting food that has vegetarian options, but not boring. Sunflower=Bingo. #winning. Had the Avocado Pesto Melt, which had Avocado, tomatoes, red onion, pesto mayo (oh my yum) and white cheddar, grilled on sunflower bread. (I know. not healthy, but sooo damn good) and healthier than many other places! Anyways. Delicious. I opted for the side salad with blue cheese dressing, which was super yummy as well. Wasn’t super thick, which I loved. I opted out of dessert, but was eying some melted brownie thing? It all looked good. Place was busy, which was a good sign, and the people were friendly. I will come back if I’m ever back in the area. Was a little taste of California. in North Carolina! Yum.

Great lunches and fresh fresh food. Never disappointed. Super. We liked the Californian and the Sonny. Enjoy!

Get the Californian, dude. The avocado is like totally fresh. I think the hours at this place are quite limited. Get it while you can if you happen to be on Peace St and want some freshness. I liked the way the waitress took your order while waiting in line. This way you just paid at the counter and grabbed it when your name was belted.
My rule of thumb is to eat at a place where there are a lot of older folks or business folks. At lunch time, this place has a lot of both. If you are ready for a change of pace from the Jimmy’s and Mike’s and Subways, go to Sunflower’s. You will have leftovers.

Hot summer weather and this place totally hit the spot.
My new all-​time favorite sandwich is the «Sonny,» avocado, lettuce, tomato, ranch and havarti on house-​made sunflower bread. The ‘Skinny Sue’ looks similar, substituting cucumbers for avocado and mustard for the ranch, so may be worth a try. Otherwise the only other cold sandwich looks to be a hummus pita.
We brought the whole family here. Wasn’t crazy about the potato salad, but really enjoyed their specialty gazpacho varieties… delicious and refreshing for this time of year.
The meaty people all picked the daily special with sliced chicken and pepper jack.
Unfortunately no gluten-​free options in bread, but do have easy kid food — PB&J, havarti grilled cheese with mayo (I don’t know about your kids, but ours would be rejecting said mayo), or even a mini pear and pecan salad.
I also loved seeing that if you call your order ahead, you can just pull up in their drive-​through.
Penciling in warmer veggie sandwiches to try for when the temperatures cool off:
Portobello Ellen, Avocado Pesto Melt, Veggie Club, Vegetarian Focaccia, Grilled Veggies on Sourdough Bread, Arabian Grilled Cheese, Pepper Jack Pimiento Cheese, or Grilled Veggie Quesadilla

My go-​to mom-​n-​pop sandwich shop in Raleigh since I’ve been around this town (1999, originally at the old location in what is now The Hibernian in Glenwood South). Plus, it’s no longer cash-​only and they have a drive through. Lines at lunch can be long, but service is efficient. Tons of vegetarian friendly options. If you’re not in the whole wheat mood, I highly recommend their foccacia.