America’s Best Meatballs, According To Top Chefs
You know a great meatball the moment it hits the table: saucy, tender, and humming with comfort. Top chefs obsess over texture, seasoning, and the right balance of fat to lean, and their picks will have you craving a second plate.
From old-school red-sauce legends to inventive, region-hopping twists, these meatballs deliver serious flavor. Ready to discover where chefs send their friends for the very best bites?
1. Frankies Spuntino Classic Beef-Pork Meatballs, Brooklyn, NY
These beloved Brooklyn meatballs win chefs over with tenderness and memory-lane flavor. A beef-pork blend stays moist thanks to soaked bread and plenty of pecorino, gently simmered in bright tomato sauce.
You taste garlic, olive oil, and restraint, not heaviness.
Order them solo or tucked beside silky ricotta, and you will understand why cooks whisper about them after service. The texture is plush yet cohesive, never rubbery.
Each bite feels homey and restaurant-polished at once, the way red-sauce cooking should taste.
2. Parm’s Spaghetti and Meatballs, New York, NY
Parm serves the kind of meatballs that make chefs grin because they nail the basics. The spheres are soft, seasoned just right, and finished in a bright, buttery pomodoro that sings.
A dusting of parmesan and a twirl of spaghetti seal the deal.
You get balance: acidity from tomato, richness from meat, sweetness from slow-cooked onions. It is classic New York Italian-American without fuss.
Chefs love how the meatballs stay delicate yet never fall apart.
3. Bestia Lamb Meatballs with Spices, Los Angeles, CA
At Bestia, lamb steals the show. These meatballs are deeply savory, threaded with warm spices like cumin and coriander, and kissed with char from a hot pan.
A tangy yogurt or herb sauce brightens everything, keeping richness in check.
Chefs admire the precision: aggressive browning, soft interior, and sparks of acid and herbs. Every component earns its place.
You leave with a memory of smoke, sweet lamb, and citrus, wanting one more bite.
4. Alidoro’s Sicilian-Style Meatballs, New York, NY
These Sicilian-style beauties lean on pine nuts, raisins, and pecorino for a sweet-savory pop. The meatballs stay incredibly tender from bread soaked in milk, then simmered just long enough to marry with sauce.
Basil and olive oil add fragrance without overshadowing.
Chefs praise the balance and restraint. You get whispers of sweetness, crunch from nuts, and lushness from cheese.
It is a masterclass in contrast, with every forkful feeling layered and satisfying.
5. Che Fico Pork-Beef Meatballs al Sugo, San Francisco, CA
Che Fico’s meatballs hit that Roman comfort zone with California brightness. The sauce is vivid and slightly chunky, clinging to tender pork-beef meatballs perfumed with fennel seed and black pepper.
Fresh herbs keep the palate lifted.
Chefs love the textural play: a gentle sear outside, nearly custardy inside. Each bite feels saucy yet clean, never muddy.
Pair with bread to drag through the sugo, and notice how the seasoning whispers rather than shouts.
6. Rao’s Iconic Meatballs, New York, NY
Rao’s has earned myth status, and the meatballs explain why. They are light, almost buoyant, thanks to generous breadcrumbs and careful mixing.
The sauce is pure, tomato-forward, and silky, letting the meat sing without heavy seasoning.
Chefs respect the discipline here: no unnecessary flourishes, just expert technique. Order with a side of extra gravy and let the meatballs soak it up.
The result is comfort that feels celebratory, the neighborhood red-sauce dream perfected.
7. Osteria Mozza Turkey Meatballs with Ricotta, Los Angeles, CA
Turkey meatballs can disappoint, but not here. Osteria Mozza coaxes juiciness with ricotta and olive oil, then finishes everything in a lively tomato sauce.
The result is light, tender, and surprisingly rich, a weeknight-friendly profile made restaurant-worthy.
Chefs appreciate the finesse and restraint, showing poultry can compete with beef and pork. A spoonful of fresh ricotta on top adds creaminess without weight.
You will keep chasing that balance of lean and luxurious.
8. Coppa Spiced Pork Meatballs, Boston, MA
Coppa’s meatballs skew rustic and bold. Pork brings sweetness and fat, seasoned with chili flake, garlic, and fennel for a gentle kick.
The sauce leans concentrated, almost jammy, clinging to every crevice.
Chefs love the swagger: assertive but balanced, with crunchy salt finishing each bite. The texture stays loose and tender, not bouncy.
Order with grilled bread and a glass of Italian red, and you will understand why this plate makes industry pros smile.
9. Via Carota Veal-Parm Meatballs, New York, NY
Via Carota treats meatballs with quiet elegance. Veal brings delicacy, parmesan adds savor, and the sauce tastes like sun and patience.
The meatballs are barely handled, so they stay soft and almost fluffy.
Chefs admire the symmetry: richness, acid, salt, and aromatics in gentle harmony. Nothing shouts, yet everything resonates.
You sit a little straighter, slow down, and let the simplicity do its work.
10. Fausto’s Calabrian Chili Meatballs, Brooklyn, NY
Fausto threads heat through comfort with Calabrian chiles that bring fruit, smoke, and a slow-building burn. The meatballs stay plush, with olive oil and cheese cushioning the spice.
Tomato sauce gets depth from garlic and anchovy, though you will not detect fishiness.
Chefs love that layered heat: never aggressive, always intriguing. Pair with crunchy salad and a cool glass of white.
The last bite lingers, warm and friendly, inviting a return visit soon.
