Franklins Restaurant in Hyattsville recently hired a new chef to change up its menu, updating some classic dishes while adding new options.

In December, owner Mike Franklin brought as new executive chef Kevin Coleman, who previously worked as a sous chef at Rosa Mexicano at National Harbor and other D.C. area restaurants.

The new menu includes such dishes as crab hush puppies with sweet corn and spicy whipped honey butter; chicken-fried oysters Rockefeller with Pernod-parmesan spinach, smoked bacon and pickled Fresno peppers; and poutine with stout onion gravy and Wisconsin cheese curds.

Other dishes may also be added seasonally.

Franklins says it sources food locally whenever possible and changes the menu seasonally, usually every six weeks, depending on the kinds of local ingredients that are available.

Located in a historic 1880s landmark building with a 40-ft wide colorful exterior kinetic light mural on its south side at 5123 Baltimore Ave, the Hyattsville restaurant has long been a mainstay of the Route 1 corridor, kicking off the local craft alcohol boom with its brewery, which opened in 2002, and anchoring the area’s dining scene long before it took off.

But with increased competition from everything from the Savor food hall in Brentwood to the Station at Riverdale Park, it makes sense to change things up a little. Franklin also had experience coming up with a new menu for Old Maryland Grill in College Park, which is now run under different management.