Mario Testa opened Testo’s at 920 Madison Ave. in Bridgeport in 1976, and despite a change in ownership, a brief retirement and two different locations along the way, Testo’s continues to be a family operation 48 years later.
The current owner, Testa’s nephew, Ralph Giacobbe, who first started working in the kitchen of his uncle’s popular restaurant in 1987, ended a brief retirement and opened a new Testo’s at 505 Main St. in Monroe with his wife, Lilly, daughter, Victoria, and son, Giovanni.
Ralph’s mother, Josephine, 84, who prepared food for Testo’s with her brother, Mario, since its founding in 1976, still makes pasta, sauce and meatballs and fries eggplant for her son’s restaurant in Monroe.
Lilly is the host, Victoria, works at the restaurant booking banquets and other events seven days a week, while pursuing her second Master’s degree in psychology. Giovanni, is going to culinary school in New York City and works at Testo’s on weekends.
“His passion is cooking,” Lilly said of her son. “He loves cooking and working with us.”
Ralph Giacobbe, who is Testo’s head chef, bought the restaurant from his uncle in 2001, before moving it to 1775 Madison Ave. three years later. He and his wife decided to retire and sold the building in 2023.
“He got bored and here we are,” Lilly said of her husband.
Testo’s has been busy, so the Monroe Chamber of Commerce was finally able to formally welcome its owners to town with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.
The event was attended by First Selectman Terry Rooney, Chamber President Ray Giovanni, Economic and Community Development Director William Holsworth and several Monroe Chamber and Monroe Economic Development Commission (EDC) members.
“Great job,” said Giovanni, who is also chairman of the EDC. “So far you guys are knocking the cover off the ball. Everybody’s screaming about how wonderful everything is. It’s just amazing.”
“On behalf of the town of Monroe, we’d like to welcome the Giacobbe family and Testo’s,” Rooney said. “I’ve known you all for a very long time and when Ralphie called me and said, ‘hey Terry, I’m bringing Testo’s to Monroe.’ I said, ‘I don’t think that’s gonna to happen,’ and look, here we are.”
“The banquet hall, you’ve done so many parties for so many different organizations in town and what a fantastic job you’ve done,” he said. “So we’re very happy to have you. We welcome you. We know you’re gonna to be successful, because you won’t have it any other way.”
Rooney told the Giacobbes town officials will always be there for them if they need assistance. He thanked Holsworth and Giovanni for attending the ribbon cutting, as well as Chamber members Ron Bellenot Sr., Lee Hossler, Audra Santos and Previn Patel.
“We’ve been very busy,” Lilly said. “The people of Monroe and our customers throughout Fairfield County still support us. Everybody is thrilled that we’re back and happy.”
“It’s overwhelming, the support we’re receiving,” she said. “It was definitely a good decision to come back and open in the town of Monroe. People are supportive and happy that we’re here. We love it up here. People love us and we’re going to be here for many years to come.”
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