A Latin American restaurant is slated to move into the space vacated by the Calvert House Inn.
A sign posted in back of the empty space on Route 1 in Riverdale Park says the restaurant will serve “Latin and American food” and features cartoons of a cactus and a man in an oversized sombrero. The new owners have painted the exterior a bright red.
The space has been empty since the Calvert House Inn closed in February after more than a half century in operation. The new restaurant registered on March 31 with the state Department of Assessments and Taxation.
The company’s owner, Samuel Umanzor of Hyattsville, currently runs a restaurant in Falls Church, Va., called Lesly Restaurant Bar and Grill, which serves Mexican, Salvadoran and Latin-American fare.
The new restaurant will compete with the popular Pupuseria El Comalito, a Salvadoran restaurant across Route 1 that is typically packed on weekends.
Another Latin American restaurant, Cafe Azul, is a little farther south in the Arts District, while the strictly Mexican Pike El Chalateco is closer to downtown.
I love that the space is in use, but where on Route 1/Hyattsville can one buy authentic MD seafood dishes? More than just a crab cake? This area is swamped with sandwich, pizza, and Latin food. The loss of a MD seafood place was a real loss.