Pollo Campero plans to open in May. Photo by Mike Mowery.
Pollo Campero, which bills itself as “the world’s largest Latin chicken chain,” plans to open an outlet at 8666 Colesville Rd., next to The Fillmore Silver Spring.
According to the construction foreman, the restaurant should open in mid-to-late May.
The chain specializes in chicken that’s either hand-breaded and fried or grilled Peruvian style.
Juan José Gutierrez, who’s still involved in the family-owned business, opened the company’s first store in Guatemala in 1971. The initial U.S. store opened in Los Angeles in 2002. There are now more than 67 Pollo Campero outlets in the United States, and more than 300 around the world.
The company has five other Maryland locations—Laurel, Hyattsville, Takoma Park, Wheaton and Gaithersburg.
The restaurants also serve three types of chicken empanadas and two chicken bowls, along with side dishes such as plantains, yucca fries, rice, black beans, roasted corn salad and cole slaw. Drinks are non-alcoholic.