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13 Excellent Meatball Dishes to Eat Right Now

Italian meatballs are great, but there’s so much more out there

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To many diners, meatballs conjure an image of deliciously meaty mouth-sized Italian treats smothered in marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. That’s true in many cases, but there are tons of meatball options from around the globe that are equally delicious and begging to be eaten right here in DFW.

From Italian, to Afghan, to Greek, and Vietnamese varieties, here are 13 excellent meatball dishes to eat right now.

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Neighborhood Services

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Chef Nick Badovinus knows his way around meat, and meatballs are certainly no exception. Kick off a steak dinner with an order of the butcher’s meatballs, made with Prime beef and served with bleu cheese and voodoo sauce.

ZAYTINYA

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This Greek-inspired eatery from famed DC chef Jose Andres offers a huge menu of Mediterranean shareables including a killer dish of beef and lamb meatballs. Ask for the Keftedes Kapama which is served in a tomato sauce with feta cheese, cinnamon, and allspice.

A look inside Zaytinya Frisco Photo by Melissa Hennings

Kenny's Italian Kitchen

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This old-school Italian joint serves up traditional favorites, with red checkered tablecloths on deck. The meatballs are definitely a must-try along with a side of bruschetta for starters, then move on to something equally delicious like the fettuccini carbonara or gnocchi with chicken, artichokes, mushrooms, and asiago cream.

Zoli's NY Pizza

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Swing by this Addison pizzeria during lunch for the meatball sandwich, made with smashed meatballs (easier to eat!), fontina cheese, and jalapeno pesto. Excellent meatballs can also be found on the Lil’ Troy pizza alongside cherry peppers, jalapenos, and crispy toasted bread crumbs.

Fachini

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For an affordable option in the ultra-swank Highland Park Village haunt, grab a dish of meatballs. They are delightfully filling and a perfect cost-saving complement to its $15 cocktails.

Henry's Majestic

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Henry’s Majestic pulls out the meatball stops with two options on the menu devoted to the meaty treat. Grab the maple bourbon meatballs as an appetizer, which are made with Texas Akaushi beef and served with fennel slaw, or go for the meatball grinder sandwich topped with provolone cheese and roasted peppers and onions.

Henry’s Majestic

Nora Restaurant and Bar

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There’s really not a bad dish at Nora, and the Lowest Greenville eatery has two meatball options that will presumably make the move when the restaurant relocates to Bishop Arts early next year. Try the spicy chicken meatballs topped with yogurt and tomato sauce, or a decidedly delicious Afghan dish of Kofta Chalao, i.e. meatballs simmered in fresh spices, garlic, onion, and dried plum, which is served with rice. 

Mot Hai Ba

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Mot Hai Ba is having its moment in the spotlight, hosting both Kanye West and Aziz Ansari recently, which might just certify it as Dallas’ celebrity dining destination. And for good reason, dishes like the standout duck meatballs with tomato compote and sesame have earned the restaurant its much-deserved popularity.

Hit up Mot Hai Ba for some standout soup.
Hit up Mot Hai Ba for some standout soup.
Photo: Robert Strickland/EDFW

Mille Lire

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Mille Lire is a delightful upscale Italian haunt in Oak Lawn, perfect for date night. Gaze at your honey over an appetizer of lamb meatballs served with broccoli rabe, feta cheese, and tomato sugo which is covered with a layer of freshly baked flat bread, before moving onto some intensely delicious takes on Italian originals.

MidiCi The Neapolitan Pizza Company

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This West Village pizza parlor serves up meatballs smothered in marinara and globs of mozzarella cheese. Start with a dish of the meaty goodness and a side of bruschetta followed by a thin crust Neapolitan-style pizza.

Jimmy's Food Store

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This stalwart East Dallas sandwich shop and corner market offers up an uber-affordable $7 meatball sub on a toasted six-inch bun finished off with marinara, mozzarella, sweet peppers, and onions.

Avanti Ristorante

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Get a delicious traditional meatball dish as an appetizer at this longtime McKinney Avenue Italian restaurant. The candlelit interiors and live instrumentation are a perfect setting for a time-honored Italian favorite.

