(212) 965-9511

194 Elizabeth St (nr. Spring St.)
New York, NY 10012 40.721769 -73.99453

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: NoLita, Downtown

PEASANTNYC.COM

Hours:

Tue-Sun 6pm-11pm

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 10.17.11

Category:

Restaurants, Neighborhood Bars, Bars & Clubs, Wine Bars

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Bar Menu

Restaurant Special Features:

Notable Chef, People Watching, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Group Dining

Cuisine:

Pizza, Italian

Bar & Club Special Features:

Romantic Nightlife

What People Are Saying About Peasant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

Locals and hopeless romantics alike flock here for fine Italian food and wine. The large brick oven might rest in back, but it's responsible for infusing the entire space with the aroma of fresh-baked, thin crust pizza and instilling a rustic vibe. Dark wood and a concrete floor add to the charming setting that's ideal for close conversation over a candle-lit dinner. Sit at a table, or on a bench up front and order classics like pizza margarita, fresh buffalo mozzarella and tender gnocchi. Chef-owner Frank De Carlo's cooking shines, from appetizer to dessert. The formerly all-Italian menu used…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
You can have the full menu at the handsome bar and lounge at the front of the restaurant.
The Extras:
Peasant runs a cozy wine bar in its basement.
What to Drink:
The wine list changes weekly, but it generally includes a wide selection of bottles ranging in price from $24 to $325.
ambiance
94.27000045776367% positive
  1. The decor is very romantic, and our waiter was helpful and perceptive.
  2. If you're like me and find that paying just a little extra for premium quality food, wonderful ambiance and excellent service is well worth it, than I'm sure your experience at Peasant will be at least as pleasurable as mine.
  3. Ambiance is romantic and charming with low lighting and a slight view of the kitchen in the back.
  4. Clean, comfortable and understated elegance meshes well with an unpretentious, warm & friendly atmosphere.
  5. Ambience is really romantic yet with enough edge to make it fun for a group.
  6. This place has a really amazing design and atmosphere I was surprised to see a place like this with such a poor service and average food that's everything but italian.
  7. You pass through the red curtains and enter a very cozy and charming space with communal tables and a small bar with plenty of space for eating.
  8. The ambiance and decor are nice, kind of made me think of the book "Under the Tuscan Sun
  9. Did i mention the warm, inviting atmosphere and deliciously aromatic open wood-burning oven?
  10. Great atmosphere, food and service.
  11. The bar is comfortable; the cosmo's are tart and delicious.
  12. The service was a 10plus the waitress was patient and attentive, and the food and ambiance was excellent.
  13. The atmosphere is warm and cozy yet sophisticated.
  14. Food was outstanding, ambiance warm - really lovely.
  15. The pretty atmosphere is not enough to counter the horrible service.
  16. The decor is okay, the service okay but the food is wonderful!
  17. otherwise the food is excellent and it's the perfect location for a date, to take a business client, meet for drinks and bites with friends, i love it here.
  18. The place was crowded to capacity late Wednesday night (so much for being a romantic destination); the decor was nice but thats where it ended.
  19. The wood beamed interior with low ceilings and warm candlelight creates a beautiful and transformative atmosphere.
  20. Peasant is good restaurant with a nice atmosphere, consistent food and service.
  21. Service was the best we ever had and we loved our waiter , he made the experience for us so much fun.
  22. From the moment we walked in the door the lovely hostess greeted us warmly seated us in the cozy and sleek lounge while we waited just a few minutes for our table.
  23. Its cozy, romantic and comfortable but I found the food too simple bordering on flavorless and more surprisingly too greasy!
  24. Its the real authentic Italian cuisine in a warm, rustic atmosphere.
  25. The ambiance is beautiful with the open kitchen and its rustic charm.
  26. Maybe some wouldn't find the room romantic (I did - dark lighting, warm brick walls, fire burning in the kitchen stove), but this place has great ambience simply because the tables are spread apart - no crowding at all.
  27. The restaurant is in a cool location and is beautiful to look at when you walk in.
  28. Don't pay attention to the negative reviews - this is a great restaurant, w/ a cozy atmosphere, and delicious food!
  29. Loved the place- great ambiance, warm, and great space- loved the woodburning oven in the back.
  30. great food, nice ambiance and very good service.
  31. Wow, talk about a fantastic ambiance able to mingle higly romantic sophistication with a seductive coziness.
  32. We had a really fun server and the room is nice enough for a big date.
