Peasant

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A NoLIta Institution, Built by Hand

Peasant has been a fixture on Elizabeth Street since 1999, when Chef Frank DeCarlo opened it in NoLIta and literally built much of the space himself. His vision was straightforward: serve the kind of rustic Italian food he always wanted to eat, cooked over an open fire or in a wood-fired oven — one of the most ancient methods of cooking there is. His wife Dulcinea Benson ran the front of house, and together they made Peasant one of the most beloved neighborhood restaurants in New York City for over two decades.

When DeCarlo decided to pass the torch, he turned to Chef Marc Forgione — a neighbor who had been eating at Peasant for years and understood exactly what made it matter. "Every morning we light a fire and start cooking. What's better than that?" Forgione says. That spirit remains the restaurant's north star.

The Cooking

Chef Forgione's Italian cooking is grounded in live fire and smoke, with a strong commitment to sourcing from local farms and purveyors. Seasonal and wild vegetables, sustainably caught seafood, and carefully chosen animals shape the menu. All pastas are made in-house daily — rooted in Italian classics but with their own character. The current menu includes a bucatini carbonara with pecorino and guanciale, casarecce with rotisserie lamb ragù, and rosette with rabbit, morels, and thumbelina carrots.

From the wood-burning grill, dishes like whole branzino with salmoriglio, roasted skate with tomato, caper and olive, and suckling pig with fennel pollen reflect the kitchen's commitment to fire as a primary tool. For larger occasions, a whole pig dinner is available by preorder. The wine list — recognized with a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — focuses exclusively on Italian bottles, from sparkling to red, and pairs naturally with the food's regional soul.

The Room

The dining room is warm and unpretentious, shaped by the handmade quality DeCarlo brought to it at the start. It works equally well for a quiet dinner for two or a larger group gathering. Private events and banqueting are available for those who want the full Peasant experience on their own terms.