Wheels Up, a leading private aviation company, alongside W South Beach and Rao’s Restaurant Group, announced plans to launch Rao’s by the Beach, to coincide with Miami’s big game in February 2020. The restaurant will be open Jan. 29 through Feb. 1 at W South Beach and will be modeled after the iconic Rao’s Italian restaurant, widely regarded as the most exclusive reservation in the United States and known for its Southern Neapolitan Italian cuisine and world-class hospitality. Rao’s by the Beach will host invite-only events at the restaurant and offer dinner reservations for select hotel guests.
Rao’s, a 124-year-old New York institution famous for being impossibly exclusive and turning celebrities away at the door, is being brought to Miami as Rao’s by the Beach, which will be meticulously designed in the same style as the original in East Harlem over W South Beach’s RWSB space and helmed by Chef Dino Gatto. The beloved Italian restaurant is known for its strict “regulars only” reservation policy where long-time patrons own table reservations.
“The Wheels Up x Rao’s collaboration is magical. We’re bringing it back by popular demand following our events in Augusta and Atlanta last year,” said Kenny Dichter, Founder and CEO of Wheels Up. “Rao’s Chef Dino Gatto is the Bill Belichick of meatballs, and we can’t wait to welcome Rao’s to Miami for 2020’s big game.”
Frank Pellegrino Jr., Co-owner of Rao’s, added, “In collaboration with Wheels Up, our food and hospitality have now become synonymous with the biggest football event of the year. Our recipes have 124 years of history, and we can’t wait to join Wheels Up and W South Beach at the biggest game of the year in 2020 and bring our unique blend of cuisine and service to the hungry crowd in South Beach.”
David Edelstein, Owner of W South Beach, said, “Our guests are flying in from all over the world for the ultimate football experience; what better way to celebrate the big game than by bringing together three iconic brands, Rao’s, Wheels Up and W South Beach, to offer guests the rare chance to try the legendary Italian recipes from the Rao’s family and Chef Dino Gatto.”
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