Taryn Varricchio: Plates of meatballs beside twirls
Taryn Varricchio: Plates of meatballs beside twirls

of spaghetti covered in marinara sauce
of spaghetti covered in marinara sauce

are ingrained in South Philadelphia.
are ingrained in South Philadelphia.

And they've made this restaurant
And they've made this restaurant

a landmark in the neighborhood.
a landmark in the neighborhood.

This is Ralph's Italian Restaurant,
This is Ralph's Italian Restaurant,

and it's been serving Philly's
and it's been serving Philly's

best spaghetti and meatballs for 120 years.
best spaghetti and meatballs for 120 years.

Customer: If you like traditional Italian red-gravy
Customer: If you like traditional Italian red-gravy

Sunday dinner, this is the place to come.
Sunday dinner, this is the place to come.

Taryn: Back in the kitchen,
Taryn: Back in the kitchen,

chefs stay busy making 1,200 meatballs a week.
chefs stay busy making 1,200 meatballs a week.

The meatballs, set beside spaghetti,
The meatballs, set beside spaghetti,

have been a staple at Ralph's
have been a staple at Ralph's

since the restaurant's very first menu, in 1900.
since the restaurant's very first menu, in 1900.

Jimmy Rubino: I mean, this is stuff that my
Jimmy Rubino: I mean, this is stuff that my

great-grandparents brought over.
great-grandparents brought over.

My grandparents made them,
My grandparents made them,

my parents made them.
my parents made them.

I'd say about 95% of the menu that you see now
I'd say about 95% of the menu that you see now

is still the original menu.
is still the original menu.

Customer: It's authentic South Philly.
Customer: It's authentic South Philly.

It's red sauce. It's just good Italian food.
It's red sauce. It's just good Italian food.

Taryn: But not every Italian restaurant in Philly
Taryn: But not every Italian restaurant in Philly

does meatballs like Ralph's.
does meatballs like Ralph's.

Other restaurants either use just beef, just pork,
Other restaurants either use just beef, just pork,

just veal, or a mix of all three.
just veal, or a mix of all three.

But Jimmy sticks to two meats that bring out
But Jimmy sticks to two meats that bring out

a smooth and tender texture in each meatball.
a smooth and tender texture in each meatball.

Jimmy: A lot of people, a lot of restaurants,
Jimmy: A lot of people, a lot of restaurants,

a lot of people make their meatballs with just ground beef.
a lot of people make their meatballs with just ground beef.

We use ground beef and ground pork.
We use ground beef and ground pork.

Pork for two reasons: fat, flavor.
Pork for two reasons: fat, flavor.

The fat in the pork kind of gives it,
The fat in the pork kind of gives it,

like, a velvety texture.
like, a velvety texture.

And, obviously, pork meat itself
And, obviously, pork meat itself

makes it nice and lighter, as opposed to,
makes it nice and lighter, as opposed to,

like, almost like a round hamburger.
like, almost like a round hamburger.

Taryn: He adds small cubes of wet Italian bread
Taryn: He adds small cubes of wet Italian bread

to help bind the meat together
to help bind the meat together

and a mix of salt, pepper,
and a mix of salt, pepper,

crumbled pecorino Romano cheese,
crumbled pecorino Romano cheese,

dry herbs, and sautéed, caramelized garlic.
dry herbs, and sautéed, caramelized garlic.

And then Jimmy uses about 4 ounces of meat
And then Jimmy uses about 4 ounces of meat

and rolls each one by hand.
and rolls each one by hand.

The restaurant fries the meatballs
The restaurant fries the meatballs

rather than bakes them,
rather than bakes them,

so they get a crispier coating on the outside
so they get a crispier coating on the outside

while staying soft and juicy on the inside.
while staying soft and juicy on the inside.

Jimmy: You have to test the oil,
Jimmy: You have to test the oil,

because if you put the meatballs in there
because if you put the meatballs in there

while the oil's still, like, not hot,
while the oil's still, like, not hot,

it'll absorb in like a sponge,
it'll absorb in like a sponge,

and then you'll end up with oily meatballs.
and then you'll end up with oily meatballs.

Taryn: Once the meatballs turn dark brown,
Taryn: Once the meatballs turn dark brown,

they make their way to the plate
they make their way to the plate

next to a swirl of spaghetti
next to a swirl of spaghetti

and two ladles of red gravy.
and two ladles of red gravy.

Customer: I've always had a great meal here.
Customer: I've always had a great meal here.

I was here about two weeks ago
I was here about two weeks ago

with another buddy of mine who'd
with another buddy of mine who'd

never been here, so there you go.
never been here, so there you go.

Taryn: Look how big this meatball is.
Taryn: Look how big this meatball is.

Really, though.
Really, though.

My mom's meatballs are not this big.
My mom's meatballs are not this big.

Ooh.
Ooh.

That's a dense, dense meatball.
That's a dense, dense meatball.

It's like what Jimmy was telling us,
It's like what Jimmy was telling us,

he uses the pork to give it that silky, velvety texture.
he uses the pork to give it that silky, velvety texture.

And it really is, it's, like, smoother and silkier,
And it really is, it's, like, smoother and silkier,

and not, like, packed, compacted ground beef.
and not, like, packed, compacted ground beef.

You get kind of, like, two different dimensions
You get kind of, like, two different dimensions

with those two meats.
with those two meats.

And it is incredibly flavorful.
And it is incredibly flavorful.

Customer: We've been coming here for at least 45 years.
Customer: We've been coming here for at least 45 years.

Taryn: Ralph's officially became the oldest
Taryn: Ralph's officially became the oldest

Italian restaurant in America
Italian restaurant in America

continuously owned by the founding family in 2012,
continuously owned by the founding family in 2012,

when a restaurant in San Francisco closed.
when a restaurant in San Francisco closed.

But it wasn't without a few bumps along the way.
But it wasn't without a few bumps along the way.

Jimmy: You're talking about depression, world wars,
Jimmy: You're talking about depression, world wars,

prohibition. Taryn: Prohibition.
prohibition. Taryn: Prohibition.

Jimmy: And it's funny because,
Jimmy: And it's funny because,

going back when I was a kid,
going back when I was a kid,

there were still customers alive
there were still customers alive

that were alive then that remember
that were alive then that remember

my grandfather would serve them wine in coffee cups
my grandfather would serve them wine in coffee cups

'cause you weren't allowed to serve alcohol then.
'cause you weren't allowed to serve alcohol then.

Taryn: And those customers have kept coming back.
Taryn: And those customers have kept coming back.

Along with a long list of celebrities,
Along with a long list of celebrities,

from former President Theodore Roosevelt
from former President Theodore Roosevelt

and Frank Sinatra
and Frank Sinatra

to Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran,
to Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran,

who together famously left
who together famously left

a $500 tip at the restaurant,
a $500 tip at the restaurant,

to the loyal locals who consider it a staple
to the loyal locals who consider it a staple

and after 120 years
and after 120 years

couldn't imagine South Philly without it.
couldn't imagine South Philly without it.

Customer: This is certainly a part of the city.
Customer: This is certainly a part of the city.

Certainly a part of South Philadelphia.
Certainly a part of South Philadelphia.

An iconic place on 9th Street in the Italian Market.
An iconic place on 9th Street in the Italian Market.