NJ’s top restaurants for spaghetti & meatballs

🍝 Spaghetti and meatballs is a classic Italian dish

🍝 Most people would agree their mom or grandma make the best

🍝 Here's 15 NJ restaurants that serve up the best spaghetti and meatballs

Where can you get the best spaghetti and meatballs in New Jersey? Now, if you’re Italian, or you come from a family that cooks, the obvious answers are going to be “my house,” or “my nonna’s kitchen,” right?

But let’s face it. Not everyone has been blessed with culinary skills or has an Italian grandma who makes her own sauce, grows her own herbs, and even makes pasta from scratch.

Spaghetti and meatballs are a fan favorite on most Italian American and non-Italian restaurant menus in New Jersey. Pair the dish with a nice glass of Chianti and dip hot, fresh, soft, and crusty bread in the sauce, and voila, you have yourself quite the meal.

So, where can you get the best spaghetti and meatballs in the Garden State? We chose the top 15 places (in no particular order) to indulge in this authentic Italian dish.

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Antonio’s Trattoria Cucina Italiana

2420 NJ-35, Manasquan

If you’re looking for a good old-fashioned Sunday dinner like you remember from your childhood at grandma’s house, then Antonio’s is the place to go. While there are so many dishes to choose from their spaghetti and meatballs is a staple dish on the menu. Homemade meatballs served with Antonio’s special recipe tomato sauce is a winner.

Espo’s Raritan

10 2nd St, Raritan

Listeners rave about the spaghetti and meatballs at Espo’s. For $22.95, you can get a hearty dish of spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce or meat sauce if you prefer.

Amalfi’s Kitchen and Bar

146 Lawrenceville - Pennington Rd, Lawrenceville

Spaghetti and meatballs are a favorite on Amalfi’s menu. It’s only one of two dishes listed under “Favorites” on the menu. The meatballs are a nice size, the spaghetti is cooked al dente and the sauce tastes like grandma had been in the kitchen for hours. The cost is between $14 and $20 depending on the size you order.

Carmine’s Italian Restaurant-Atlantic City

2801 Pacific Ave, Atlantic City (Tropicana)

If you’re looking for an authentic Southern Italian family-style experience in the heart of Atlantic City, then Carmine’s is the perfect pit stop. Known for their hearty portions, each dish is meant to be shared around the table. Carmine’s homemade spaghetti and meatballs (homemade beef and veal meatballs) in their own marinara sauce is a hit, for $36.95.

Cucina 347 Pizza and Ristorante

347 Ramapo Valley Rd, Oakland

Name the pasta and the sauce, it’s on the menu at Cucina 347. Their fusilli alla siciliano is fusilli pasta with marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella. Add some homemade meatballs and you have a great Italian meal for roughly $22.

Patrizia’s of Red Bank

28 Broad St, Red Bank

Patrizia’s has multiple locations, one of which is in Red Bank. It is known for its Neapolitan-style pizza, pasta, and other classic Italian dishes. Their spaghetti con polpette is a favorite among diners. For $26, it’s spaghetti in a fresh marinara sauce and meatballs.

Maggiano’s Little Italy

2000 NJ-38 Suite 1180, Cherry Hill (Cherry Hill Mall)

This semi-upscale chain for classic Italian fare served family-style has a spaghetti and meatball dish for $24.50 that people seem to enjoy. It is served with your choice of marinara or meat sauce.

Joe Italiano’s

400 NJ-38, Moorestown
470 S White Horse Pike, Hammonton
6126 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing

With three locations to choose from, Joe Italiano’s serves up homemade spaghetti and meatballs that are sure to please the most stubborn of palates.

Grandma’s Meatball

105 Taylor Ave, Manasquan

Grandma’s Meatball has a spaghetti and meatball dish made with homemade pasta and traditional meatballs topped with marinara sauce for $26. For a little extra, try Grandma’s Meatball Sampler as an appetizer. These include a Sicilian meatball with pine nuts and raisins, a traditional meatball, and an eggplant and rice ball served with marinara sauce, and a scoop of ricotta.

Johnny Pepperoni

219 11th St #4323, Hoboken

You’ll clean your dish when you order the spaghetti and meatballs from Johnny Pepperoni. The $28 dish is filled with spaghetti and veal and pork meatballs, with basil and marinara sauce—a dish that should not be overlooked, according to patrons.

Spano’s Ristorante Italiano

719 Arnold Ave, Point Pleasant Beach

At Spano’s every day is Sunday. With spaghetti and meatballs, there are several options here. Enjoy homemade meatballs simmered in marinara sauce and served over fresh rigatoni.

Also, choose from traditional meatballs (made with beef, pork, and veal), spicy sausage meatballs (ground and loose sausage and pan-seared to a golden brown), or veal meatballs (tender ground veal seasoned and fried to a crispy outside and a delicate cream inside), as a side dish with your favorite pasta.

Angelo’s

164 NJ-31, Flemington

At $16.50 per dish, choose from linguini, penne, rigatoni, and angel hair, and add meatballs to this iconic dish at Angelo’s that stems from authentic family Italian recipes.

Rudy’s

300 South Ave, Garwood

Dine in or take out—you’ll always get a fine Italian meal at Rudy’s. Their spaghetti and meatballs are a classic dish served with tomato or marinara sauce. It’s $14.95 for the lunch special and $18.95 for a dinner dish, and the portions are generous.

Marinella’s

1195 Route 70, Lakewood

Marinella’s pasta with meatballs is one dish to try. Choose from spaghetti or penne topped with homemade meatballs for $15.25.

Catherine Lombardi

3 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick

The restaurant was named in honor of owner Mark Pascal’s later grandmother, Catherine Lombardi, with all of her recipes and a dining room modeled after Sunday dinner at her home.

The spaghetti and meatballs are listed under “Macaroni” options on the menu. The dish is served with homemade spaghetti with marinara and meatballs for $28.95.

Of course, there are a ton of other restaurants across the Garden State that serve a hearty dish of spaghetti and meatballs.

Buon appetito!

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