Antonio’s opened on Main Street on Nov. 23. In the past three months, business has picked up at the new Italian restaurant. We recently sat down with owner Chris Setaro to find out more about his family business, and how he’s surviving the tough economy.
Valley Indy: There used to be Antonio’s in Oxford. What made you decide to open up in Ansonia?
Chris Setaro: Our landlord, Jerry Nocerino, is our partner. He believes in this location. And we put it together. It took about two years to put it together. And now we’re here.
Valley Indy: Did he approach you guys, or did you approach him?
Setaro: It was a mutual thing. We met through one of our other locations. He was a customer. We approached him about investing in another restaurant in Branford. He said I have a couple properties in the Valley area. So he brought us here. And it took a while for him to convince us. He finally did and it turned out to be a success.
Valley Indy: How is business?
Setaro: Business has been great. We do a lot of e‑mail marketing. I guess because we’ve been in the business for so long, people associate Antonio’s with good food at a reasonable price.
Valley Indy: Tell us about the other locations, and your parents’ restaurants.
Setaro: My parents started in Oxford in 1970. Then my parents went to Waterbury and Southbury. And then they retired after 30 years. Me and my brother went to other ventures, but then we came together in 2006 to open up in Woodbridge. In 2009 we opened Beacon Falls. And in 2010 we opened in Ansonia. My mother still runs the Beacon Falls place.
Valley Indy: Is the Ansonia restaurant pulling business away from your other two locations?
Setaro: It seems to help. If people want a big bar, we have a big bar here (in Ansonia). In Woodbridge, it’s a small environment, but people enjoy going there. That restaurant pulls a lot from Woodbridge, Bethany, Hamden and Orange. And here, we get a lot of people from Ansonia. We make them feel like a million dollars when they come in here.
Valley Indy: Downtown has been recently hard for business. Just the other day, Pilgram Bar-B-Que announced it was going out of business. And you say you’re doing well. Why is that?
Setaro: I think it’s because dollar for dollar, we’re really good. And we treat every customer, whether they spend $5 or $50, equally. That’s our customer base.
Valley Indy: Do you get a lot of regulars?
Setaro: Now we’re starting to see it. Now is our fourth month. But still, 40 percent of our business is new business. We like to cater to families.
Valley Indy: What’s your most popular dish?
Setaro: I’d probably say the chicken marsala. And the short ribs. Beef short ribs with polenta and homemade barbeque sauce.
Valley Indy: Do you have any house specialties?
Setaro: Our specialty is that we do a tuna mango tar tar, which a lot of Italian restaurants don’t do.
Valley Indy: This used to be a hair salon.
Setaro: And years ago it was a bank. And an appliance store.
Valley Indy: What was the process of trying to turn it into what it is today?
Setaro: It was a full gut-out. A full reconstruction. Nocerino Construction did it in three months. That’s really fast. Usually a build out is six months to a year for a restaurant. We did it in three. From the ground up.
Valley Indy: You own the restaurant with your brother, Antonio, too. How is it working with family?
Setaro: It’s great. You know it’s someone you can always trust.
Antonio’s is open Tuesday and Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 9 p.m. The bar is open until midnight on weekends.
For more information, visit Antonio’s website or call the restaurant at (203) 732‑8882.
