Best of Boston
2023 Best Meatball
Strega by Nick Varano
![](https://cdn10.bostonmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/bob2023_dining-StregaByNick-Varano.jpg)
"Mamma's Famous Meatball" at Strega by Nick Varano. / Photo by Joe St. Pierre, styling by Joy Howard
Known for hanging with A-list celebs, North End restaurateur Nick Varano is one of the most beloved and colossal characters around — but that’s nothing compared to the size of his Mamma’s Famous Meatball. Made from a tried-and-tested recipe of veal, mushroom, and Parmigiano, slathered in marinara and served next to a bed of ricotta, this oversize, pillow-soft beauty will make any Italophile say, “mangia!”
379 Hanover St., North End, 617-523-8481, stregabynickvarano.com