By Jennifer Kornegay
Sonny Breckenridge never had any intention of running a restaurant. Before he opened Hello Sunshine Eats in Linden in summer 2024, he never really thought about fixing pounds and pounds of food to sell and serve to others. But what began with making use of an empty lot he owned quickly became an energizing ray of light for his community.
Owning and running a construction company keeps Breckenridge busy, but when he heard a local store with a popular lunch counter in a neighboring community was closing, he felt he could fill the void. He had a vacant piece of land on a main road, so he reached out to the guy who’d run the store’s little eatery, and they started Hello Sunshine Eats, beginning with a food truck. Initial success motivated them to expand into a permanent restaurant, which Breckenridge was able to build quickly thanks to his day job.
While Breckenridge and his original teammate in the venture have since parted ways, Hello Sunshine is still beaming. “Folks here were supportive from the beginning and still are,” Breckenridge says. And while he wasn’t trying to draw in tourists, word of the good eats on offer has spread, nonetheless. “We’ve had people drive to us from as far as Tuscaloosa,” which is 70 miles away.
Plus, plenty of hunters descend on the area hoping to bag trophy game each year. And numerous log trucks still traverse the road that runs in front of Hello Sunshine.
Whether they be Linden locals, truck drivers, outdoorsmen or some other kind of visitor, they’re enjoying the classic downhome cooking Breckenridge and his team are turning out, plus a few favorites reminiscent of Linden’s Dairy Queen that closed long ago, like thick burgers smashed thin and cooked on a griddle until tender on the inside with a little crust on the outside.
Last winter, Breckenridge cooked 15 gallons of Brunswick stew daily; he confirmed the comforting dish will likely make a repeat appearance when temperatures drop again. Pulled pork from the smoker out back can be had as a plate with accompaniments like homemade mac ’n’ cheese or piled into a sandwich. Lighter options include juicy chopped grilled chicken and crumbled smoky bacon atop fresh greens.
And hefty fried chicken fingers fly out of the kitchen, thanks in part to the tangy, creamy house-made tartar sauce served on the side, which is equally delicious as a dip for warm French fries or onion rings. “It’s lots of black pepper, lemon juice, some garlic and some chopped bell pepper,” Breckenridge says. “We go through more than five gallons a week.”
Special events and more
A hot bar warms things up, with rotating offerings like field peas, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, collard greens, sauteed squash and more ready to fill plates and then bellies. Daily specials often include barbecue nachos with fresh-made pico de gallo, taco salads (which always sell out), fried catfish on Fridays and whole slabs of ribs on Saturdays.
And Breckenridge isn’t shy about tooting his restaurant’s horn, especially when it comes to desserts. “Our red velvet cake is great, just great. It’s moist and rich,” he says.
Special events like crawfish boils with live music keep Hello Sunshine’s light bright too. “We’ve done several this spring, and by mid-March, we’d cooked and sold more than 5,000 pounds of crawfish,” he says. “People love to come sit outside, eat and listen to tunes.” Future plans include a produce market this summer, as well as the addition of frosty treats like snow cones and ice cream.
“I never thought I’d be doing this, but now I think it is really cool,” Breckenridge says. “I love serving people and meeting this need – and there was a need for it.” Proof is in the dining room full of folks relaxed at its picnic-style tables representing the diversity of Linden and surrounding areas.
“People come and eat, all ages and races,” he says. “They stay not just for 30 minutes but maybe an hour or more, talking and catching up. We’ve become a hangout and a special spot for our locals, and that’s awesome to me.”
Hello Sunshine Eats
700 S. Main Avenue, Linden, AL 36748
334-643-3222
Find them on Facebook at Hello Sunshine Eats
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
