Mark your calendar: Royal Tot set its opening date so you can sip a rum drink
You may have gotten a sneak peak of what The Royal Tot will be like at a Charlotte pop-up this fall or winter, and now it’s set to fully open Jan. 21.
Reservations are now available to experience the two-story rum-focused cocktail bar in Belmont.
THE ATMOSPHERE: The property features an indoor bar, ground-level patio, a rooftop deck, and a private event space. A walk-up window serving Dole Whip will open up this spring.
The space includes bright colors and vintage rattan furniture selected by parent company ETA Group’s design and fabrication team, Jason and Jeremy Calamusa, used to create an aesthetic described as an “urban oasis.”
THE VIBE: “As soon as you arrive, you will feel as though you are somewhere else,” said Ashleigh Gadd, CEO of ETA Group, which owns the bar, along with Stroke and The Ice Trade.
“But The Royal Tot is not just a beach bar. We’ve poured ourselves into learning the history and culture of tropical food and drink and look forward to sharing what we’ve learned — and the rum we’ve collected — with our guests,” she said.
THE DRINKS: Beverage director Larry Suggs has curated a menu of nearly two dozen classic and signature tropical cocktails, including a Pearl Diver, Painkilla, Frozen Fog and Queen’s Park Swizzle. Shareable cocktails for two to six people are also available.
THE RUM CLUB: Membership in The Royal Tot’s Admiral Vernon’s Rum Club offers you access to its rare and vintage rum selection. The bar boasts the largest rum collection in Charlotte, with over 100 different expressions of rum and a collection of over 200 antique rum bottles.
The Royal Tot will serve its rare rums in one- to three-ounce neat pours (like a tot), over The Ice Trade cocktail ice, and in a Daiquiri, Old Fashioned or Mai Tai.
THE FOOD: Think seafood. Paper Plane Deli & Market has partnered with the bar to create a menu of small and larger entrees to complement the tropical vibe. Options include Seared Tuna, Ginger Soy Salmon and a Poke Bowl, along with other options such as Kona Coffee Pork Shoulder, Toasty Hawaiian Rolls and Togarashi Bar Nuts.
Gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options are available.
ETA gave a preview of The Royal Tot last fall with the Rumaway Cove pop-up at Refuge Hotel and a Sippin’ Santa pop-up in December.
“It has been a long and winding road for us to get here, from first setting our sights on this space pre-2020 to navigating debilitating supply chain issues, but we sincerely cannot wait for Charlotte (and tropical cocktail enthusiasts from all over) to fully experience The Royal Tot,” said Scott Gadd, CFO of ETA Group.
Location: 933 Louise Avenue, Suite 350, Charlotte, NC 28204
Neighborhood: Belmont
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-1 a.m., and Sunday, 5-11 p.m.
Instagram: @theroyaltot
