Royal Restaurant in Old Town North converting parking to outdoor seating

Royal Restaurant (730 N. St Asaph Street) in Old Town North could swap some parking spots for 90 new outdoor seats.

In an application filed to the City of Alexandria, applicant ARP Royal OPCO LLC said the plan is to convert 10 parking spaces to the west and south of the building into 60 outdoor seats, with another 30 added to an alley on the west side of the building.

“The outdoor seating would be constructed on an elevated deck to maintain the existing surface water drainage pattern,” the staff report said. “A note on the proposed site plan indicates that a five-by-five portion of the decking will be removable to access the drain for maintenance.”

While some restaurants have had a contentious outdoor seating process, the staff report fully supports the application. According to the report:

Staff supports the request to add 90 outdoor seats to the existing restaurant. The indoor restaurant has operated successfully as a neighborhood meeting spot since 1950, and the addition of outdoor dining would enhance the business’s favorable position within the neighborhood. The new business owner, the applicant, has operated the business no violations.

The application is headed to review at the City Council meeting on Saturday, Nov. 18.

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