It's no surprise that this charming osteria is still prospering in the hands of talented Chef Marc Forgione, who took over from longtime legend, Frank DeCarlo. And except for the pasta, everything here is cooked in the fiery hearth that is the very centerpiece of Peasant. The décor is appealingly rustic, thanks to whitewashed walls, bare wood tables, and a bustling wine bar.

These dishes are upscale interpretations of traditional Southern Italian fare, as evidenced by "pizza" dough crowned with thin slices of rotisserie porchetta arrosto, redolent of garlic and rosemary. Rigatoni mezzi-arrabiata is a delicious mashup of basil, breadcrumbs, and a wonderfully herbaceous tomato sauce; while pumpkin-spiced panna cotta certifies nothing short of sweet dreams.