Doc B's Restaurant + Bar

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Doc B’s serves an “Angry Meatball” that’s not for the faint of heart. Clocking in at more than half a pound, the 100% Wagyu beef ball is bathed in spicy marinara before being finished off with fresh ricotta cheese and a side of house-made garlic toast. It’s available at the Uptown Dallas location too.

Courtesy Doc B’s

Neighborhood Services

Chef Nick Badovinus knows his way around meat, and meatballs are certainly no exception. Kick off a steak dinner with an order of the butcher’s meatballs, made with Prime beef and served with bleu cheese and voodoo sauce.

ZAYTINYA

This Greek-inspired eatery from famed DC chef Jose Andres offers a huge menu of Mediterranean shareables including a killer dish of beef and lamb meatballs. Ask for the Keftedes Kapama which is served in a tomato sauce with feta cheese, cinnamon, and allspice.

A look inside Zaytinya Frisco Photo by Melissa Hennings

Kenny's Italian Kitchen

This old-school Italian joint serves up traditional favorites, with red checkered tablecloths on deck. The meatballs are definitely a must-try along with a side of bruschetta for starters, then move on to something equally delicious like the fettuccini carbonara or gnocchi with chicken, artichokes, mushrooms, and asiago cream.

Zoli's NY Pizza

Swing by this Addison pizzeria during lunch for the meatball sandwich, made with smashed meatballs (easier to eat!), fontina cheese, and jalapeno pesto. Excellent meatballs can also be found on the Lil’ Troy pizza alongside cherry peppers, jalapenos, and crispy toasted bread crumbs.

Fachini

For an affordable option in the ultra-swank Highland Park Village haunt, grab a dish of meatballs. They are delightfully filling and a perfect cost-saving complement to its $15 cocktails.

Henry's Majestic

Henry’s Majestic pulls out the meatball stops with two options on the menu devoted to the meaty treat. Grab the maple bourbon meatballs as an appetizer, which are made with Texas Akaushi beef and served with fennel slaw, or go for the meatball grinder sandwich topped with provolone cheese and roasted peppers and onions.

Henry’s Majestic

Nora Restaurant and Bar

There’s really not a bad dish at Nora, and the Lowest Greenville eatery has two meatball options that will presumably make the move when the restaurant relocates to Bishop Arts early next year. Try the spicy chicken meatballs topped with yogurt and tomato sauce, or a decidedly delicious Afghan dish of Kofta Chalao, i.e. meatballs simmered in fresh spices, garlic, onion, and dried plum, which is served with rice. 

Mot Hai Ba

Mot Hai Ba is having its moment in the spotlight, hosting both Kanye West and Aziz Ansari recently, which might just certify it as Dallas’ celebrity dining destination. And for good reason, dishes like the standout duck meatballs with tomato compote and sesame have earned the restaurant its much-deserved popularity.

Hit up Mot Hai Ba for some standout soup.
Hit up Mot Hai Ba for some standout soup.
Photo: Robert Strickland/EDFW

Mille Lire

Mille Lire is a delightful upscale Italian haunt in Oak Lawn, perfect for date night. Gaze at your honey over an appetizer of lamb meatballs served with broccoli rabe, feta cheese, and tomato sugo which is covered with a layer of freshly baked flat bread, before moving onto some intensely delicious takes on Italian originals.

MidiCi The Neapolitan Pizza Company

This West Village pizza parlor serves up meatballs smothered in marinara and globs of mozzarella cheese. Start with a dish of the meaty goodness and a side of bruschetta followed by a thin crust Neapolitan-style pizza.

Jimmy's Food Store

This stalwart East Dallas sandwich shop and corner market offers up an uber-affordable $7 meatball sub on a toasted six-inch bun finished off with marinara, mozzarella, sweet peppers, and onions.

Avanti Ristorante

Get a delicious traditional meatball dish as an appetizer at this longtime McKinney Avenue Italian restaurant. The candlelit interiors and live instrumentation are a perfect setting for a time-honored Italian favorite.

Doc B's Restaurant + Bar

Doc B’s serves an “Angry Meatball” that’s not for the faint of heart. Clocking in at more than half a pound, the 100% Wagyu beef ball is bathed in spicy marinara before being finished off with fresh ricotta cheese and a side of house-made garlic toast. It’s available at the Uptown Dallas location too.

Courtesy Doc B’s

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