People (Including Guy Fieri) Visit One Place In New York For Meatballs The Size Of Baseballs

For many people, there is nothing yummier than a plate of delicious Italian food. It's comforting and filling, especially if you visit a popular restaurant in Upstate New York, and you'll be particularly satisfied if the dish you're craving is meatballs. In fact, you'll only need one meatball to fill up, because they're absolutely enormous. Mulberry Italian Ristorante in Lackawanna, New York, just 6 miles from Buffalo, became famous after Food Network star Guy Fieri visited the spot in Season 9, Episode 2 of his series "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." The 2010 episode entitled "Homegrown and Homemade" spotlighted co-owner Joe Jerge and his mouthwatering Italian dishes, including lasagna and the baseball-sized meatballs that put the restaurant on the map. (For what it's worth, a clip from Fieri's show confirms that the meatball is bigger than an actual baseball.)

One reviewer on Yelp said, "This place is not to be missed. ... We got so much food. It was all absolutely fantastic." A reviewer on Tripadvisor said, "They knock their meatballs out of the meatball park – large enough to play ball with so to speak and taste just like your Nonna would make – authentic with just the right amount of spice." They also praised the raviolis and sauce, giving Mulberry a "12 out of 10 pasta noodles."

If you're planning a visit, the closest airport to Lackawanna is the underrated Buffalo Niagara International Airport, with some of the best customer service in America, 14 miles away. You're also a mere 25 miles from the airport at Niagara Falls, so you may want to add in a zipline experience while you're there.

Mulberry Italian Ristorante's chef learned about the best Italian food by eating it in restaurants all over New York City, according to his episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," and he added in touches from his Italian mom and grandma. He makes his own mozzarella and handmade lasagna, which Guy Fieri praised as "monster lasagna," adding, "Wow man ... [it's] everything you want a lasagna to be." He's not the only one singing the praises of Mulberry. The restaurant has garnered numerous awards, including "Buffalo's Best Italian Restaurant," from places like The Buffalo News, WIVB-TV, Buffalo Spree, Buffalo Business First, and Tripadvisor. The restaurant recommends reservations, and it also offers takeout. Do note that it's closed between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., and all day on Sundays. 

You'll want to work around that schedule to try out the giant meatballs and lasagna, but there is far more to the menu. There are items like spicy Calabrian wings; homemade cavatelli with sausage Bolognese; baked manicotti; chicken, eggplant, and bone-in veal chop parmigiana; and dessert items like cannoli, cheesecake, and peanut butter pie. Don't worry if you have dietary restrictions – Mulberry has gluten-free pasta and meatballs available, and many of its base pastas and its tomato sauce are vegan. There is a lunch menu as well, with homemade ricotta gnocchi, stuffed mushrooms al forno, arancini, gluten-free cheese tortellini, and, of course, the famous Mulberry meatball. Finally, if you're visiting Lackawanna for a scrumptious meal at Mulberry Italian Ristorante, you're so close to Buffalo that it's worth visiting the city's reimagined riverfront park, Wilkeson Pointe, for some outdoor fun.