dessert
80.0% positive
  1. Having said that, the food (sardines, grilled fish, gnocci, salad and dessert) were delicious.
  2. highly recommend the rare lamb served over creamy Parmesan polenta, the gnocchi in a creamy mushroom sauce and the Mango desert was exquisite.
  3. Bread pudding dessert was dry.
  4. heavenly decadent warm, white chocolate bread pudding.
  5. .... dessert was outstanding.
drinks
79.62999820709229% positive
  1. You pass through the red curtains and enter a very cozy and charming space with communal tables and a small bar with plenty of space for eating.
  2. had a few glasses of wine and margherita pizza, which were delicious.
  3. Good food, great wine, lousy crowds
  4. Better than we expected, my girl loved the pasta with truffles, I had a great squab, wine list had some good buys.
  5. outstanding place for a glass of wine
  6. The only drawback is that the winelist is only Italian and my Dad only drinks big Californian red!
  7. We wanted to try somewhere new so I called a girlfriend of mine to recommend a good italian place with a decent wine selection and she told us Peasant wine bar.
  8. The manager was called, and he too had a very rude, matter-of-fact attitude on our wait, and he did not offer us a "thanks for waiting" drink.
  9. Unfortunately after all the great food and yummy cocktails (the bartender named one after my sis) we went home early.
  10. Peasant has to be the best italian restaurant in nyc (no offense mario) Great food, good prices, interesting wine list.
  11. good food good wine that's it.
  12. Great vibe, great wine
  13. When they didn't have the bottle of wine in stock that we asked for they gave us a much more expensive bottle at the same price.
  14. Olives served at the bar are wonderful.
  15. All in all, we would definetely go back- very nice bar scene as well.
  16. The people sitting at the bar seemed to get decent, or at least timely, service.
  17. Cozy with real authentic Italian food and a great wine list.
  18. Great wines at a decent price, and the best cheese plate I have had in this city.
  19. The bar is comfortable; the cosmo's are tart and delicious.
  20. The plates were well presented very attractively rustic the wine recommended by the server was nice.
  21. We started out at the bar at had a fabulous time with Aaron the bartender and his delicious Pomegranate Martinis
  22. Our waiter, translated the menu from the printed Italian, seemed to know every dish personally and recommended a great wine from Sardegna.
  23. So the rude Asian hostess told us to have a drink at the bar where the female bartenderess even copped an attitude with us when I asked what type of wine they offered.
  24. From the delicious, rustic bread to the finishing chamomile tea, Peasant is impeccable.
  25. Went with 3 friends, started with a nice bottle of wine.
  26. octopus apetizer tasted like nothing but garlic and the bottarga spaghetti only tasted like butter (at least use olive oil) the wine were a little overpriced too.
  27. The wines are very good and the meat and cheese platter is just right for sharing.
  28. Doesn't have loud music, has a big bar.
  29. In a very rude "we're so above you" tone, we were told to keep waiting at the bar, 30 min after our reservation!
  30. otherwise the food is excellent and it's the perfect location for a date, to take a business client, meet for drinks and bites with friends, i love it here.
  31. go generally with one friend but on occasion have popped in with more, if a table is not possible, as they are booked solid every night, well, the food and service is just as over-the-top amazing at the bar or in the lounge as it is in the dining room.
  32. We drank some great Italian wine I had never heard of and had some amazing homemade breadsticks and olives.
  33. The service was beyond slow to begin with, and they squeezed too many people onto the bench tables in the wine bar to the point we could barely eat our food properly.
  34. Our gnocci was outtanding, and the wine list was great - numerous bottles in all price ranges.
  35. Great food wine and beautiful interior
  36. The wine list is much improved with some good options.
food quality
87.98999786376953% positive
  1. Appetizers inlcluding the octopus were tasty.
  2. especially love the lamb.
  3. Though the food was good, (Love the sardines and the papardelle!)
  4. The fresh mozzarella appetizer was another winner served with olives, green peppers, and roasted peppers.
  5. It's top-quality buffalo mozzerella wrapped in delicious procuitto and then somehow baked until it comes out sizzling and crispy on the outside, gooey and unbelievable.
  6. The Prosciutto salad was served with huge chunks of delicious parmesan.
  7. For entrees we had the rissotto YUM, the spagetti with clams, and the chicken, which is the best I ever had.
  8. Go expecting the best food and something refreshing.
  9. Terrible experience with manager - food not worth the trouble
  10. The service was beyond slow to begin with, and they squeezed too many people onto the bench tables in the wine bar to the point we could barely eat our food properly.
