I was hosted for dinner at Rao’s. Little did they know that they were gifting me the dinner I’ve been dreaming of.
I walked into the house after being on back-to-back trips. One was to explore a city, and the second was the inauguration of a beautiful new cruise ship. I was traveling with my cousin. As I walked in after being away for over a week, suitcases dragging behind me, makeup askew, looking both exhausted and disappointed that I had to come home, my dear husband looked at me and said…
DID YOU HAVE THE MEATBALLS?
No hello. No, how were your trips? Just that one question. Did you have the meatballs?
There are Bucket Lists, Life Goals, Must-Eat Foods, and General Wants.
Some feel like more of a dream than something accessible. As a former restaurant owner, a lover of good food, a little Jewish girl who grew up speaking Italian (and the only food I know how to make is Italian), I’ve had ONE DREAM. To dine at Rao’s. Yes, I buy their sauce. Yes, I buy their pasta. Yes, I’ve tried making reservations in NYC. As a matter of fact, when I was invited to NY to be part of an event that celebrated me, an event that included having first class treatment, including having my hair & makeup done at Fekkai, and was decked out from head to toe, I was asked where I’d like to go to dinner. I only had one answer – Rao’s, and I got one answer back – sorry, that’s not possible.
I’ve dined in the best restaurants in Paris. Eaten pizza in Rome. But Rao’s? Rao’s was never going to happen.
UNTIL
I decided to spend a couple of days in Miami. Miami is a 2-3 hour drive from where I live, but the traffic makes me prefer flying to Hong Kong over driving down Rte 95 (or even worse – 95 to 395 to Miami Beach). So, I talked my cousin into a little trip. We boarded the high-speed train (Brightline) and headed down for two nights in the Magic City.
I learned quickly that there is a Rao’s on Miami Beach, located on the right of the portico at the Loew’s Miami Beach Hotel in the St. Moritz Tower.
- Same Menu
- Same Homestyle Italian Food
- Same Service
- Same Decor
- Same Bucket List that I was NOT Going to Pass Up
The difference?
The 127-year-old NYC institution, which is one of the most difficult restaurants to get a reservation at, had availability. While I was hosted for this meal, I had made a reservation just in case, because when the opportunity to dine at Rao’s is right there on your Resy phone app, you don’t blink…you make the reservation.
While the Outside of the Building is VERY Miami Beach
The interior is exactly what you’d expect from Rao’s. Rich reds, dark wood, and that unmistakable old-school Italian elegance that instantly sets the mood. Walking in felt like stepping back to 1959, when Vincent and Anna Rao transformed a neighborhood saloon into what would become a true New York institution. We were promptly shown to our table, where Javier welcomed us warmly, settling us in with fresh bread and a couple of perfectly timed drinks to start the evening.
Since I’m not drinking these days, he steered me toward the Berry Shrubby Spritz Mocktail. It’s a bright, refreshing blend of lime, mixed berry shrub, and mint-infused agave, finished with a fresh sprig of mint. Light, crisp, and just the right touch of sweet, it was exactly what I needed for a warm Miami Beach evening and the perfect way to ease into the meal ahead.
Dinner Begins
Javier gave us a heads-up as soon as he handed us our menus. Portions here are no joke, and he suggested that we should share whatever we ordered. The menu is extensive, filled with tempting classics, but we already had a few must-tries in mind. That said, the moment I spotted my all-time favorite dish, any thought of compromise went right out the window.
We started with Dino’s Chopped Salad, Rao’s signature, and a perfect introduction to what was to come. It’s a generous mix of green leaf and iceberg lettuce, cucumber, endive, fennel, radicchio, red onion, and tomatoes, all tossed with Genoa salami, sharp provolone, and their house vinaigrette. Even this was more than enough to share, which was a good thing because we knew we were just getting started. It had everything you want in a great chopped salad. Fresh, crisp, and vibrant, with that unmistakable antipasti twist from the salami and provolone that adds depth and richness. It was my first real taste of what makes Rao’s so memorable.
Choosing the main course was effortless for me. It’s surprisingly hard to find a truly great lobster or shrimp fra diavolo in Florida, so the moment I saw Lobster Fra Diavolo on the menu (and it was made with Maine lobster), I didn’t hesitate. Being a New England transplant, that was all the convincing I needed.
It’s a good thing we decided to share, because what arrived was generous in every sense. A beautiful lobster tail and claw, still in the shell, perched over a bed of delicate angel hair pasta, all coated in a fra diavolo sauce that hit that perfect balance. Just enough chili heat to give a warm, lingering kick, but not so much that it overpowered the rich, deeply flavorful tomato base. The sweetness of the lobster brought everything together, softening the spice and creating that perfect harmony in every bite.
I’ll be honest. I overdid it. Completely. But when something is that good, there’s really no stopping yourself. If there was a word for the night, it was INDULGE.
Dessert felt like a celebration all its own, and the Peanut Butter Tart was the perfect finale. It arrived looking every bit as indulgent as it sounds, a buttery graham cracker crust topped with a cloud-like peanut butter mousse and finished with rich dark chocolate ganache. The mousse was silky and softly sweet, almost melting the moment it hit your tongue, while the ganache added just enough depth and slight bitterness to keep everything beautifully balanced. It never tipped into overly sugary territory, which made it dangerously easy to keep going back for just one more bite.
It was playful, nostalgic, and just indulgent enough to feel like a true treat without being heavy. After all these years of wanting to experience Rao’s, it was the sweetest possible ending to a meal I won’t soon forget.
And YES
We had the meatballs. I saved these for last (even though we enjoyed them as an appetizer), because I was taught to save the best for last. Two perfect, oversized meatballs that have been simmering all day in Rao’s signature sauce. They are incredibly tender, with a softness that practically melts with each bite without ever falling apart. The flavor is classic and comforting.
It’s the kind of dish that feels both nostalgic and special at the same time, and one that’s absolutely worth ordering the moment you sit down. So, yes, Mr. S, I had the meatballs, and I will go back for them again (and again, and again) when I have the chance.
So no, my long-awaited bucket list dinner at Rao’s Miami Beach didn’t disappoint. It was everything I’d hoped for, but in a way that felt comfortable and unpretentious. I wasn’t expecting that. Rao’s is the kind of restaurant where every dish just WORKS. Nothing is overdone, and you don’t feel like they’ve tried too hard. It’s just great classic Italian food that speaks for itself. It felt like being home in the neighborhood when I was young, and THAT is why it has become an institution.
It felt good to finally experience it for myself after hearing about it for so long. And honestly, it’s not one of those places you check off your list and move on from. I’ll be back in Miami Beach in July, and I’ve already made a reservation to go back.
Rao’s Miami Beach
1601 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL
For Reservations Call: (305) 404-7267 or use the Resy app.
