Meatball Mania Comes to VaHi
The meatball mania that’s trending all over the globe has made its way to Atlanta via chef-owner Joey Masi, formerly of Pozole. Masi and cousin Joe Federici are the first to bring polpetti (Italian meatballs) to the Atlanta market in the form of Bar Meatball, which opened this past Thursday March 13th at 1044 Greenwood Avenue (the former location of Pozole).
“We wanted to bring what we grew up with – the meatballs our mothers used to make – to the Atlanta market,” said Masi, a long-time veteran of the Atlanta restaurant scene and former chef-owner of Pozole. “We’ve created a completely affordable menu that reflects our Italian-American heritage.”
The offerings are a fun, mixed bag of meatballs ground in-house daily and sourced from local beef and pork purveyors whenever possible. The “classic,” a blend of freshly ground sirloin and brisket with ricotta, crowns a menu that runs the gamut of great balls of fun, from old school sausage and peppers to chicken and rosemary with white wine, all paired with sauces from tomato to mushroom gravy.
Diners can choose four meatballs plus a sauce for a mere $8, then move to sides of house-cut fries or Parmesan mash, as well as “old-school extras” of an antipasto plate sourced from local meat maven The Spotted Trotter, plus fried peppers, fried calamari and Caprese salad – offerings that are fun and affordable. Desserts are highlighted by “Joey’s bag-o-donuts,” Italian zeppole tossed with powdered sugar, New York style, and mix-and-match house-made ice cream sandwiches. The cocktail program offers specialty drinks such as the “Milano mule,” a cool blend of Tito’s vodka, Aranciata Rossa, fresh lime and ginger, as well as Italian vino and beer.
The Pozole space has been remodeled by designer Christopher Bailey, with a sense of old-school elegance, featuring subway tiles and an elegant arched bar
“We want people to feel at home, and walk away happy – and full – without blowing their budget,” said Masi. All of Bar Meatball’s menu options, from meatballs to sliders and salads, are $10 and under.
VaHi resident Kay Stephenson and her husband Mark were among those dining at Bar Meatball when it opened last Thursday. Here are her comments about their experience:
“The place had a good crowd when we arrived around 8:00 pm. We couldn’t get a seat at the bar so we sat at a table in the main room (right next to our next door neighbors as it happened). We tried the calamari, two kinds of meatballs (beef and pork sausage), two sauces (classic tomato and bolo), broccoli rabe and white beans with greens, and a pretty awesome ice cream sandwich. We will definitely go back. I think it is a great addition to the neighborhood, and will be good early for families or later for bar and late supper crowd. We met the new owner to this partnership, Joe Federici (Joe Masi from Pozole is still running the kitchen). They have a couple of interesting beers on tap, a decent wine offering, and Mark said his Maker’s Manhattan was really good. Finally, I have to say that for a first night, the service was pretty flawless. By all means, check it out. I’m going back to try the lasagna, which is made to order and sounds a bit like the open faced lasagna they used to make at Atkins Park many eons ago.”
About Bar Meatball
Owners Joey Masi and Joe Federici bring the meatball mania that’s sweeping the globe to Atlanta with Bar Meatball, a fun, casual meatball bar that offers a unique taste of Italian polpetti (meatballs) to Atlanta’s Virginia-Highland neighborhood. Located at 1044 Greenwood Ave., N.E., Bar Meatball is open Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to midnight; Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.; Saturday from noon to 2:00 a.m. and Sunday from noon to 11 pm. For more information, call 404-228-2901 or visit www.barmeatball.com.
Click here to view the front side of Bar Meatball’s menu. Click here to view the flip side.
Photography courtesy of Isadora Pennington.