Meatball mecca Rao’s is rolling into Miami this fall, has learned.
Spies said Rao’s exec chef Dino Gatto was spotted in Miami this week at the impossible-to-get-into eatery’s upcoming South Florida outpost.
It will be in the former Lure Fishbar space, which is adjacent to the Loews Miami Beach Hotel in the historic St. Moritz tower.
Sources say the location, under owners Frank Pellegrino Jr. and Ron Straci, will launch in “late October” or “beginning of November.”
The move to Miami means rival restaurant Carbone should watch the throne as the town’s VIP red sauce spot.
We hear that Rao’s patrons, as well as Miami power players, are vying for tables at the not-yet-open outpost. But since the Miami space is larger than the East Harlem original — though an otherwise authentic replica — it will accommodate reservations, we hear, not just tables for its elite regulars.
At the NYC spot this week, spies said celeb bail bondsman Ira Judelson was dining with “Entourage” star Kevin Dillon, who wants to make a movie of Judelson’s life.
Coincidentally, Endeavor boss Ari Emanuel was at a nearby table, we hear, talking about a potential “Entourage” reboot.
Emanuel, of course, inspired the show’s outrageous agent character Ari Gold.
Rao’s also has a Los Angeles location, and has also previously partnered for special pop-ups with Wheels Up at the Super Bowl, where diners have included CC Sabathia, Michael Strahan, Reggie Bush, Anthony Anderson, Tiki Barber, Ciara and Russell Wilson.
A line of Rao’s packaged sauces recently sold for more than $2.3 billion to Campbell Soup.
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