Rao’s, a classic New York City restaurant known as much for its exclusivity as its red-sauce fare, is planting a flag in Miami Beach. The Italian eatery is expected to open at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel early next year, sources confirmed to The Real Deal. It will take the ground-floor space occupied by Lure Fishbar at the oceanfront resort at 1601 Collins Avenue.
The Miami New Times first reported the news following an Instagram post from the account World Red Eye.
Red-sauce restaurant coming to Lure Fishbar space at oceanfront resort
It’s notoriously difficult to get a reservation at Rao’s original location in Harlem, where it’s operated since the late 19th century and has been known to turn away even celebrities.
The restaurant operated a pop-up at David Edelstein’s W South Beach hotel and was looking for a permanent location, sources said. The restaurant group and gourmet Italian food company, led by Frank Pellegrino Jr. and Ron Straci, also has a location in Los Angeles. Its Las Vegas restaurant closed last year.
By Katherine Kallergis for www.therealdeal.com
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