Topo Gigio Ristorante has been part of Old Town since 1988, when founder Frank arrived from Calabria, Italy, and brought family recipes that still anchor the menu today. The restaurant describes its cooking as a modern Tuscan-style approach to Italian food.
The name comes from Topo Gigio, the mouse puppet Frank watched on The Ed Sullivan Show and in Italian cartoons growing up — topo translates to "mouse" in Italian.
The restaurant runs as two rooms depending on the season: a lively, cozy dining room in colder months and an outdoor garden that opens up in summer, often described by regulars as a hidden-away escape from the street. Staff longevity is part of the draw — servers like Rudy, on staff for 29 years, are part of why it's held onto a reputation as a neighborhood fixture and local gem for both regulars and visitors.
The name comes from Topo Gigio, the mouse puppet Frank watched on The Ed Sullivan Show and in Italian cartoons growing up — topo translates to "mouse" in Italian.
The restaurant runs as two rooms depending on the season: a lively, cozy dining room in colder months and an outdoor garden that opens up in summer, often described by regulars as a hidden-away escape from the street. Staff longevity is part of the draw — servers like Rudy, on staff for 29 years, are part of why it's held onto a reputation as a neighborhood fixture and local gem for both regulars and visitors.