Peruvian restaurant with rotisserie chicken and breakfast opts to close near Drake
Susan Stapleton
A year ago, Mariela Maya opened her second Peruvian restaurant in Des Moines, this time expanding from the lomo saltado, chicharron, ceviche, and arroz norteno of Panka Peruvian on Ingersoll Avenue to one of the South American nation’s favorite dishes — rotisserie chicken.
Panka Peruvian Chicken also offers street food such as salchipapas Panka with beef franks or pio pio salad with a boiled egg and feta cheese.
The restaurant near the Drake University campus comes outfitted with Peruvian chicha posters, neon posters from the 1970s announcing upcoming chicha music shows.
Last November, Maya opted to add breakfast dishes such as pancakes, bagels, pastries, and omelets to the mix, along with Latin American sandwiches such as a Cuban, arepas from Venezuela, empanadas from Colombia and tortas from Mexico.
Now she’s decided to close the restaurant she renamed Panka Coffee & More.
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The restaurant may not have been busy enough in its location next to Peggy’s, the dive bar on Forest Avenue, but Maya plans to move customer favorite dishes over to Panka Peruvian.
“Starting March 10th expect to see arepas, pupusas, chicken croissants at @pankaperuvianrestaurant,” she wrote on Instagram.
Maya, who grew up in a family of restaurateurs in Lima, Peru, plans to add a brunch menu as well by March 10.
Panka Peruvian is a member of the essential restaurants in Des Moines.
Where to find Panka Peruvian
Location: 2708 Ingersoll Ave., Suite 200, Des Moines
Contact: 515-244-1430 or pankaperuvianrestaurant.com
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.