You can find Rao’s Homemade jarred sauces at your local grocer. Better enjoy them that way, because getting into the small VIP room of the namesake evergreen New York City establishment is not an easy feat.
It all began over a hundred years ago in East Harlem, New York City – at the time, East Harlem was a center of Italian culture. While there is now a Las Vegas location as well, Rao’s New York City has one main room that fits around 60 people maximum, with classic red upholstery and booths. Ten tables is all they’ve got room for, but it’s been booming since the beginning. The bar has a speakeasy vibe, and classic memorabilia loads up the walls.
Rao’s has always been known for its simple tastes. Mainly, its luscious red sauces and as-fresh-as-you-can-get-it pastas. But what’s not simple – and still isn’t – are the kinds of people walking through the front door. In the early days, it could be the likes of Frank Sinatra or Frankie Valli. As the years went on. Billy Joel, Keith Richards, or Hillary Clinton could be in the room at any given time. Now, the interior of the entire restaurant is adorned with photographs of these stars, t arm-in-arm with Rao’s staff, or one of the owners, Frank Pellegrino Sr. or Ron Straci.
Pellegrino and Straci created an A-list environment inside Rao’s NYC, due to the kind of clientele lining up outside the doors with their secret security. Since then, it’s been a sort of mystery to ordinary folk on how to get inside those doors. And in 2023, it’s nearly impossible.
All New Yorkers have their own conspiracies, but most agree: it’s about who you know, and what you’ve got to offer.
One of these onlookers, editor and writer Bret Thorn, has his own theories. Thorn is the senior food and beverage editor at Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. Here, he has been reporting on trends in the restaurant industry for 24 years, and is native to the New York metropolitan area. He’s written about food trends over the years, broader industry trends, operational challenges for owners, and evolving consumer tastes.
Most recently, he reported on the collapse of the restaurant industry during the pandemic, and the creative ways in which it has made an even stronger comeback. A large part of the success, he says, is due to social media.
“Twenty years ago, food was a niche topic. Now, it is at the very center of our culture,” Thorn says. “As more chefs have developed celebrity followings, consumers are increasingly interested in what they eat, whether that’s for nutritional reasons, interest in trying new flavors, or simply F.O.M.O (fear of missing out).”
When it comes to what draws people to Rao’s specifically, Thorn thinks it’s partly nostalgia. The vintage, “authentic” feel of the establishment is something that a lot of people look for in their dining experience. Thorn calls this “perceived nostalgia,” because it offers the idea that things were better or easier in the 1970s, for example. It creates a past that people yearn to be a part of.
There are also some rumors that Rao’s could have had Mafia ties in the early years, but nothing has been confirmed.
“The fact that it is perceived as being connected to the Mafia — I can’t say whether that’s accurate or not — lends a perceived, but unsavory romance to the brand,” Thorn says. But the bigger piece of it, most agree, is the nature of Rao’s being perpetually “booked.” Just the fact of something being sold out makes it instantly more famous. Everyone wants what they can’t have.
“Marketers understand the importance of inventing scarcity,” Thorn continues. “The prime example in the food world is the McDonald’s McRib sandwich, which is offered seemingly at random, which adds to its appeal considerably. At Rao’s, this scarcity is not invented. It really is in very high demand, and you pretty much have to know someone connected with the restaurant to get in.”
The Rao’s Homemade portion of the brand has also done a successful job of taking the company into the 21st century. Their jarred pasta sauces have been blowing up on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube cooking tutorials. This new surge of popularity allowed for a location to be opened in Chicago, Illinois, as well as a recent pop-up event in New York City called Rao’s The Saucery. The Saucery had its launch and partnership with star Kristin Cavallari.
They’ve also adjusted to food trends by making sauces that are vegan and vegetarian friendly, as well as a large variety, from marinara to alfredo.
As far as suggestions for eating in New York City, Thorn wants visitors to know that every other corner besides Rao’s is also filled with gold. For his favorite hidden gems, he recommends Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, Howard Beach in Queens, or Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. When you’re in the city, fantastic Italian American food is everywhere — don’t lose hope.
“If you live in New York City, there’s probably one or more in your neighborhood. If you don’t see one, take a stroll away from the touristy neighborhoods and just ask a passerby. The chances of you being disappointed are very low,” Thorn says.
