Charles Rao was a child when his mother and father arrived in New York. As a bright and resourceful young man Charles Rao bought a small saloon from the George Ehret Brewery at the corner of 114^th Street and Pleasant Avenue in upper Manhattan.  It was 1896.  He called the place Rao’s. Charles Rao died in 1909 of a heart attack, and his brother Joseph took over and ran the restaurant until his death in 1930.  By then Charlie’s sons Louis and Vincent had become the operating owners.

Louis Rao, in his Chesterfield topcoats and white-on-white shirts, was, by neighborhood standards, very suave.  He had his hair cut at the Waldorf –Astoria.  He traveled during the age of steamships.  He enjoyed being behind the bar at Rao’s and ran the place until his death in 1958.

 

Vincent Rao was a very different kind of man. Instead of tailored clothes and Waldorf haircuts, Vincent Rao preferred a cowboy hat and casual clothes.  He also preferred cooking in the kitchen at the saloon.  He was born in 1907 in the house next door to the bar, 453 East 114th Street.  He was raised in that house, he was married in that house and he died in that house, at age eighty-seven, in 1999.

 

Anna and Vincent Rao

In 1974, business had become so brisk that help was required in the form of Vincent’s wife, Anna Pellegrino Rao, who arrived from their house next door with her pots and recipes.  Anna was an unlikely restaurant chef.  She was as elegant as her husband was homespun.  Anna’s deft touch improved all the traditional Italian dishes and Rao’s became a favorite for a small army of steady customers. Frank Pellegrino, Anna’s nephew and now co-owner of Rao’s, was a singer with his own group and also had a budding acting career when his Aunt Anna would call him and ask him if he could help at the restaurant when available.  Eventually, the restaurant became full time for Franka nd he continues to sing at the restaurant as well as having outside movie or television engagements.