People with dietary restrictions, vegetarians, vegans or those who simply want more healthful restaurant options are hard pressed to find a restaurant that features more than one entree that meets their needs. Often, restaurants have one gluten-free item, a few salads or a vegetarian sandwich on the menu, with the majority of the other items catering to those without restrictions.

But at Sunflower Café in Fairhope makes these choices the norm, not the exception.

Each item on the menu has symbols next to it signifying which diets it fits into: vegetarian, vegan, lactose free, gluten free or wheat free. Some choices, like the black bean avocado burger, can meet all of these needs, while other items are not designed for special diets, but are still healthful options.

Chef Troy Kline says when the restaurant first opened in 2004, customers were skeptical of the concept.

“It was definitely different in the start because a lot of people when they think of healthy food, they think it's going to be stale, flavorless or just really leave you lacking,” he says. “It's healthy, so it can't taste good, right? That was kind of something we had to help people get over. And a lot of people assumed we didn't serve meat here, and we actually do, but it's all antibiotic free, hormone free and free range — our meat comes from happy cows and happy chickens.”

In addition to being committed to using high-quality, organic ingredients, Kline says he is proud of how good everything tastes. He enjoys helping people change their mindsets about what healthful food tastes like through items like the spinach artichoke dip, a staple on many restaurant menus.

But of course, Sunflower Café's dip is different. It's made with non-dairy mayonnaise, cream cheese, artichokes, fresh spinach and Romano cheese. The cheese, cream cheese and mayo give the dip a rich creaminess, but it's evident that the spinach and artichokes were fresh, not canned or frozen — you can taste them.

“A lot of people tell us we have best spinach and artichoke dip around,” Kline says.

Head server William Brett says he is proud to work for a restaurant that is is so committed to its healthful identity that it doesn't serve sodas or sweet tea (but it does serve some delicious raspberry and green tea). He loves watching customers come in with preconceived notions and then leave telling him they're coming back soon.

“People just have gotten so used to eating processed food that they forget it's supposed to have flavor,” he says. “So when they try something here they eat all the time, like chicken salad, they're surprised it actually tastes like more than just mayonnaise and chicken.”

While Sunflower Café serves a little bit of every style of food, the menu has a Mediterranean and Asian flair. The café is known for its varieties of fresh hummus, and other Mediterranean favorites on the menu include the falafel wrap, Greek veggie wrap and Mediterranean turkey wrap. On the Asian side, the menu has a section devoted to stir-fry and also features choices like summer rolls and a Thai wrap.

“It's kind of an ethnic fusion,” Kline says. “We wanted to show that no matter what your background is, it's possible to have comfort food and still have the vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free aspect of it.”

Kline says the restaurant stays busy and is especially popular with families in which one member has a special dietary need.

“There are families that come in where one or two of them have to be gluten free, and it makes it easier for the family to know there's something on the menu everybody can get and enjoy,” he says. In the same spirit, Sunflower Café offers holiday catering for family members with dietary restrictions or preferences.

Kline says he feels lucky to be able to cook food he believes is helping people improve their health while still being able to show off his creativity in the kitchen and provide customers with an exciting dining experience.

Restaurant profile

NAME: Sunflower Café

SPECIALTY: Organic, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, Asian and American food

CHEF: Troy Kline

LOCATION: 320 Eastern Shore Shopping Center, Fairhope

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.