  11. best food best service best restaurant
  12. It's a shame because the pasta was very tasty.
  13. The only pleasurable part of the meal was the delicious, farm-fresh marscapone served with crusty Italian bread.
  14. The bar is comfortable; the cosmo's are tart and delicious.
  15. The food was really great though.
  16. The decor is okay, the service okay but the food is wonderful!
  17. The food was so phenomenal the entire table of 9 was exchanging bites, I had the riquissimo gnocchi, and steak that was equally scrumptious.
  18. Here's a few tips about what you should eat to have the world's best meal at Peasant: First, they start you off with delectable, crusty bread and the most incredible, delicious ricotta cheese like you've never had to spread all over it.
  19. Our first course was terrific; a simple beet salad with greens and gorgonzola.
  20. simply delicious,osso bucco to die for, and sardines cooked in a pizza oven,oh yeah,nice people to,
  21. The Bocconcini is delicious as is the suckling pig.
  22. Unfortunately after all the great food and yummy cocktails (the bartender named one after my sis) we went home early.
  23. The whole cooked sardine appetizer was very tasty.
  24. heavenly decadent warm, white chocolate bread pudding.
  25. Great food, Great Service, and most importantly great women.
  26. Our waiter, translated the menu from the printed Italian, seemed to know every dish personally and recommended a great wine from Sardegna.
  27. It was an incredible meal, and our server was a really upbeat person.
  28. ... the whole grilled fish is just that, a whole fish grilled to perfection, no smoke screens, no fusion cuisine, no "butter pecan infused garlic mousse sauce" just good fish.
  29. Wonderful smell, delicious food
  30. great food, nice ambiance and very good service.
  31. abusive, awful service, and mediocre food
  32. Being a vegetarian probably robbed me of a good meal but i didnt expect to be served bland pasta.
  33. Excellent food - ok service
  34. had the venison and the delicious mozerella to start off.
  35. We started out at the bar at had a fabulous time with Aaron the bartender and his delicious Pomegranate Martinis
  36. The food was delicious and although we were intimidated by the menu at first we actually enjoyed learning about Italian food.
  37. langoustine pasta was bland, and a whole fish was neither crispy nor hot.
  38. This is a great place for a casual meal.
  39. The service was a 10plus the waitress was patient and attentive, and the food and ambiance was excellent.
  40. Its the real authentic Italian cuisine in a warm, rustic atmosphere.
  41. Win list is great and the food amazing.
  42. The simple grilled fish served with herbed olive oil is surprisingly sublime, the gnocci the lightest and most delicious, osso bucco and steak are amazing for meat lovers, the pizza is perfection.
  43. We had heard that their pizza was fantastic, so attempted to order one as an appetizer.
  44. The food was incredible, the service was so attentive, and our waiter was very likeable.
  45. The skate was delicious.
  46. It's just good food, nothing more and that's all we want!
  47. All in all, still a cute space, but the service was horrific, punctuated by the bad food.
  48. Having said that, the food (sardines, grilled fish, gnocci, salad and dessert) were delicious.
  49. I'd highly recommend the risotto or lasagna, both which are prepared with prime seasonal meat.
  50. There are places where you will get good food and great service.
  51. The wines are very good and the meat and cheese platter is just right for sharing.
  52. But what's really important is the food, which was awesome.
  53. Cozy with real authentic Italian food and a great wine list.
  54. love that they bring you fresh ricotta with the bread to start, rather than just the typical olive oil.
  55. i'm generally very minimal and reserved and quiet with the staff but one guy here really had an attitude problem (i got there late, upstairs was closed, they said please go downstairs where we're serving meat dishes (not seafood, not pastas, not poultry),
  56. best food for the girls
  57. Peasant has to be the best italian restaurant in nyc (no offense mario) Great food, good prices, interesting wine list.
  58. Making a reservation for last night, we recalled the number of times we had delicious meals at Peasant, the people we recommended the restaraunt to who loved it, the personable service.
  59. We also love the Skate fish and grilled Polpi (like calamari only WAY better) in this unbelievable sauce that i also dip my bread in.
  60. The food was delicious and we can't wait to go back in the fall to really enjoy the burning fires!
  61. The food was overpriced and mediocre at best.
  62. Great food wine and beautiful interior
  63. Good food, great wine, lousy crowds
  64. The food was not bad.
  65. The sardines and octopus were excellent and the pizza with speck and arugula was one of the best I've ever had (I think all the pizzas would be amazing).
