It began slowly. A mysterious new sign appeared west of downtown Oklahoma City. Newspaper stories appeared about a previously unknown diner feeding families in poverty before it was even open. Scattered Facebook check-ins led to curious questions. Were the rumors true? Was there really a new breakfast place in Midtown, and more importantly … was it any good?
Breakfast and brunch competition in OKC is pretty fierce; with so many creative options opening in recent years – think the immensely popular Cafe Kacao or downtown’s Kitchen 324 as well as tried-and-true standbys like Classen Grill – it’s hard to stand out in a crowd.
Sunnyside Diner needn’t have any worries on that account, however. Conceived by the same team that gave us S&B’s Burger Joint and Hillbilly’s Po’ Boys and Oysters, OKC’s newest breakfast spot combines the traditional feel and comforts of a greasy spoon diner with a lot more charm and variety.
It’s pretty difficult to pick a favorite thing about Sunnyside. Is it that the intimidating line moves so swiftly, especially when coffee is provided for your wait? Is it the always friendly but discreet tableside service? Both of these are huge pluses, but let’s be honest: It’s really about the food. Prepare to lose whatever taste you had for Chick-fil-A after Sunnyside’s fried chicken biscuit with house pickles, honey butter and cheese. French toast reaches a whole new level with homemade brioche and pina colada topping. For connoisseurs of that brunch classic eggs Benedict, Sunnyside offers its own spin, including a candied smoked salmon Benedict with grilled tomato slices and sour cream over a potato cake with fried capers and hollandaise, or a chorizo Benedict with green chili hollandaise and queso fresco. (Hungry yet?) The diner could also have aptly been called Hash Heaven. Corned beef hash, long a staple of American breakfasts, is hard to find anymore; not so at Sunnyside. Even better is the Hillybilly Hash with crispy roasted potatoes topped by a more-than-generous helping of sweet-and-spicy pulled pork and two eggs sunny side up.
It’s easy to get blissfully lost in the breakfast and brunch menus at Sunnyside, but we would be remiss if we didn’t mention some of its equally appetizing lunch items, like the bacon-and-cheddar-stuffed meatloaf sandwich, the smoked salmon salad or the open-faced Turkey Day sandwich with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and turkey gravy.
Come tired. Come hungry. Come hung over. Leave sunny.
Sunnyside Diner is at 916 N.W. Sixth St. in Oklahoma City. For menu and other information, visit eatatsunnyside.com.
