Chris Bates grew up going to Friendly's on Rte. 20 to celebrate after soccer games and other family occasions. "Driving by for the first time and seeing it wasn't Friendly's was sad," he said. The Friendly's closed in July 2015 after being in town for 50 years.

Now, he's a waiter in the building, but with a completely different vibe. The owners behind Boston's South End Da Vinci Ristorante and Sudbury's Soul of India opened Da Vinci Bistro a few weeks ago. "We wanted it to be casual and welcoming without compromising the food quality and service," said Dariusz Zywina, one of the owners.