Rao’s is a restaurant founded in 1896. Rao’s is located at 455 East 114th Street, Italian Harlem, New York City. The restaurant was started in 1896 by Charles Rao, who moved with his parents from Italy to the United States. He bought a small shop in Harlem, once a very large Italian community, and ran the restaurant until his death in 1909. Louis Rao took over the business. He was seen by many as a very suave man. He had his hair cut at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and wore many fancy suits. Current co-owner Frank Pellegrino describes those days as “the days of big Cadillacs and usually convertibles.” In 1958, when Louis Rao had died, the convicted Lucchese crime family consigliere Vincent Rao took over the family business. He was much more conservative in behavior and looks and refined the menu into a more simple Italian menu, with the help of “Aunt Jake.” After Vincent Rao’s death in 1999, it was taken over by Frank Pellegrino, Anna Pellegrino Rao’s nephew, and Ronald Straci, another close relative. Anna Pellegrino-Rao refined the menu even more with the help of Vincent and she is the source of the menu’s identity today.
It is a popular landmark in New York City because of its exclusivity and reputation in food. Rao’s has only ten tables, which are purchased by very famous people, and they own those tables for life. Frank Sinatra owned a table in Rao’s, and when he died, the table was put up for sale and bought by another famous musician. (LeRoy Neiman painted a picture of Sinatra at the bar in Rao’s.) Even when the customer is not sitting at the table, it is not used by anyone else. Occasionally customers trade tables or allow friends to use the table.
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Nice
thanks.
Raos is only a piece of Italian Harlem
Also, check out Patsys Pizza around the corner,
and while in the neighborhood go to Claudio’s Barber Shop on 116.
Orbits is also good eatery (Italian), over on 2nd ave.
The Church is not to be missed, with some masses also in Italian.
and Ofcourse the Feast with the Giglio being carried through the neighborhood.
I wonder when Italian Bakery will be opening back up in the neighborhood ?
With more and more Italians moving back into Italian (East) Harlem , and it being more internationally known (with Ex Mayor Laguardia’s house there, Birth place of so many well known Italian-Americans, including actor Al Pacino, etc there) ,
Perhaps NYC will soon make it officially known as NY’s Uptown Little Italy.
Also come add your e mail to our website if you would like
http://www.solomusicanapoletana.com
I would even be interested in setting up office there.
Perhaps there is Grant for Italian-American Business in doing something like that for the neighborhood ?
Eating at Rao’s is the pits and the great Afro Americans and Spanish speaking people need to boycott this place. Why the owners of this trashy place did not let Blacks enter. We are talking about in the 60′s until present. You have to white american to take part in this trash. Rao’s has always been racist towards afro americans and for New York city to list this place at number 1 it’s a shame before God. I would never step food in such a place and I have money to eat out. I would eat Dog food before I eat at this place(Rao’s) President Obama would have to be out of his head to eat there. Blacks were looked down upon by the family of Rao’s. They need to burn this hell hole down once and for all……….