For The Best Spaghetti And Meatballs, Try The Cheesecake Factory's Sister Chain

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Spaghetti and meatballs is one of the most classic Italian favorites that we've all enjoyed in countless iterations, from generations-old family recipes to a humble can of Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs. Of course, it's also a common menu item at Italian restaurants. And if you're craving a comforting and delicious bowl of spaghetti and meatballs prepared by chefs, look no further than North Italia.

A sister chain to The Cheesecake Factory, North Italia is a modern Italian restaurant chain with a bustling yet welcoming atmosphere that makes high-quality Italian favorites from scratch, including fresh pasta made daily. And the spaghetti and meatballs have customers from TripAdvisor to Yelp swooning over their perfect execution. 

One Yelp customer wrote, " I got the spaghetti & meatballs...basic, [I know]. But when I tell you this was the best dish I've had. I will be craving this forever." Another Yelp review stated that "the spaghetti and meatballs is delicious, [with] huge meatballs that are so flavorful," while a third user proclaimed that "the sauce was tasty and flavorful; and the noodles tasted fresh." Each bowl of pasta comes with large and tender all-beef meatballs over freshly-made, hand-crafted spaghetti smothered in a rich rustic marinara sauce and finished with fresh parmesan cheese. One TripAdvisor review went so far as to say "the spaghetti and meatballs I had here for lunch are easily the best I've had in this life or any past life."

While many customers were over the moon about North Italia's spaghetti and meatballs, other customers couldn't get past what they viewed as an exorbitant price tag. Indeed, North Italia is one of the most expensive Italian chain restaurants, with dishes up to $50. One disappointed Redditor stated that they "overpaid for mediocre but dolled up food. Insanely expensive for no reason." And while you might be able to justify the hefty prices of a chain like Maggiano's Little Italy for the mere size of the family-style portions, another Redditor added, "I was shocked at the small portion sizes" at North Italia. Considering the Cheesecake Factory is famous for enormous portion sizes, we can understand how customers might feel like they're overpaying for a relatively small plate of pasta. Still, the cozy yet elegant atmosphere, along with what many believe to be the best spaghetti and meatballs of their lives, might make North Italia worth the expense.

If you want to spend less on spaghetti and meatballs, you can order spaghetti and marinara sauce off the kids' menu for $12 with the option to add a meatball for an additional cost of $5. You can also order meatballs on their own as appetizers, with rustic marinara, and served over a bed of polenta for $17.