Good food is hard to come by. We make sure our good food inspires to come by.
Our Story
Bill & Effie Marvelis, Owners
Owners, Bill and Effie Marvelis, are a husband-wife team with over twenty-five years experience in all facets of the restaurant business. This is not their first venture. Bill and Effie each owned their own place when they first met over fifteen years ago.
Effie was part-owner of Sandwich King, a beer and breakfast joint in the Lexington Market. The menu appealed to those working the graveyard shift at the University of Maryland and other twenty-four hour facilities in Baltimore. Nearing six in the morning, lines would start to form with tired and hungry customers waiting to scarf down pancakes, waffles, eggs or breakfast sandwiches. All these breakfast items were washed down with a cold Daught Beer.
Bill was the owner of Andy’s, a veritable Cheese-Steak Factory also located in the Lexington Market. Two six-foot grills powered this amazing place: one for cooking and the other for serving. Huge mounds of tender, perfectly seasoned beef were stuffed into a sub-roll and dressed to the customer’s liking. It was really a sight to see. At this time, Bill was also running Mount Olympus, a Greek and Vegetarian stall located right next to Andy’s.
Sunshine Grille is the amalgamation of all three business into a Bistro style restaurant. Wine and Mustard colored walls combined with earth-tone tiles create a casual yet elegant atmosphere at the Grille. The patio attracts early risers for Breakfast and good friends for cocktails and appetizers in the evenings.
People are just beside themselves as they read the menu and try to decide what to order. First, try to get past the monthly Specials Menu. There is a special for all hours of the day. Come in for breakfast and you will melt over our special pancakes. The soup and burger of the month is to die for. Then there are the appetizers and Entree specials which you would only expect to find at a fine-dining establishment. What about the alcohol? The Grille has that covered too- A large craft of Sangria has repeatedly been on the Specials Menu because of it’s popularity among the customers. What if you want breakfast for dinner? Or you’re feeling something a little more heavier for breakfast? No worries! Sunshine Grille offers the full menu at any time of the day! If you can’t choose at this point, begin flipping through the well put together menu which has items from almost every category: Portobello Chicken Panini, Blueberry Pancakes, Spinach Pie, Falafel , Crab Pizza, Italian Sausage Omelette, Grilled Octopus, Shrimp Salad wrap, Spaghetti, Fish and Chips need I say more? There is something for everyone’s taste buds!
For you drinkers out there- Sunshine Grille’s tremendous offering of craft and seasonal beers is equally impressive with over sixty-five bottled beers served all day, all week long. Local, Regional and International selection of wines make this a great stop for those who like to sip. Not a beer or wine drinker? Try the frozen and ice cream drinks as well such as the Sunshine Punch and the “Adult” Milkshakes.
What happens when you finish your meal and you are still hungry? The answer is quite simple. Cakes and more cakes, pies, muffins and cupcakes. Sunshine Grille has a large selection of desserts displayed in our dessert case at the front of the store. You can’t miss it! And if you are full, take a dessert or two to-go! All of the desserts are made in-house with organic milk purchased from the Prigle Family Creamery.
At this point, the restaurant has matured and the Grille is ready for an expansion; the vision is to add a lounge for Tappas and Cocktails. The hope is to create an atmosphere where people can talk, unwind and forget about the economy for a while. You’ll find great prices here that you cannot beat anywhere else. Bill says, “I like to establish long term relationships with my customers, I’m not trying to empty their pocket, just keep my hand in it.”
