Who doesn’t love a big, juicy meatball? Well, I have to admit I don’t considering I’m a vegetarian. But after hearing a lot of buzz about the Lower East Side’s new Meatball Shop on Stanton and Allen, I decided to make use of the gorgeous weather and walk over for an early dinner. The antique-filled spot was packed with people of all ages – singles mingling over drinks at the bar, families watching their kids through the large open windows play with the owners dog on the sidewalk, and so on.

I sat down at the bar with a friend of mine, eager for a good meal. With a build-your-own-meal menu, I got to work – two vegetarian meatballs on a brioche bun with a side of arugula + apple salad. My friend took the same but with pork balls.

I have to admit, my vegetarian tongue was watering at the sight of her balls. With room still in our stomachs, we tackled the dessert menu, which is another build-your-own-menu for ice-cream sandwiches. Fresh baked cookies + homemade ice-cream = heaven on earth. We split a mint ice-cream (nothing like the store bought kind – we’re talkin’ real sprigs of mint mixed in) on chocolate chip cookies. Two words: Food Coma.

The Meatball Shop

84 Stanton Street (@ Allen Street)

212-982-8895.

Photos : NYMag