7 Chain Restaurants Where the Meatballs are Actually Hand-Rolled In-House
I love a good meatball. Whether you eat them as an app, inside of a hoagie roll as a meatball sub, or nestled in a bowl of spaghetti covered in sauce, they are delicious – especially if homemade. Not every restaurant makes meatballs from scratch the way Nonna would approve. Here are 7 chain restaurants where the meatballs are actually hand-rolled in-house.
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Maggiano’s Little Italy meatballs are house-made, tender, and served in hearty, saucy portions. The chain recently revamped its meatball into a more premium option. “Our Spaghetti and Wagyu Beef Meatball may just be a secret menu item, but it’s no secret how rich and flavorful our new Wagyu Beef is,” the restaurant shared on Facebook.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Carrabba’s Italian Grill has one of the best spaghetti and meatballs in town, forming them daily in-house “The plate comes with pomodoro sauce and a choice to leave it plain or top it with either meat sauce or meatballs,” out ETNT reviewer writes, adding that “something about this dish looked more authentic to me than the rest” with three “smaller herb and spice-spotted meatballs.” While similar to other restaurants, Carrabbas “has its competitor beat in two main areas,” she continues. “First, it delivers a wildly better balance of savory sauce to pasta which saves the spaghetti from being smothered and allows it to show off its own fresh, almost buttery flair. Second, and most importantly, these meatballs are a work of art. Cooked well and compactly with obvious hints of garlic and onion, they are like rounded drops of heaven, and if I was basing this taste test on meatballs alone, Carrabba’s would have taken home gold.”
Buca di Beppo
Half-pound meatballs, family recipe. Buca di Beppo is famous for serving family recipe, half-pound 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 daily, served with classic marinara, and 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.
North Italia
North Italia makes all its pasta and sauces from scratch, including meatballs, which are formed and cooked daily. The popular item is baked slowly rather than fried to keep it nice and tender, served in a rustic marinara sauce with creamy, buttery polenta, and topped with savory grana padano cheese.
Bravo! Italian Kitchen
Bravo!’s juicy homemade beef-and-pork meatballs are served with a tangy tomato-basil sauce, and Grana Padano Zanetti, the hard Italian cheese. According to our reviewer, there is a generous portion of meatballs and a sauce that is “on the lighter side and chunky.” And the taste? “A plate 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.”
Romano’s Macaroni Grill
Romano’s Macaroni Grill offers an upscale twist with all-beef meatballs, roasted garlic, and a rich pomodoro sauce. The spaghetti and meatballs is “just like Mom used to make,” the restaurant recently shared on social media. “Our recipe is crafted with house-made beef, veal, pork + ricotta meatballs, romano, and spaghetti.”