5 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Biggest Meatballs in America
Bigger isn’t always better, but if you show up hungry to an Italian restaurant, a huge serving of meatballs is necessary. There is nothing worse than ordering the dish and having it show up with a few tiny balls of seasoned meaty protein, am I right? Luckily, there are some Italian chains that refuse to skimp on the meatballs, serving up either massive meatballs or large servings of smaller ones. Where should you feast if you are hungry for some big meatballs? Here are 5 restaurant chains that serve the biggest meatballs in America.
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Maggiano’s Little Italy is known for tasty, massive, house-made, tender meatballs, served in hearty, saucy portions. The family-friendly chain recently upgraded its signature spaghetti-and-meatballs dish with a premium meatball made out of Wagyu beef. It is a “secret menu” item that you have to ask for.
Buca di Beppo
Buca di Beppo is famous for serving family-style, half-pound giant meatballs, which diners maintain are the size of softballs. The spaghetti and meatballs dish is as show-stopping as it is delicious, served family style; a “small” order, which still feeds three guests, costs $34.99.
The Old Spaghetti Factory
The Old Spaghetti Factory’s housemade meatballs are made from scratch daily and served with classic marinara. They are a taste of nostalgia on a plate. The chain has been serving the dish since its opening night in 1969, calling it “an Italian classic.” It comes with two large handmade meatballs, “delicately seasoned with herbs and spices, then topped with our from-scratch Marinara Sauce. It’s a delicious taste of tradition,” the menu says.
Bravo! Italian Kitchen
Bravo! Italian Kitchen serves a comforting plate of spaghetti with juicy beef-and-pork meatballs, a tangy tomato-basil sauce, and Grana Padano Zanetti. Our reviewer, Megan Hageman, says there is a generous portion of meatballs, a sauce that is “on the lighter side and chunky.” The taste is “straight out of Nonna’s kitchen. Typically I would save the best for last, but I have to jump right into the surprise star of the meal: the sauce. It’s sweet yet well-seasoned and modestly applied yet robust, adhering well to the thicker-set noodles and announcing its presence in every bite. It just has that unspoken zip of authenticity and was the perfect match for the hearty meatballs.”
Olive Garden
Olive Garden meatballs are legendary, and Hageman is a fan. Each order comes with “three generously sized meatballs,” spaghetti noodles that “weighed in at a standard thickness,” the top “ladled with a maroon-colored sauce,” and a sprinkle of basil and parmesan. As for the taste, “good things are happening,” noting the “juiciness” of the meatballs.