Polydish city guide

Best Spaghetti and meatballs in New York

Developed by Italian immigrants in NYC, it evolved from Southern Italian roots into an American classic.

Spaghetti and meatballs

What the real thing tastes like

Spaghetti and meatballs is an Italian-American pasta dish made with spaghetti, tomato, and meatballs. Originally inspired by similar dishes from southern Italy, the modern version of spaghetti and meatballs was developed by Italian immigrants in New York City. It grew in popularity during the first half of the 20th century and is today considered a classic in Italian-American cuisine both in New York City and the rest of the U.S.

0 voices, one story

Spaghetti and meatballs arrived in America not as an Italian export, but as an invention—Italian immigrants in early 20th-century New York took the pasta traditions of their southern homeland and remade them into something distinctly their own. Tomato sauce clings to tender meatballs over long strands of spaghetti, a combination born from necessity and ingenuity in a new country. What began as a working-class adaptation has become the definition of Italian-American comfort on a plate.

Order it here when it has

  • Italian-American classic
  • enduring popularity
  • Southern Italian inspiration

Walk away when you see

    Restaurant-level rankings for New York land as the Polydish review engine processes this city's reviews. Explore the dish itself while you wait —

    Spaghetti and meatballs on Polydish →