TV Restaurants

What Happened to Marabella Meatball Co. After Food Paradise?

Closed verified

As of September 2026, Marabella Meatball Co. has closed — confirmed via inquirer.com, December 29, 2015.

Primary source
inquirer.com ·
Secondary source
Yelp ·

Last verified

What the source shows: The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on 2015-12-29 that Marabella Meatball Co. had closed its Walnut Street shop after the lease ended; Yelp's listing, updated June 2026, still marks the business closed.

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What happened after Food Paradise?

On Food Paradise's "Meatball Paradise" episode (Travel Channel, aired 2013), Marabella Meatball Co. showcased its Italian-American meatball sandwiches, the specialty of the counter-service shop, in an episode that aired as part of Food Paradise's fourth season. Marabella Meatball Co. was a restaurant on Walnut Street in Philadelphia's Washington Square West neighborhood, run by owner Gabe Marabella. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on 2015-12-29 that the shop had closed after nearly five years in business when its lease ended, and that Marabella retired to Naples, Florida. Yelp's listing for Marabella Meatball Co., updated June 2026, still marks the business as closed, and Google Places' business_status field for the address likewise reads permanently closed, with no successor restaurant reported at the same 1211 Walnut St location.

Featured on Food Paradise

Season / episode
Season 4, Episode 13
Original air date
Episode title
Meatball Paradise
What was featured
Marabella's Italian-American meatball sandwiches on Walnut Street
Role
Featured restaurant
Name on the broadcast
Marabella Meatball Co.

Frequently asked questions

Is Marabella Meatball Co. still open in 2026?

As of September 2026, Marabella Meatball Co. has closed — confirmed via inquirer.com, December 29, 2015.

What happened to Marabella Meatball Co. after Food Paradise?

On Food Paradise's "Meatball Paradise" episode (Travel Channel, aired 2013), Marabella Meatball Co. showcased its Italian-American meatball sandwiches, the specialty of the counter-service shop, in an episode that aired as part of Food Paradise's fourth season. As of September 2026, Marabella Meatball Co. has closed — confirmed via inquirer.com, December 29, 2015.

Is Marabella Meatball Co. permanently closed?

As of September 2026, Marabella Meatball Co. has closed — confirmed via inquirer.com, December 29, 2015. We publish a closure only with a dated source behind it, and we say plainly when it has not been independently confirmed.

Where is Marabella Meatball Co. located?

1211 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107. That is the address on the record as of September 7, 2026.

What season and episode of Food Paradise featured Marabella Meatball Co.?

Season 4, Episode 13 of Food Paradise, first aired 2013. The episode is titled “Meatball Paradise”.

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Visit info

Address
1211 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Venue type
restaurant
Official website
None found

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Sources

  • inquirer.com — https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Marabella-Meatball-Co-closes.html
  • Yelp — https://www.yelp.com/biz/marabella-meatball-co-philadelphia-2

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Record fp-0284 · last verified .