LAKEVIEW — Meatball Hero and Pasta would have been celebrating its first birthday Wednesday.
Instead, it's closed for good.
The casual Italian eatery opened at 3037 N. Clark St. on July 6, 2015, offering subs and pasta dishes for under $10. The meatballs were made from scratch with beef, catfish, eggplant or chicken.
The restaurant closed Tuesday, owner Atif Ali announced on Facebook.
"I am so grateful for the individuals in my life that have helped create this dream into a reality," he wrote. "Also, for being part of a supportive community and loyal patrons."
Ali did not immediately return a request for further comment Tuesday.
Ali said last year that he saw a hole in the meatball market in Chicago. Soon after Meatball Hero opened, one of the few other meatball hero-focused restaurants in the city, Mondo Meatball, shuttered in Wicker Park.
The key to his meatball heroes, Ali said, was the manner in which they're prepared — instead of cutting the baguette the long way, Ali halved them, scooping out the insides and stuffing them.
His sandwiches stayed neat and didn't fall apart like his competitors' sandwiches, Ali said.
"It falls apart, the bread soaks through, and it's just a mess. You need a bib or something," he said.
Meatball Hero replaced the environmentally friendly Sandwich Me In, which closed in April 2015 after three years in business. The spot just south of Clark, Halsted and Barry is flanked by time-tested favorites like Clark Street Dog and a strip mall of national brands like Peet's Coffee, Pizza Hut and Subway.
Atif Ali, 30, of Uptown, opened Meatball Hero and Pasta in July 2015 with the hopes of crafting the perfect meatball sandwich. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
The section of Clark Street on Lakeview's south end has some walkability issues. As the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce awaits funding to reshape the streetscape, it has looked for small ways to improve the corridor with embellishments like curbside cafes.
Ali, a 30-year-old University of Illinois at Chicago graduate, said he hoped Meatball Hero could be salvaged in some way moving forward. Facebook commenters offered up Lakeview Kitchen and Market as a viable way to start anew.
"Don't count us out," Ali wrote. "Until then, all the best."
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