Rao's Miami Beach

Rao's Miami Beach brings the storied Italian-American restaurant from East Harlem to the historic St. Moritz Tower at Loews Miami Beach Hotel.

Known for southern Neapolitan-style cooking rooted in a family recipe book dating back to 1896, the Collins Avenue dining room serves red-sauce classics like meatballs, chicken parmesan, veal ragu, and lobster fra diavolo in an old-school, white-tablecloth setting with soft lighting and Sinatra playing overhead. Expect a dressy, special-occasion crowd, attentive servers in white dinner jackets, and a price point north of $100 per person once drinks and shared plates are added up.

Reservations through Resy are tough to land and essentially required, and the restaurant's reputation as nearly impossible to book in New York makes the Miami Beach outpost a draw for both longtime fans and first-time visitors. Valet parking is available, and the restaurant sits steps from the beach, making it a fitting stop for a milestone dinner, a date night, or a splurge meal while staying at the hotel.