Go Ahead, Be A Meat Head: The Meatball Shop Opens Tonight

Childhood friends Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow grew up on the East Side feasting on chicken parm and meatball heroes at Gino's pizzeria. Now a chef and bartender, respectively, they decided that what New York needs now is a shop dedicated exclusively to those wondrous balls of meat (also fish and vegetables). So they decided to open a shop (a real shop and not another food truck, thank god) on the Lower East Side. The appropriately named Meatball Shop opens its doors at 5 p.m. today.

The menu is a build-it-yourself challenge offering endless possible combinations of beef, spicy pork, salmon or veggie meatballs, four kinds of sauces (spicy meat, classic tomato, mushroom gravy or parmesan cream) and the choice between "naked," just the balls and sauce, a slider (a single 2 oz ball on a bun), or a hero with either provolone or mozzeralla.

There is also a variety of equally comforting sides like mashed potatoes and freshly milled polenta -- as well as, flipping the usual model on its head, pasta -- and to wash it down,  in keeping with the old New York theme, beer will reportedly be served in milk bottles. And because any self respecting meatball joint must also offer dessert, Chernow's wife Donna is serving homemade cookie sandwiches.

The Shop plans to stay open until 4 a.m. but tonight, The Butcher Blog recommends filling up before 9 p.m. to keep you on the ground when the gale begins to blow.

84 Stanton Street at Allen Street
212.982.8895