Corks & Cleaver Italian Bistro is only days away from opening. The restaurant, at 111 Main St., will hold its soft opening at 5 p.m. Thursday, chef David Dickensauge said. After that, he and business partners Jim Parish and David Woodward will have the restaurant open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with Sunday’s hours a bit shorter.

He said specialties include housemade pasta — thanks to a pasta extruder that can make 260 shapes — artisan pizza, and cuisine identified with the Naples and Tuscany regions of Italy. Perhaps the most outstanding feature is the brick oven, the same type found at James Beard Award-winning Shaya in New Orleans.