The Royal (Twitter, website), an all-day coffee/lunch/cafe/bar from the owner of the U Street wine bar Vinoteca, will open in early June at 501 Florida Ave. NW (near S Street), not far from Shaw’s Tavern, according to a press release. The 45-seat two-story spot, which will be open early (7a on weekdays, 8a on weekends), will feature Counter Culture coffee and Latin-inspired snacks (empanadas and arepas) from the wood-burning grill. The Royal proudly boasts its location in Ledroit Park, though I suspect it will be referred to by many as being in adjacent Shaw.

Drinks-wise, the focus will be on craft cocktails (often with a Latin-flavor, and of course, one cocktail on draft), shaved-ice cocktails (vintage ice shaver from Guatemala), lots of vermouth (including one housemade on draft), along with a few wines and draft/bottled beer (locals, domestic and Mexican).

With The Royal, I foresee a new independent alternative to the local Derek Brown trio bar crawl-All Souls, Right Proper, and the Royal.