The team behind Worcester’s Lock 50 is opening a new restaurant in the Canal District. The new eatery — called Russo — will feature homemade Italian-American fare with classics like chicken marsala, pasta bolognese and gnocchi. It will be located in the space formerly occupied by the Canal Restaurant at 65 Water St.

“If you walk into the space, it just screams Italian,” owner Ed Russo said. “It just wants to be an Italian restaurant. We’ve hit our stride here and we’re ready for a second.” While Lock 50 features more upscale dining at a higher price point, Russo said the new restaurant will be more family-oriented. He hopes to open the space in late April, but noted that timeline is extremely aggressive.