Construction is underway on a long-delayed Peruvian chicken restaurant coming to an empty building at the northern edge of Hyattsville’s Arts District.
Suya’s Pollo a la Brasa, owned by Takoma Park resident Patrick Kamgang, was long planned to move into the former Jey’s Auto building at 5731 Baltimore Ave. in Riverdale Park, across from DeMatha Catholic High School.
But construction, which was on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, has been going on in earnest in recent days. Workers expect to finish by the end of the year.
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, and the chicken place will be literally next door to Taqueria Los Perez.
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 to attract new tenants..
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In addition, Chicho’s is a Peruvian Pollo a La Brasa family-owned restaurant that recently opened up in Landover across from the Walmart. DC Charbroiled Chicken is another franchise located in PG Mall, Bladensburg, and Beltway Plaza that has notably expanded its menu options beyond the standard chicken and sides.
We have found catering through the above to be affordable and plentiful. I’m curious what Suya’s will have for Peruvian dinner options, such as lomo salted, ceviche, and arroz con pollo.
I wish all the businesses the best and hope the market doesn’t become too saturated.