The Drago family has owned and operated some of the most famous high-end Italian restaurants in Los Angeles, California, since the 1980s. [1] They are known for their pasta dishes. [2] The family includes four brothers:Tanino, Calogero, Celestino, [3] and Giacomino. [4] Giacomino is co-owner of 11 Los Angeles restaurants—including Beverly Hills' iconic Il Pastaio and Via Alloro, [5] and referred to as the scion of the family's restaurant businesses. [6]
Celestino Drago immigrated to Los Angeles from Sicily in the mid-1970s, and held his first job with Osteria Romana Orsini on Pico Boulevard as a chef before leaving to launch Celestino, "his seminal Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills (now defunct but re-created in Pasadena under the same name)". [7] He brought over three of his brothers from the family restaurant in Messina. Celestino parted ways with investor Art Vella in 1991. [8] [9] [10]
Some of their dishes have been featured in cookbooks. [11] [12]