Prima Italia restaurant set to open in downtown Fort Smith

Downtown Fort Smith will soon have a new dining option with the planned Nov. 14 opening of Prima Italia at 720 Garrison Ave. – inside the building that was once the Fort Smith Town Club. The restaurant will be in the space that previously housed The Rialto restaurant.

The Rialto closed with the early 2023 departure of Chef James Thomas.

Zac Scarborough, general manager of Prima Italia, and Storm Nolan with Fort Smith-based CSK Hotels, announced Monday (Nov. 6) the opening of the new restaurant at 5 p.m., Nov. 14.

Prima Italia will have seating for 96, plus 56 on a the pet-friendly patio. The restaurant, which has undergone an estimated $200,000 in renovations, features a private Chef’s Table with seating for up to 12, and a card room. The restaurant will employ 18.

“Owned by a trio of talented chefs, the menu was developed to offer patrons authentic, contemporary Italian cuisine,” noted a statement from the press release. “The highest quality raw ingredients, such as eggs from Happy Egg based in Rogers, AR, who also supply Michelin starred restaurants in New York and Los Angeles, will be used to create fresh pasta daily. The pasta will be made using equipment by Imperia & Monfeṙṙina imported directly from Asti, Italy. Breads will be sourced locally from Harvest Moon Bakery.”

After the grand opening, restaurant hours will be Tuesday-Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m., and a Sunday brunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We are excited for Fort Smith to experience our cuisine in this beautiful space,” said Chef Olena Horn, one of the restaurant’s three chefs.

The Fort Smith Town Club ceased operations Jan. 31, 2010, just a few years after moving into the new building. The club at the time had 10 full-time and 6 part-time employees. Smith Auto Group acquired the building and opened it as its headquarters operation in August 2014. Smith Auto Group sold in mid-2016 to Texarkana-based Orr Auto Group. The building is now owned by CSK Hotels.