In Monroe: Jennie's Pizzeria celebrates 77 years

Friday, 17 August 2012 12:39

Jennie's Pizzeria in Monroe is celebrating its 77th year serving Italian food to the area. Founded in 1935, three generations of DeSimones have run Jennie's. Their story begins in 1918, when Neapolitan immigrants Alfonso DeSimone, Sr. and his wife Assunta operated their Savoy Bakery business in the rear of the three-family home they built on Madison Avenue in Bridgeport. It quickly became a neighborhood fixture.

In 1945, a friendship between Alfonso and Jerry Curcurello became a business relationship, when DeSimone and his two sons-in-law Peter Corbesato and Nick Pinto purchased from Curcurello his Grand Street restaurant, which was named for his wife Jennie. After serving in World War II, Alfonso's son Al Jr. joined them in running the pizzeria.

Over the years, grinders, pasta and dinner items were added to the menu.

Assunta lent a hand in the kitchen and shared her old-world recipes for sauce and meatballs, which are still used today.

In 1985, Jennie's relocated to Main Street in Bridgeport. In 1998, Jennie's moved to Monroe. Originally a takeout only establishment, Alfonse Jr., wife Kay and sons Al III and Richard expanded the facility to include a dining room.

Their crusty pizza with the secret tomato sauce, scamozza cheese and freshly made dough is on the menu, where you can add everything from caramelized onions to bacon and hot cherry peppers.

Appetizers on the menu include fried calamari for $8, wings for $7 or $10, clams casino for $8 and more.

They make their own dressing for their salads, which you can add shrimp or chicken too.

Entrees include chicken dishes for $16, veal marsala for $18, zuppe de pesce (clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, scallops and king crab served on a bed of linguine) for $25, rolled eggplant for $15 and more.

The kids' menu includes spaghetti and meatballs for $7 and chicken tenders with fries for $7.50. All kids' dishes are served with a sundae.

If the hot weather has gotten you down, there is Italian ice for dessert, a cannoli sundae or carrot cake.

Jennie's is located at 380 Monroe Tpke. Reach them at jenniespizzeria.com or call 203-452-2435.