Waterford — Filomena's restaurant in the Utopia Plaza has increased the size of its events capacity by renting space next door that formerly housed a Curves fitness studio.

The 1,000-square-foot space, newly renovated by restaurant owner and local building contractor Michael Buscetto, now provides a private banquet option for weddings, graduations, reunions, rehearsal dinners and the like.

The restaurant previously accommodated about 175 guests; it can now host about 250.

"We get to do a lot of bigger things now," Buscetto said during an interview at the Boston Post Road restaurant. "I'm very flexible, which has been fantastic. I can have four things going on at one time."

A sliding door can be opened for bigger events to combine the space with Filomena's previous banquet area, Buscetto said. He added that the new space, which his building crew renovated in only about two weeks, has been particularly in demand during the holidays, with six events occurring throughout the day on Friday of last week alone.

"I used to turn away a lot of business," Buscetto said. "The space couldn't keep up with the demand."

Buscetto, who now owns Filomena's outright after buying out his brother Bill's share of the business about a year ago, said the new space increased the now 5,000-square-foot restaurant by about 25 percent. It also led him to add five employees to his now 27-member staff.

The extra banquet space has added diversity to Filomena's offerings, which include dining for lunch and dinner, a booming bar business and catering.

"We cater a lot of family events — baby showers, sports banquets," Buscetto said.

Buscetto renovated his entire restaurant to match the color scheme in the new banquet space, which features a handsome gray color.

Buscetto said he likes to characterize the dining experience at Filomena's as "Italian with a twist." But it can range from a humble hamburger to a gourmet lobster ravioli dish.

Buscetto also prides himself on keeping a consistent staff as well as regular customers. In addition, he contributes to the community by holding various fundraising events, many of them for athletic teams in the area.

"There's a lot of hard work and effort," Buscetto said. "People notice that. People don't want an owner who is off and about somewhere. I'm extraordinarily accessible."

The 8-year-old restaurant has a diverse menu that includes gluten-free and kosher items. The open kitchen features fresh food that is consistent and won't break the bank, Buscetto said.

"There's something for everyone," he added.

l.howard@theday.com

Twitter: @KingstonLeeHow