Wheels Up and W South Beach Partner, Bringing Legendary Italian Restaurant Rao's to Miami for 2020's Big Game

MIAMI, Dec. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Wheels Up, a leading private aviation company, alongside W South Beach and Rao's Restaurant Group, announced plans today to launch Rao's by the Beach, to coincide with Miami's big game in February 2020. The restaurant will be open Jan. 29 through Feb. 1 at W South Beach and will be modeled after the iconic Rao's Italian restaurant, widely regarded as the most exclusive reservation in the United States and known for its Southern Neapolitan Italian cuisine and world-class hospitality. Rao's by the Beach will host invite-only events at the restaurant and offer dinner reservations for select hotel guests.

Rao's, a 124-year-old New York institution famous for being impossibly exclusive and turning celebrities away at the door, is being brought to Miami as Rao's by the Beach, which will be meticulously designed in the same style as the original in East Harlem over W South Beach's RWSB space and helmed by Chef Dino Gatto. The beloved Italian restaurant is known for its strict "regulars only" reservation policy where long-time patrons own table reservations.

"The Wheels Up x Rao's collaboration is magical. We're bringing it back by popular demand following our events in Augusta and Atlanta last year," said Kenny Dichter, Founder and CEO of Wheels Up. "Rao's Chef Dino Gatto is the Bill Belichick of meatballs, and we can't wait to welcome Rao's to Miami for 2020's big game."

Frank Pellegrino Jr., Co-owner of Rao's, added, "In collaboration with Wheels Up, our food and hospitality have now become synonymous with the biggest football event of the year. Our recipes have 124 years of history, and we can't wait to join Wheels Up and W South Beach at the biggest game of the year in 2020 and bring our unique blend of cuisine and service to the hungry crowd in South Beach."

David Edelstein, Owner of W South Beach, said, "Our guests are flying in from all over the world for the ultimate football experience; what better way to celebrate the big game than by bringing together three iconic brands, Rao's, Wheels Up and W South Beach, to offer guests the rare chance to try the legendary Italian recipes from the Rao's family and Chef Dino Gatto."

About Wheels Up
Wheels Up is a leading private aviation company that delivers a total aviation solution. It offers three membership options?Connect, Core, and Business?that significantly reduce the cost to fly privately, while offering unparalleled safety, service, flexibility, and quality to over 6,000 Wheels Up Members across North America. Wheels Up provides its members guaranteed access to a fleet of over 115 private aircraft, consisting of the King Air 350i, Hawker 400XP, Citation Excel/XLS, and Citation X?up to 365 days a year, with as little as 24 hours' notice.

In addition to its fleet of aircraft options, Wheels Up offers its members access to its Charter Marketplace, an innovative digital platform that allows them to search a ready-when-available inventory of over 1,200 private aircraft from Wheels Up safety-vetted and verified operators with real-time pricing, which can be instantly booked.

Popular Wheels Up Membership features such as Shared Flights, empty-leg Hot Flights, Shuttle Flights, and The Community, an online platform of members-only forums to facilitate flight sharing, give members the opportunity to further reduce their cost of flying private. Renowned signature events and added-value benefits from among the world's preeminent lifestyle brands make up the company's Wheels Down program.

Wheels Up Partners LLC ("Wheels Up") does not operate aircraft; FAA licensed and DOT registered air carriers participating in the program exercise full operational control of all flights offered by or arranged through Wheels Up. For on-demand flights and shuttle flights operated as scheduled service, Wheels Up acts solely as an agent for Wheels Up members and guests in arranging these flights on their behalf. For shuttle flights operated as Public Charter service, Wheels Up acts as principal in offering these flights subject to the DOT's Public Charter rules contained in 14 CFR Part 380. All aircraft owned or leased by Wheels Up are leased to the operating air carrier and are operated exclusively by that air carrier.

Learn More About Wheels Up at WheelsUp.com 

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W South Beach
The iconic W South Beach is an oceanfront landmark, home to W's fully-integrated lifestyle experience. W South Beach is home to 408 W-branded residences, including newly redesigned E-WOW Penthouse and E-WOW Ocean Escape suites; WALL, an exclusive bar and ultra-lounge, mixology Mecca LIVING ROOM BAR; American eatery, The Restaurant at W South Beach (RWSB) led by Executive Chef Josh Gripper; celebrity favorite MR CHOW; IRMA'S, an outdoor oasis and craft cocktail outpost; WET, featuring two alluring swimming pools and stylish cabanas; more than 10,000-square-feet of ultra-modern meeting and event space; FIT state-of-the-art fitness center; rooftop basketball court and tennis court ? SWISH & SWING; a curated, rotating multi-million dollar art collection and the Jennifer Miller x W the Store. For more information, visit www.wsouthbeach.com, Facebook.com/WSouthBeach, Twitter @wsobe? and Instagram @wsouthbeach.? 

About Rao's Restaurant Group
Opened in 1896, the restaurant is celebrated as one of the country's oldest family owned and operated restaurants still running in its original location.  Handing down cherished Rao's family recipes and traditions as its main ingredients, the Rao's cuisine pairs generations of Southern Neapolitan Italian cooking and world class hospitality.  While the original New York City location stood on its own for over a century, the family decided it was time to go west, and in 2006, Rao's opened its second location in Las Vegas inside Caesars Palace.  In 2013, the restaurant opened its third location in Los Angeles, south of Santa Monica Blvd at Seward.  Learn more at www.RaosRestaurants.com and follow along on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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SOURCE Wheels Up