Rao’s Hollywood, an old-school Italian restaurant on a quiet side street just off of Santa Monica Boulevard, announced it is closing at the end of February. The restaurant was an offshoot of the original location in East Harlem, a staple since 1896. While a table at the New York eatery was famously hard to come by, the L.A. locale offered an easier reservation with a cozy atmosphere modeled after the original and several of the same Neapolitan classics. While the restaurant at 1006 Seward St. will close on Feb. 28, Angelenos can still find many of Rao’s beloved marinara sauces, pastas and Italian products in supermarkets.
“After 13 years of Hollywood memories, we regretfully announce that Rao’s in Los Angeles will be closing our doors,” a statement on the Rao’s website read. “The restaurant’s lease was officially terminated in conjunction with the property’s recent sale. We had hoped to find an alternative space, but due to the current hospitality landscape, including the wildfires, the on-going fallout from the Hollywood studio strikes and the escalating economic forces impacting the ability to operate a business, has resulted in Rao’s serving our final Los Angeles meal on Feb. 28. We thank you for all your support over the years and hope that you will join us in the coming month for one last time so we can say a proper goodbye.”
Alison Martino, local historian and creator of Vintage Los Angeles, lamented the closure of Rao’s, the latest in a string of restaurant closures across L.A…