Above: Marco Scotti, owner of Scotti’s Salumeria. Submitted photo

Imagine a large Italian family gathering, with plenty of delicious food, great wine, and lots of stories and laughter. That’s the vibe Marco Scotti is after in his new restaurant, Scotti’s Salumeria, in the space formerly occupied by Huck’s Filling Station on Post Road at Division Street. It’s a collaboration with Jeff Quinlan and Ed Brady.

“I want people to feel at home here,” he said, under the new awning that covers most of the outdoor seating now, helping to give them a more dependable number of tables when the weather turns rainy. The popular fire pits, though, are still there.  They have also expanded the seating inside. And the red-and-white checked tablecloths lend a home-style touch to the otherwise elegant setting.

“We all have old souls,” said Scotti. “This is old school meets new school.”

The menu, not surprisingly, leans hard Italian, with an emphasis on Roman cuisine, and lots of pizzas and foccacia as well as pastas and salads. The chef is Armando Bisceglia, formerly of Bacco Vino on Federal Hill. The general manager is Cici DiPaola. They will be opening up a retail deli later this month, where you can buy cured meats, sandwiches and the like. Right now, the restaurant is open every evening starting at 4 but they hope to extend their hours to lunchtime in coming weeks. They are closed Tuesdays.