Royal House of Roast Beef & Pizza opened at 464 Lowell Street in Methuen in 1985. Over those 38 years, Royal has become synonymous with terrific roast beef. And now they’re in Dracut.
Owner Magdi Mikhael decided to open a second shop at 1489 Broadway Road, in the same plaza as Heav’nly Donuts, Racewayy gas station and the soon-to-open Broadway Laundromat, when he saw the space was available while he drove from his home in Dracut to the Methuen restaurant.
“I saw Dracut needed a roast-beef spot, and this is a pretty good location,” Magdi said. “There’s a lot of nice people in Dracut.”
Dracut Economic Development hosted a ribbon-cutting grand opening for Royal House of Roast Beef & Pizza’s Dracut location on April 6.
Magdi moved his family – wife Demiana and children Marina, Beshouy, Peter, Marvin and Cindy -- to East Dracut eight years ago, and has driven by 1489 Broadway Road countless times. Heav’nly and Racewayy opened in December 2021, and at the time, the plaza’s owner, Kam Patel, was looking for a restaurant for the plaza.
Enter Magdi, who had purchased the Methuen location in 2013 from original owners Zeno and Peggy Markos, who drove all the way from their home in Lynn to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We love Magdi,” Peggy said. “He’s like a brother. We wouldn’t have missed this for the world. We’re very proud of him.”
“He did a beautiful job,” Zeno said.
Royal House of Roast Beef & Pizza Dracut has a full menu of hot subs, cold subs, salads, dinners, pizzas and calzones. But it’s the roast beef that attracts most folks.
When asked what sets Royal House’s roast beef apart from other restaurants’, Magdi deferred to Zeno, the originator, who said, “Roast beef takes tender loving care. You’ve got to give customers the best if you want them to keep coming. Roast beef needs a lot of respect. We have many awards that say it’s the best of the best, and it still is.
“Magdi took it a step forward,” he added. “This is beyond a roast-beef place.”
Visit royalhouseroastbeefdracut.com or call 978-208-6120.