Canyon News
SHERMAN OAKS Ray Vega, founder of Casa Vega, passed away on Monday, January 11 at the age of 85. Casa Vega, located at 13301 Ventura Blvd., is known for its Mexican cuisine and has been in business for over 62 years.
The website states:
“Casa Vega is located on famous Ventura Boulevard and is one of the longest continuously family-owned restaurants in all of greater Los Angeles. Casa Vega’s roots go back to famous Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles. Rafael ‘Ray’ Vega opened Casa Vega in 1956 after being inspired by the success of his parents’ earlier restaurant, Café Caliente, which was on Olvera Street and operated throughout the 1930’s. Casa Vega serves authentic, delicious food and drinks in a warm and festive atmosphere.”
Print
For decades, Rafael “Ray” Vega made the rounds in the brick-lined dining room of Casa Vega restaurant in Sherman Oaks, dressed sharply in a sweater vest with a name tag fastened to the front.
“Hi, I’m Ray Vega and this is Casa Vega,” he would say. He often hosted Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, George Clooney, Al Pacino and other actors and studio executives, who sipped margaritas, tucked into the restaurant’s signature tufted red leather booths.
Vega, who helped introduce and popularize Mexican food in the San Fernando Valley, died from complications of COVID-19 on Saturday at age 86, according to his daughter, Christina “Christy” Vega. He had been battling dementia and Parkinson’s disease for the past 15 years.
Founder of popular Casa Vega restaurant in Sherman Oaks dies
By Kelli Johnson
(Instagram: Casa Vega Restaurant )
LOS ANGELES - The founder of a popular and iconic San Fernando Valley restaurant has died, his family announced.
Rafael Ray Vega, the founder of Casa Vega Restaurant in Sherman Oaks died peacefully on Sunday. He was 86.
He immigrated with his parents from Tijuana, Mexico with a dream of opening a restaurant in Los Angeles.
His dream came true when he, along with his parents, opened a restaurant on the historic Olvera Street in downtown LA. He then opened his own business and founded Casa Vega located on Ventura Boulevard in 1956 when he was 22-years-old.