Where else could you find a torched meatball sub served like an ice cream cone, if not one of NYC’s best Italian delis? More specifically, G&R Italian Deli — a Bronx favorite that’s been around since 1978. In an Instagram reel by user @brooklynbitess, G&R Italian Deli’s “Italian ice cream cone” received nearly 200,000 likes and 5,000 comments, all in awe and intrigue of its moreish spin on a classic Italian meatball sandwich.
The sub is assembled with half of a vertically hollowed-out loaf of Italian bread, which serves as the “cone.” The cook stuffs it with baked meatballs, coated in an overflow of tomato sauce and house-made mozzarella cheese. Afterward, it’s topped off with more sauce and cheese, along with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano Reggiano — dubbed “Italian sprinkles” by owner Carolina DiFuccia. Alternatively, the cheese topping can be briefly torched, creating a dripping layer that does indeed remind one of vanilla ice cream.
A viral dish completely worth the hype
In essence, this G&R Deli’s “Italian ice cream cone” is still a classic meatball sub where each bite is a mouthful of savory, juicy meat and tangy sauce. A light torch amplifies that goodness by a mile, lacing it in a toasty warmth that fuses the cheese right into the meat and the sauce. Plus, since the fillings remain tucked inside the cone-shaped bread, you don’t have to worry about a dripping mess like usual. High-quality and with a unique execution, it’s not a surprise this sub has gone viral on social media.
User @jacksdiningroom showed no hesitation in a TikTok video calling G&R’s creation, “one of the best meatballs I’ve ever had in my life,” — especially at the bottom end, where all the sauce and cheese gather into pure decadence. Per an Instagram Reel by user @eatingwithtod, every component hit the mark perfectly, from the “sweet, tangy tomato sauce” and the “soft, fatty meatballs” to the house-made cheese that finished each bite with nutty, salty goodness. On Facebook, a few comments of the deli’s featured post on SNACK TIME TV claim it’s much better than a regular meatball sub…