Scarpino was born from a partnership six years in the making, but its reason for being is simple supply and demand: Chef Scott Walton needed a kitchen and Adam DeSimone had one to fill. “Good chefs are hard to find. Scott called me up in July and said, ‘I have a great idea for something. Do you have any kitchens available?’ I said, ‘I have, like seven of them,’” he laughed, referring to his stable of AMPD group bars and restaurants.

The new Italian restaurant plans a soft opening Thursday at the intersection of Penn Avenue and 10th Street Downtown, across the street from the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in the former Ten Penny space. It will be open Friday through Sunday to start.