A Peruvian chicken restaurant is headed to the Arts District along the Route 1 corridor.

Suya’s Pollo a la Brasa will move into the former Jey’s Auto building at 5731 Baltimore Ave. in Riverdale Park, across from DeMatha Catholic High School.

The business was registered in February to Takoma Park resident Patrick Kamgang.

A type of blackened rotisserie chicken, pollo a la brasa has become a trendy “cheap eat” in the Washington area in recent years, with Beltsville’s Sardi’s Chicken in particular attracting a lot of attention.

Latin American restaurants have also done well in the area, with Salvadoran restaurants Las Comadres and El Comalito and Venezuelan restaurant Cafe Azul all nearby.

The restaurant will be a welcome addition to the property, which has set empty for years.

Property owner Jey Edward of Silver Spring previously ran a gas station on the site. In 2008, he had the gas tanks removed and the soil remediated to allow it to be used for other purposes, but it sat vacant long enough that the town of Riverdale Park threatened to take it by eminent domain at one point.

In 2018, Edward cleaned up the property and refurbished the building on site to attract new tenants.

Support the Wire and Community Journalism
Make a one-time donation or become a regular supporter here.