  66. highly recommend the rare lamb served over creamy Parmesan polenta, the gnocchi in a creamy mushroom sauce and the Mango desert was exquisite.
  67. Delicious food, nice menu, pleasant setting
  68. The pizza was nice and the olives are to die for.
  69. Service and food is not good.
  70. If you're like me and find that paying just a little extra for premium quality food, wonderful ambiance and excellent service is well worth it, than I'm sure your experience at Peasant will be at least as pleasurable as mine.
  71. must say peasant has been terrific to me in the last few years,except for those common stupid things everyone i know complains about,the menu in all italian, mean hostess,who screams at her staff in front of customers,,but food,amazing, now i went to th
  72. We were told, in a very condescending tone, that their RULE was that we could only order a pizza as an appetizer if we also order a second appetizer.
  73. sampled the venison, also great, and gnocchi in mushroom sauce which was excellent.
  74. It was definetly NOT the case at Peasant, everything was perfect and there is no way I could ever make any of the food at home.
  75. The fires burning in the kitchen warm us on cold winter nights and the food is as good as it was 3 years ago.
  76. After you get past the door( which is all business) the meal was fantastic.
  77. During a business trip to NYC I was brought to Peasant by a customer and I had a great meal and a great time.
  78. Peasant is good restaurant with a nice atmosphere, consistent food and service.
  79. We had the octopus to start which was baked in the wood fire oven it was so good and the pizza magarita which is the best we ever had.
  80. Amazing food (love the ricotta), very friendly service (waitress read the whole menu without us having to ask and was very attentive).
  81. The food is amazing and although it takes awhile to order ( the menu is in italian only) it is worth the wait.
  82. If you're looking for good food try it, but if you need a scene or a celebrity chef go elsewhere!
  83. best bread (with ricotta).
  84. Mediocre food - wait time of at least 1 hour before food arrives.
  85. This is authentic countryside delicacies from every corner of the peninsula.
  86. I've had a whole fish which was amazing, rabbit lasagne which was just okay, a couple of the pizzas, the tripe, and a few other things which were okay.
  87. Don't pay attention to the negative reviews - this is a great restaurant, w/ a cozy atmosphere, and delicious food!
  88. expected excellent food and Peasant FAR exceeded my expectations!
  89. We sucked it up and ordered the pizza and another appetizer, both of which I have to admit were quite good.
  90. The best was the Cornish game hen and ricotta cheese for the bread was out of this world!
  91. The food is ok but service is terrible.
  92. had the best seafood pasta I've had since staying on the Amalfi coast, the black squid ink pasta with cuttlefish.
  93. Don't go here if you're going to order a mundane pizza or boring spaghetti dish - then yes, you may think it's overpriced.
  94. Turned out to be an expensive meal in a loud setting.
  95. This place has a really amazing design and atmosphere I was surprised to see a place like this with such a poor service and average food that's everything but italian.
  96. The suckling pig is to die for and my husband had the pannacotta, delicious.
  97. Its cozy, romantic and comfortable but I found the food too simple bordering on flavorless and more surprisingly too greasy!
  98. my favorite items are the bread and ricotta (placed at the table when you sit down -- i like to throw a few grains of salt on it, give it some fresh pepper, and put a little bit of olive oil, mmm) -- it's really delicious -- and the 28 oz steak which is i
  99. We drank some great Italian wine I had never heard of and had some amazing homemade breadsticks and olives.
  100. We order 3 apps and a pizza, as well as the "Pork" pulled off the bone as our entrees.
  101. The food was not all that bad.
  102. The meal was a bit pricey.
  103. like most places with a huge name (magnolia bakery above all), the food is mediocre at best, as italian as the olive garden, and absolutely overpriced.
  104. Better than we expected, my girl loved the pasta with truffles, I had a great squab, wine list had some good buys.
  105. had a few glasses of wine and margherita pizza, which were delicious.
  106. The food was rich & robust.
  107. unfortunately we had already ordered our food, so we waited it out for the most mediocre, overpriced italian food in nyc.
  108. From the delicious, rustic bread to the finishing chamomile tea, Peasant is impeccable.
  109. Great atmosphere, food and service.
  110. one of NY's most authentic Italian restaurants
  111. go generally with one friend but on occasion have popped in with more, if a table is not possible, as they are booked solid every night, well, the food and service is just as over-the-top amazing at the bar or in the lounge as it is in the dining room.
  112. best steak, 28 oz.
  113. good food good wine that's it.
