Is there really a season?
Probably not, but who wants a nice hot meatball sub when it’s 90˚ out? Yesterday it was 41˚. Now we’re talking.
I’ve been on the quest for the greatest meatball sandwich for a while. Read my first post here. It’s a really good post so I won’t try and improve upon it, but I did want to mention some interesting new additions.
Why Meatball?
That’s why.
Meatballs are kind of like meatloaf. Neither gets the respect it deserves.
I never order meatloaf at a restaurant. I can make it at home. I never have, but I could.
I have never been disappointed by meatloaf. Maybe low-expectations is a factor, but ground beef, gravy, mashed potato, maybe some corn. How can you go wrong?
Sorry, got distracted…meatballs…ground beef, pork, veal, breadcrumbs, spices. You don’t even have to chew – someone’s already done the hard work for us. Make it a sandwich with some tomato sauce, nice bread, cheese. What’s not to love?
The Best?
I frequently order the meatball sub, especially in winter, and I’m generally pleased. Even a not-so-great meatball sub is pretty good.
With that in mind, I went hunting for the best. Yeah, it was probably just an excuse to try a bunch and get me out of the house, but it was a fun journey.
I’ve had some fantastic sandwiches and it’s hard to rank a number one. So instead, I’ll go through the top tier. Each one is worth a trip.
Bread
Bread can make or break the sandwich. Vincent uses fresh bread delivered daily from Culpepper’s bakery. It’s thick, soft and spongy. You could put a shoe between 2 slices and it would be delicious.
That said, I am open minded when it comes to bread. Ziti in Westboro uses more of a crusty french bread. Soft on the inside, but a definite crust. A bit messy if eating in the car, but outstanding none the less.
But either way. The bread needs to be exceptional in order to make the list.
Meatball
Most meatballs are good. Even soggy, they’ve been simmering in tomato sauce all day and they are fall-apart delicious. But that makes a good sandwich, not a great one, so soggy meatballs dropped off the list.
Steve’s Pizza in West Boyleston is a favorite of mine. I like the way they add a slice of roasted green pepper to the meatball sandwich, but the late-day soggy meatballs caused them to drop to the middle tier. Sorry Steve.
Please cut them in half!
Large whole meatballs crammed between 2 slices of bread may look enticing, but you’ll need a drop cloth. This doesn’t necessarily disqualify, but kudos to S&S in West Boyleston for slicing them in half and making a neat package that I could eat comfortably in the car.
Cheese
Provolone or Mozzarella. Only 2 choices. Slice it fresh for bonus points. Pull it out of a wrapper and you’re automatically disqualified.
Tomato Sauce
Not the star of the show, but we’re lost without it. For some this is an after-thought and it shows. All of our winners have put some work into the sauce .
The Winners
After much work as well as discussion with the board of directors here at finance-abcs (well, we don’t really have a board, but taste testing and deep discussion on the subject with coffee Rich, friend Mike and Tony), here are the top-tier meatball sandwiches.
Every sandwich here will make your knees buckle. Here they are in no particular order, with some commentary.
- Vincent – Dive bar in a sketchy neighborhood. Bring some muscle and visit. It’s worth the risk. I mentioned the bread above and the meatball, sauce and cheese are outstanding as well. They also offer a meatball and sausage combo. The meatball is a delight, but add some sausage and it’s a wild ride.
- Napoli Deli – Napoli is the usual home of the 4 hour lunch with Tony. BYOB and not-the-best atmosphere. Not the spot for a romantic dinner. Food is exceptional – Tony and I have had dozens of meals and have never been disappointed. The meatballs are home made and delicious. Excellent bread – a little crust and soft inside. Far too much food in a single sandwich so bring a friend. You may need that drop cloth, but the sandwich is so good, I’m willing to overlook.
- S&S – small butcher shop in West Boyleston. Recommended by Grok – proving that AI is worth all the hype. No place to sit inside so factor that in. Rosco and I shared the sandwich yesterday while sitting in the car. Bread is 2nd only to Vincent. Every sub sandwich should have bread as good. It really makes a difference. Meatballs (nicely sliced), provolone and tomato sauce in perfect proportions and all delicious. A 30 minute drive for me, but worth the trip.
- J’s Deli – J’s was a regular lunch spot when I worked in Smithfield, RI. They have so many fantastic sandwiches that I never tried their meatball. I went back during the first round of testing for the original post – outstanding. I then learned about the Godfather – meatball, sausage, cheese and pepperoni. I went back the next day and wasn’t disappointed. J’s is worth a visit and has so many great sandwiches it’s hard to choose.
- Ziti – perched in a somewhat vacant shopping plaza on Rt 9 in Westboro, Ziti is a very good Italian restaurant that most people would never know existed. I worked in Westboro for a while and the locals introduced me. I tried the meatball sandwich on a hunch. I was not immediately impressed, but next thing I knew, it was gone. Their tomato sauce is a little unusual which I think threw me off, but Ziti is great choice.
- Village Pizza – kudos to friend Mike for discovering this one. Tucked in a corner of Whitinsville and 5 minutes from home, this unassuming pizza joint makes an outstanding sandwich. I was shocked and went for a return visit to verify my results. Yup. The bread is not quite as good as some of the others on this list, but somehow a local pizza shop has risen above the other pizza shops and is competing in the big leagues. Check it out.
Wrap Up
The hunt continues.
S&S joined the winner list yesterday.
I’ll keep eating meatball sandwiches for you, my readers.
The ones in the winner list are the great ones.
The bad ones have still been good.
I still need to return to Culpeppers. They make their own meatball sandwich on the same bread they send to Vincent. I got one to go and time in the styrofoam container was not kind. I need to go back and try a fresh one.
Have a favorite? Post it in the comments below.