In the Kitchen: Scotti’s Salumeria Channels Family Recipes in East Greenwich

When Scotti’s Salumeria opened at the top of Main Street in East Greenwich last August, it had pretty big shoes to fill. The cozy Italian eatery is doing that seamlessly – while also blazing its own path. By definition, a “salumeria,” which literally translates from Italian to mean “salted meat,” is an Italian delicatessen specializing in salumi, or cured meats – think salami, prosciutto, mortadella, and the like. But Scotti’s Salumeria brings a best-of-both-worlds approach, offering a well-curated deli selection for retail, as well as an impressive menu rooted in generational recipes from the Scotti family and the friend of family, chef, and menu consultant Armando Bisceglia, a Naples, Italy native best known in the Ocean State as founder of Bacco Vino & Contorni on Federal Hill.

The restaurant is owned by Marco Scotti in collaboration with Jeff Quinlan and Ed Brady of Dig In Dining & Entertainment, a Rhode Island-based hospitality group, with general manager Cici DiPaola at the helm and head chef Andrew Cobb executing dishes. Housed inside a former filling station complete with rolling glass garage doors, which lend both character and ample natural light to the space, Scotti’s Salumeria holds court at the corner of Main and Division streets. Though the area is peppered with diverse eateries, Scotti says the time was right for the team’s new concept. “I honestly think it was a necessity. There’s always competition on Main Street, but I think our vibe is a little different,” he says. “It’s very homey.”

Inside, tables are dressed in red and white checkered tablecloths while chianti bottles and bunches of garlic dangling from the ceiling, setting the tone of a traditional Little
Italy-style trattoria. Southern Italian antipasto dishes include a variety of seafood and vegetarian fare, as well as two choices of boards, or tavola, with cheeses, jams, nuts or cured meats, and olives. There’s also a stuffed puparuolo starter – a Neapolitan-style stuffed pepper with mixed vegetables, breadcrumbs, egg, smoked mozzarella, and red pepper pesto.

From soft and pillowy Roman-style focaccia to imported ingredients from Italy like burrata and piennolo tomatoes (a small, sweet variety, similar to a cherry tomato, typically grown in the Campania region), Scotti’s strives for a wholly authentic experience. And when it comes to mains, the salumeria shines with classic choices – like lasagne, bolognese, carbonara – but the team makes these personal.

For instance, La Parmigiana di Armando is chef Bisceglia’s family eggplant recipe, and the Amelia & Nick is named after Scotti’s maternal grandparents who, like chef Bisceglia, were from Naples. The lasagne recipe comes from Bisceglia’s grandmother, Nonna Carmela. The meatballs, Gina’s Polpette, are Scotti’s mother’s recipe, served in a small cast iron skillet with pesto, fresh ricotta, and house-made marinara. And cuts from Antonelli Poultry, a Federal Hill institution for more than a century, are highlighted in the Chicken Cacciatore.

There are also plenty of interesting dishes that may tempt diners from the usual, including the Beetroot Carpaccio – thinly sliced beets with red wine fig compote, whipped black pepper ricotta, arugula, olive oil, and walnuts. But just when you think you’ve honed in on a decision, the specials list, which changes regularly, can easily sway your mind.

Over at the deli, meats and cheeses are sold by the pound, and there’s a selection of imported goods from Italy. Outside, the firepits are especially cozy this time of year, and a new patio enclosure with heating will allow for more seating.

“When people come in, they feel like they’re at home. They enjoy it, and that’s kind of what our vibe is here. You want to make sure that people know they’re at our restaurant, not just a restaurant,” explains Scotti. “I want them to have a good time because it’s tough times. It’s almost a luxury to go out to eat now, and I want to make sure when they’re doing it, that they’re having the best experience possible.”

Scotti’s Salumeria

4654 Post Road, East Greenwich

471-7170 • ScottisSalumeria.com