TV Restaurants

What Happened to Marabella Meatball Co. After Food Paradise?

Food Paradise, Season 4 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Current status

Closed

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

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. How we decide a status →

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's listing for the address likewise marks it permanently closed, with no successor restaurant reported at the same 1211 Walnut St location.

The episode Food Paradise, Season 4

Episode 13
Aired
Title: Meatball Paradise · What was featured: Marabella's Italian-American meatball sandwiches on Walnut Street
How Food Paradise restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 4 Food Paradise

Season 4: 134 of 199 still open · 12 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 26 Season 4 episodes →

Nearest open restaurants By distance from 1211 Walnut St

All 147 TV restaurants in Pennsylvania →

Before you go: Businesses change fast. Always confirm directly with the restaurant — call ahead, or check its own current website or social media — before making plans around anything on this page.

Sources we checked 2 references

  1. inquirer.com https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Marabella-Meatball-Co-closes.html
  2. Yelp https://www.yelp.com/biz/marabella-meatball-co-philadelphia-2
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Record fp-0284 · checked by Cal Marchetti.