Five Restaurant opened for business Thursday. Photo by Edward Smith.

Fresno’s long-awaited opening of Five Restaurant came quietly Thursday night.

Owner Pat LaRocca says now the “Italian fare with California flair” restaurant is open for business after a fire forced the north Fresno eatery to close for just over a year. The opening went unadvertised.

Now, guests can order the pasta and pizza dishes that first made the restaurant famous.

The fire closed Five September 2018. Smoke permeated the ceiling, ducting and roof, he said and “not much could be salvaged,” said LaRocca.

The fire did allow for a redesign of the kitchen as well as some changes in the dining room.

Interviews were held in August for positions at the restaurant after renovations had been made.

Most of the original staff returned however, LaRocca said. Payroll insurance helped cover salaries while the restaurant recovered.

Five Restaurant is located at 1110 E. Champlain Dr. It opens for dinner at 5 p.m.