The American Apparel of Meatballs

If you don’t know it yet, you certainly will soon…I make an event out of every meal.  So naturally, a long, leisurely lunch is totally my cup of tea.  An afternoon of eating is an afternoon well spent in my book, and chapter 1 begins with The Meatball Shop.  Before you write me off for being a loony tune that spends an afternoon eating meatballs, hear me out.  The Meatball Shop does not take reservations.  So, nine times out of ten you are going to wait to sit down.  I am impatient as ever so that doesn’t exactly work for me.  Not only am I a food snob, I’m also a food brat.  The second I walk into a restaurant I am hungry.  Isn’t it funny how it works like that?

If you are worried about waiting for a table at this culinary treasure trove, fear not my ever-loving food friends.  The Meatball Shop has a to-go window.   My advice, which is the only way to do the MBS if it’s busy, is to put your name down for a table and then head right over to the to-go window.  The Meatball Shop offers five different meatballs at any given time, including classic beef, spicy pork, chicken, vegetable and a special ball.  Don’t think this is where your choices end, because they also offer five different sauces! You can have classic tomato, spicy meat sauce, mushroom gravy, Parmesan cream, or pesto! If you think that’s a hard decision, now try figuring out whether you want your meatballs on a hero, sliders, risotto, or if you just want your balls “naked” aka sans carbs.  The Meatball Shop is like American Apparel.  We all have the same t-shirt in every color, so why not do the same with your food?

Now, the stomach can only hold so much, so deciding what to eat must really be well thought out of you want to get the most out of your MBS experience.  I use the to-go counter as a chance to wet my palate.  This Bite-Sized Blonde recommends an order of the “naked” meatballs as an appetizer. There are so many great things to do near The Meatball Shop so after you have gotten your to-go order, walk around and make more room in that tummy of yours!  The hostess will call your cell when your table is ready.

The fun can really begin when you sit down and order your lunch.  Everything on this menu is delicious so take advantage.   My recommendation: choose a different meat than you ordered at the to-go window, and add some carbs!  But, do not forget to leave room for dessert.  The Meatball Shop makes an exceptional ice cream sandwich, and as I’m sure you’ve already guessed by now, they offer it in five different cookies and six different ice creams!!

Come hungry, and thank me later!

The Meatball Shop
84 Stanton Street
New York, NY
212.982.8895