Serving meatballs of all types and stripes, straight from the mind of Daniel Holzman, who started his culinary career at Le Bernardin when he was in his adolescence. With that and a James Beard scholarship under his belt, it may be strange that he's decided to cast his lot with one of the world's most unassuming dishes, but he does it with a panache that soundly answers any question about his sincerity.

The options are myriad, but take special note of the daily risotto on offer, which is always a good choice, as well as the parmesan cream sauce, which should replace the holy water in church fonts the world over. There are sliders, but forget them for a second— although who doesn't like small versions of great things—the hero comes on an Il Forno baguette with three meatballs, sauce, and cheese, and the "smash" comes with two meatballs on a toasted brioche bun with sauce and cheese. The truth of the matter is that the Meatball Shop menu is a Rubik's Cube that solves itself no matter which way you turn it.