The General Store is tucked away in a small pocket of Silver Spring about a mile from the Forest Glen Metro station. If you didn’t know it was there you could easily have mistaken it for an old home right off the main road which isn’t too far of a stretch. The building was built in 1882 and was originally, as the name states, a general store and post office. This is the second restaurant for chef/owner Gillian Clark of Colorado Kitchen fame.
As soon as I walked into The General Store, I felt at home. It was like I had been transported back to the south where I grew up. The restaurant just had that warm 
feeling about it, like your grandmother’s kitchen. All along the comfortable blue and yellow painted walls were old letters and vintage food ads. There’s a Nickelodeon autopiano that will blast out old time tunes for a quarter, a stuffed bear, and a handful of tables and booths sqeezed into a cozy space. Even the original post office window is incorporated into the front counter which proudly displayed Chef Clark’s new book, Out of the Frying Pan.
The menu is brief but don’t let that fool you. There is a vast variety of foods on here from traditional soul food to unique creations like the “Crispy Shrimp on a Baguette w/ Remoulade” and the “Teriyaki Salmon Club w/ Wasabi Mayo.” There are also a sizable amount of vegetarian options like the “Cauliflower Quesadilla w/ Shallots & Queso Fresco” and the “Garlic Portobello Melt w/ Manchego.” (A link to the full menu is at the bottom of this article.)
After much deliberation we decided on the “Fried Chicken Platter w/ Mac & Cheese and Cornbread” and the “Teriyaki Salmon Club w/ Wasabi Mayo” sandwich I mentioned earlier. While the menu is on the pricier side, you get what you pay for in terms of food quality.
The fried chicken platter was great and pretty much exactly as I expected it to be. The chicken was moist and juicy and the skin was full of flavor and crispy. All the chicken is made to order so there is a little wait but it’s worth it for the freshness. The mac & cheese came in a mason jar, as did the sweet tea, and was rich and creamy with little pieces of crisp cornbread which gave it just the right texture. And finally there was the cornbread. This is the most dense and butter soaked cornbread I’ve ever had. It literally melted in my mouth.
Next up was the Teriyaki Salmon Sandwich which I’ll admit I was a little nervous about but it came highly recommended by the guy who took our order so I went with it. It delivered; this thing was awesome. The salmon was flaky and moist. The thinly sliced cucumbers and tomatoes combined with the amazing homemade wasabi mayo and perfectly complimented the teriyaki flavors. The sandwich was sizable but I do wish that they all came with sides. In fact the biggest knock I can give the place is that it’s on the pricey side for quick eats. I know quality comes with a price, but small sides that on average cost around $6 is pushing it in my opinion. I’m curious to see the size of some of the other entrees.
The cherry on top of the meal were the homemade pies. We tried the Lemon Chess & the Pecan pies. The Lemon Chess pie was very tart with a silky, almost custard like consistency. The Pecan was good but didn’t stand out like I hoped it would. Next time maybe the Chocolate Pecan pie will do the trick.
There’s a ton of variety on the menu so a second visit is definitely going to happen. They were out of turnovers when we were there so I’m taking that as a good sign and putting it on my must have list when we go back. The Fish Tacos make me nervous but if they compare to the Teriyaki Salmon then I’m game. The General Store is absolutely worth a visit and the Post Office Tavern downstairs is next up on my list to check out.
The General Store
6 Post Office Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910-1104
(301) 562-8787
Full Menu:
