Sardi's Peruvian Chicken has opened its first Annapolis restaurant at 153 Defense Highway, moving into a 2,332-square-foot building that used to be a Wendy's. The chain thanked customers for their patience while the new location was built out, as the restaurant announced the opening would land on October 3, 2026.
According to whatnow.com, Sardi's purchased the former Wendy's property in 2024, and the Annapolis restaurant had begun hiring staff ahead of its opening. The building was bought for $2.5 million from Zeebari Family, LP, in a deal brokered by Mackenzie Commercial Real Estate Services, according to WMAR-2 News. The MoCo Show reports Sardi's Pollo a la Brasa is expanding across Maryland, with several locations already in Montgomery County.
One detail that sets the Defense Highway spot apart from its Wendy's predecessor: there's no drive-thru window in operation. Sardi's previously told the Capital Gazette, “We're not going to have drive-thru now because [of] our menu,” per capitalgazette.com, which also reported the former drive-thru space is planned for conversion into additional seating.
A Second Anne Arundel Location, Built on Family Roots
The Annapolis restaurant marks Sardi's second location in Anne Arundel County, joining an existing restaurant in Glen Burnie, according to a brokerage report from Mackenzie Commercial Real Estate Services. The chain traces back to Montgomery County cousins Phil E. Sardelis and Phil G. Sardelis, who share Greek heritage and founded Sardi's together in 2008. The pair developed a restaurant centered around traditional pollo a la brasa and freshly prepared dishes, opening their first restaurant in Beltsville that same year.
Peruvian chicken itself was added to the menu around 2005, several years before that first location opened, the Capital Gazette's report notes. Since then, the chain has grown into a regional operation with locations throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, serving charbroiled Peruvian chicken alongside grilled meat and seafood, Latin dishes, salads, sandwiches, and gyros. Sardi's has also said it relies on fresh, local ingredients and traditional Peruvian recipes for its dishes and sauces, as reported by The MoCo Show.
Growth Plans and a Scholarship Named for a Co-Founder
Earlier reporting from The MoCo Show indicated Sardi's was planning new locations within the following year in Rockville's Loehmann's Plaza, New Carrollton, Frederick, Annapolis, and Waldorf. The company has also established the Sardi's Scholarship in honor of co-founder Phil G. Sardelis, part of an expansion that now serves millions of customers annually across its footprint in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Reports on the chain's exact location count have varied over time. The Capital Gazette reported in October 2024 that Sardi's had 16 locations across the three states, with 14 in Maryland once the planned Annapolis restaurant was counted; Sardi's own website lists 17 locations across Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania; and whatnow.com has reported 18 locations open and operational across the same three states, a figure also echoed by WMAR-2 News, which listed Glen Burnie, Frederick, and Hagerstown among the Maryland restaurants. Eye On Annapolis, meanwhile, had projected the Annapolis restaurant would be the chain's 18th location when it opened. The chain's CEO, Philip Sardelis, had told whatnow.com he expected the restaurant to open before the end of August, a timeline that differed from the October opening date Sardi's ultimately announced.
Already a Cheap-Eats Favorite in Washingtonian's Pages
Sardi's has also picked up some regional recognition beyond Annapolis. Washingtonian included the chain on its list of the best cheap eats around the DC area, a roundup of 60 favorite restaurants compiled after the magazine scoured more than 200 places offering meals for less than $25 per person, excluding drinks, tax, and tip. The list specifically highlighted Sardi's charbroiled Peruvian chicken, fried Brussels sprouts, fried yuca, and rice and beans.
For now, the Annapolis location stands as the latest entry in a chain that started with two cousins and a charbroiled chicken recipe in Beltsville nearly two decades ago.
