Nearly six years after opening in a historic bank building on Rhode Island Avenue, Pennyroyal Station remains the kind of comfort food restaurant every neighborhood near DC wishes it had.
Erin Edwards Built Pennyroyal Station as a Gathering Place for Mount Rainier
In 2016, co-owner Erin Edwards was house hunting in Mount Rainier when she was shown a space in the historic Singer Building, once home to The First National Bank of Maryland. She recruited Chef Jesse Miller, a former Bar Pilar colleague, along with longtime Acadiana barman Garrick Lumsden. The project took years. Permitting delays and the pandemic pushed the opening to November 2020, as reported by Anna Spiegel in Washingtonian. Edwards told Alison Beckwith of the Hyattsville Wire that the city had fast casual spots but no full-service restaurant with a bar and dining room, and she wanted Pennyroyal to serve as glue for the community.
Chef Jesse Miller Brings a Respected DC Résumé Across the Line
Miller learned the trade at the Elkridge Furnace Inn before following mentor Justin Bittner to Café Saint-Ex, then took over the Bar Pilar kitchen in 2013, according to a We Love DC chef profile. The 17th Degrees dining guide credits him as one of a string of excellent chefs from Bar Pilar’s overachieving kitchen. He paints, too. The artwork lining the dining room walls is his own. Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema named Pennyroyal to his 2021 Spring Dining Guide, noting that familiar dishes simply taste better here.
The Pennyroyal Station Menu Puts a Chef’s Polish on Southern Comfort Food
The current dinner menu on Pennyroyal Station’s Uber Eats page is anchored by Penny’s Royal Burger, stacked with aged cheddar, bacon and chili mayo for $21 and ranked the most liked item. A buttermilk fried chicken thigh sandwich with ramp ranch follows at $19. Smoky brisket marrow mac and cheese is $17. Deviled farm eggs with crab and harissa are $15. Bigger appetites can order fried blue catfish for $34 or braised Aussie lamb shoulder for $37, and the DoorDash menu lists deep-fried apple hand pies with caramel sauce for dessert.
A 2023 RAMMY Award and a Loyal Neighborhood Following Keep It Busy
Pennyroyal Station was named Casual Restaurant of the Year at the 2023 RAMMY Awards, as Jessica Sidman reported in Washingtonian, beating Bammy’s, Destino, Maketto and Tonari according to the Hyattsville Wire. Restaurant Guru rates it 4.8 out of 5 across 947 reviews, and Nextdoor neighbors call it a charming alternative to chain restaurants.
I am one of those neighbors. From my home in Langdon Park near the pool, almost on the DC and Maryland line, Pennyroyal is just up the road and an easy weeknight dinner. Every neighborhood deserves a place like this!
Plan Your Visit to Pennyroyal Station
Pennyroyal Station is located at 3310 Rhode Island Avenue, Mount Rainier, MD 20712, phone 240-770-8579. Yelp lists the restaurant as closed Monday, with dinner Tuesday through Sunday and lunch Wednesday through Friday, though hours vary by season and should be confirmed on the website. Delivery menu prices range from $7 to $37, and dine-in pricing may differ. Reservations are recommended and can be made through Pennyroyal Station on Resy, and delivery is available on Uber Eats and DoorDash. Follow Pennyroyal Station on Instagram and Facebook for menu updates.
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