SONSHINE TEA ROOM

Good news if you are visiting Troy, Tennessee, at lunchtime:  Sonshine Tea Room, operated by Nancy Johnson, is now open and serving up lots of deliciousness! Located on the square in downtown Troy, Sonshine Tea Room serves lunch Monday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. For an afternoon treat, guests can order desserts and beverages until 3:00 p.m. (UPDATE: Sonshine Tea Room is now serving dinner from 5:00-8:00 on Friday and Saturday evenings. Evening menu includes grilled steaks, pork, and chicken. For more details, click on the link at the bottom of this post!)

The Sonshine Tea Room, located on the square in Troy, Tennessee

The menu is simple:  sandwiches, salads, soups, and a special of the day. All sandwiches are handmade and served on freshly baked bread, and they come with a side order of  homemade french fries, tater tots, sweet potato fries, or sweet potato tots.

When I visited Sonshine Tea Room last week, I enjoyed a turkey club with avocado spread, served with sweet potato fries. The sandwich was layered generously with sliced turkey, Swiss cheese, crisp bacon, and a creamy avocado spread, and was served toasted on a hearty white bread. Yes, I ate the whole thing. I was so stuffed after lunch that I had to go walk a couple of laps around Troy Trojan Park before I felt like I had room to breathe!

In addition to other specialty sandwiches, the Sonshine Tea Room offers hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and their famous "man sandwich," created by Nancy's husband Ronnie - the Grilled Cheese Burger (two juicy, hand-patted burgers served between two grilled cheese sandwiches).

One of the bright and cheerful dining rooms at Sonshine Tea Room

The daily special varies. Past lunch specials have included spaghetti, chicken and rice casserole, poppy seed chicken, meatloaf, and grilled chicken served on a bed of fresh salad greens. Beverage options include sweet and unsweetened iced tea, fruit tea, lemonade, a variety of hot teas, coffee, and water.

My favorite part of the meal, however, was definitely dessert. I ordered a hot apple dumpling. My, oh, my! Talk about some flaky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth apple goodness! Other dessert options (which also vary from day-to-day) include sweets such as chocolate cobbler, fresh apple cake, and strawberry cake, prepared from scratch each day.

On my visit, the waitress was super friendly and eager to please and the service was quick. Menu prices for meals run from $9.95 to $13.95; drinks are $2.00 (free refills); and the delicious homemade desserts are $3.00. Guests are welcomed to eat in, or you can call your order in ahead if you prefer take-out. Also, Sonshine Tea Room can be booked for events such as rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, and meetings.

I'm already in the mood for another hot apple dumpling and a cup of coffee, and with fall in the air, Sonshine Tea Room's front porch would be a great place to people watch and check out the activity in downtown Troy!

To check out the special of the day, view a menu, or get driving directions, visit Sonshine Tea Room's Facebook page by clicking HERE.