Francesca's, a new restaurant, will open this Friday, March 28, at 3465 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy.

Francesca's is in the location of the former Augustino's Pizzeria, but will have more space, providing seating for 232 diners in five different dining areas.

Fran Smith, a longtime Greene Countian, is the owner-operator. She said the new restaurant will feature steaks, salmon, trout, ziti, other pasta and pizzas.

There will be a room for "fine dining" featuring a piano, and an adjacent conference room that can be reserved by groups.

Francesca's will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. seven days a week and from 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner daily, except that, on Sunday evenings, only the bar area will be open.

On Friday and Saturday nights, Francesca's bar area is expected to stay open until 1 a.m.

Mrs. Smith said Francesca's has a beer license and she has been assured that this week it will receive its liquor license.

Observing state law, smoking won't be allowed in what Mrs. Smith described as "a family restaurant."

She added that Francesca's also plans to do catering.

Mrs. Smith's daughter, Christy Shelton, a former co-owner of The Mill Wheel restaurant when it was in Afton, will be assisting her mother in managing Francesca's.

Mrs. Smith said she has had a lot of help from other family members in preparing Francesca's for its opening, including from Kyle Smith, Fran's husband and a contractor; from their sons, Brett and Dexter; from a son-in-law, Tony Shelton, and from her 80-year-old father, Kenneth Looney.

Francesca's telephone number is 638-5100.