Norwich - The Yantic River Inn, an old mainstay, will reopen its doors this morning after extensive renovations and with new owners, managers and chefs that will bring experience from several local restaurants to the West Town Street setting.

The restaurant will open today at 6 a.m. with its regular daily hours. Breakfast will run until 11:30 a.m. followed by lunch starting at 11 a.m. and dinner until 10 p.m. The bar and lounge will be open until midnight, with live entertainment planned for weekends.

The restaurant was a buzz of activity Monday afternoon, with a full parking lot as the newly hired 45 employees set up tables with utensils and napkins, packets of jams and pitchers of syrup for this morning's breakfast.

Co-chef Ed Ladouceur pondered what tonight's dinner specials would be, while co-chef Tony Giallombarbo handled deliveries and other chores.

Restaurant manager John Popa declared he was "pumped" for today's opening after months of renovations undertaken by new owner Sita Ram.

The restaurant staff hosted three "dry runs" over the weekend, serving more than 500 meals to local business representatives who agreed to come and try it out. For weeks, people have been stopping at the restaurant asking if it was open yet, Ladouceur said. About 500 people applied for the 45 positions at the restaurant.

When he bought the restaurant in January, he proposed adding a menu insert with Indian fare. He and the chefs said Monday that they will stick with "classic American and Italian" food for the start, with possible Indian specialties sprinkled in at times.

The extensive five-page lunch and dinner menu features seafood, beef and pork dishes, salads, sandwiches, pastas, a children's menu and appetizers. Popa said he wants former Yantic River Inn patrons to find the restaurant familiar, with family meals at affordable prices in the completely renovated dining room.

If the Yantic River Inn is new to patrons outside Norwich, the staff might be familiar to some of the region's diners.

The two chefs had worked together last year at Hooked on the Wharf at the Marina at American Wharf in Norwich.

Ladouceur, of Franklin, also ran The Restaurant at Riverridge golf course in Griswold for six years. He also worked at Foxwoods Resort Casino for six years and at the Kingsbury House in Franklin.

Giallombarbo, who grew up in Norwich, also worked at the Stonecroft Country Inn in Ledyard, the Drawbridge Inn in Mystic, Jaspar White's Summer Shack and Mohegan Sun Casino and still works at the Mystic Cooking School, which offers private classes and cooking parties.

Restaurant General Manager Charlie Butremovic was the managing partner at Trio's Bar & Grill in Occum.

Popa too has extensive experience in the food industry. He started in the meat industry, moved to supermarkets and ran the meat, deli and seafood operations for IGA. He then ran the Nameaug Seafood Marketplace in New London and catered events at Mystic Seaport.

Popa found his position at Yantic River Inn when he came to get a haircut at Lin's Hair Salon across the street and saw the activity. He walked over and applied for a job.