It’s all fun and games until someone breaks their jaw.

I’ve been visiting Sunshine Grill at 821 Amboy Avenue in Edison for over 20 years. Their flattop grilled,
smash-style burgers, crispy chicken, cheese fries and Hog sandwiches (pork roll, has brown, egg, and
cheese on a roll or bagel) have long been among my favorite “thank God I live in Jersey” indulgences.

The menu is as long as my arm, yet I never ventured past my personal staples. Why would I? Look at
them!

Of course they are delicious, or I wouldn’t be writing this. It’s equally important to note Sunshine is
consistent as well and the fat-salt ratio is spot on. You get what you are wishing for every time and
down to every detail. The burgers are not too thin or too thick, the bread and bagels are fresh as can be,
the cutlets are perfectly breaded, and the cheese is melted and oozing into all the right places.

If I couldn’t make up my mind what to order on any given visit, I’d just order one of the many “grease
truck” inspired “fat sandwiches.” Those check off all my comfort food cravings at once like this one with
a burger, pork roll, onion rings, bacon, and chicken tenders in a single stack.

I’ve also never lived more than two miles from Sunshine Grill. Recently I moved to the very same street. Now
imagine my disappointment when only a month after the move I broke my jaw. Oh, the humanity!

With all those juicy burgers so close and yet so far from me now, I was moved to open the printed menu
and noticed the weekly specials and I can’t wait to tell you what I found! Don’t let the little yellow
building’s facade fool you. The menu options are limited only by the seasoned chefs’ creativity and skill,
which is to say they are limitless.

For starters there were milkshakes, root beer floats, banana chocolate chip pancakes, pasta and
meatloaf and homemade soups that brought joy in the depths of my physical misery. Now I am partially
healed, and I’m on a roll of trying anything I can manage with a knife and fork. I can honestly tell you it
has all lived up to my high standards of tasty, satisfying, convenient and decadent.

Each dish is made to order, and, on the days, I don’t see my favorite specials I always ask. If they can do
something for me, they will and I’m sure they will for you too. Enter Chef Billy, who can be found there
on weekdays managing my weird jaw-related requests and patiently watching as I reduce his attractive
plated creations to a pile of unrecognizable bite size pieces.

Here is some more of what I have found now that the blinders are off. Sure, it took a busted face to do it
but these are silver linings I can embrace.

All these years I even had the name wrong and was mistakenly calling it “Sunshine Burger.” Sunshine
Grill is so much more, both in selection and service. The staff is friendly and owner Lou supports the
Edison/Metuchen community whenever possible. Sunshine provided meals for the out-of-state PSE&G
workers who drove all night to help in August 2020 blackout and they fed me well beyond that as a fluke
kept my house dark longer than most.

Stop in say hello and see all they have to offer. They’re open 7 days a week from 6:30AM to 3PM. Follow
them on Facebook to see all the specials on your feed. I promise you will find something you love
enough to make you visit again and again. You’ll want to share too. Need a six-foot sub? A sandwich
platter? Chicken Parmigiana for 4? No problem! Sunshine has a family dinner and catering menu.

Worried all that grilled and fried goodness won’t travel well? Have them bring the grill and fryer to you
and cook on site. Invite them to your wedding to serve your guests the most thoughtful wedding favors
known to man and New Jersey; freshly made late night pork roll sandwiches and sliders as the evening
ends.

Be sure to call me when you get there too! I’ll be there in a heartbeat to join you.

about the author: Melissa Peterson

Hey, can I tell you “Something About Melissa” Peterson? Born and raised in New Jersey, the Metuchen resident is an avid music fan and the self-declared “people’s foodie.” She’s also the only team member for the Asbury Park based Telegraph Hill Records who remembers what it was like to get concert tickets before the internet. When she wasn’t skipping school to stand in line for Bowie and Bruce tickets, she was wandering around looking for her next meal anywhere that didn’t require her to have to cook it. More recently she is a self-employed copywriter and consultant at www.somethingaboutmelissa.com. Melissa will be contributing “Something about Music” and Something About Food” regularly and is proud to be an honorary member of the Jersey Shore music community and the You Don’t Know Jersey movement.

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