  114. had such a great meal here.
  115. Went to Peasant last nite and had great food.
  116. otherwise the food is excellent and it's the perfect location for a date, to take a business client, meet for drinks and bites with friends, i love it here.
  117. good food to, i think this room is the most original i have seen in a while so simple,
  118. The food was good, the prices were reasonable and our server was pleasant, helpful and friendly.
menu variety
85.29000282287598% positive
  1. We wanted to try somewhere new so I called a girlfriend of mine to recommend a good italian place with a decent wine selection and she told us Peasant wine bar.
  2. The food is amazing and although it takes awhile to order ( the menu is in italian only) it is worth the wait.
  3. The wine list is much improved with some good options.
  4. know alot of people hate the italian menu but I crave it.
  5. Our waiter, translated the menu from the printed Italian, seemed to know every dish personally and recommended a great wine from Sardegna.
  6. Delicious food, nice menu, pleasant setting
  7. Amazing food (love the ricotta), very friendly service (waitress read the whole menu without us having to ask and was very attentive).
  8. loved everything from the ricotta cheese they put on the table to the osso bucco with risotto, wish i understood their menu its all in italian, not good for a sweed.
  9. Aside from the waitress having to recite the entire menu because it was written in Italian the restaurant was good.
  10. Had a hard time ordering (confusing italian menu) and it was a bit pricey but overall very good experience!
  11. must say peasant has been terrific to me in the last few years,except for those common stupid things everyone i know complains about,the menu in all italian, mean hostess,who screams at her staff in front of customers,,but food,amazing, now i went to th
  12. The only problem is we wanted to order everything on the menu.
  13. Everything I've tried on the menu has been exquisite, and i have eaten there MANY times.
  14. Our waiter, I think his name was Kosta, was as bad as I've had in recent memory- snide, resented translating the Italian menu which is part of the kitsch novelty of this place, and totally inequitable in time allocation across his tables, meaning we saw h
  15. The food was delicious and although we were intimidated by the menu at first we actually enjoyed learning about Italian food.
  16. The staff is super nice and helpful-- they never mind translating the whole Italian menu for us!
  17. It is very clear that the Italian menu (no English translations) are a huge burden not only to non Italian speaking cutomers but to the wait staff who now has the added task of translating the entire menu.
overall
97.22000122070312% positive
  1. Peasant is the best Italian restaurant we have come across in NYC.
  2. We wanted to try somewhere new so I called a girlfriend of mine to recommend a good italian place with a decent wine selection and she told us Peasant wine bar.
  3. This is a great place for a casual meal.
  4. Peasant has to be the best italian restaurant in nyc (no offense mario) Great food, good prices, interesting wine list.
  5. Don't pay attention to the negative reviews - this is a great restaurant, w/ a cozy atmosphere, and delicious food!
  6. best italian restaurant
  7. My old favorite restaurant is Il Buco but I have to admit Peasant has bumped it to second place!
  8. This is a great place to bring large groups and parents from out of town.
  9. favorite restaurant
  10. Peasant is just a great place to bring friends,a date or your parents.
  11. That was one of these cold nights my friend and i were in a good mood to go out after work and wanted to go in a nice and warm place, so i thought why don't we go to Peasant?
  12. best food best service best restaurant
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. The food was delicious and we can't wait to go back in the fall to really enjoy the burning fires!
  2. All in all, we would definetely go back- very nice bar scene as well.
  3. Seriously loved it and will definitly return!
service
67.96999931335449% positive
  1. Peasant is good restaurant with a nice atmosphere, consistent food and service.
  2. Making a reservation for last night, we recalled the number of times we had delicious meals at Peasant, the people we recommended the restaraunt to who loved it, the personable service.
  3. we were in a celebratory mood, so we quickly ate a few bites of the very bland entrees and left as soon as possible so those horrible rude people would not ruin our night.
  4. Service was the best we ever had and we loved our waiter , he made the experience for us so much fun.
  5. The attention of the wait staff magnificent.
  6. This place has a really amazing design and atmosphere I was surprised to see a place like this with such a poor service and average food that's everything but italian.
  7. It is very clear that the Italian menu (no English translations) are a huge burden not only to non Italian speaking cutomers but to the wait staff who now has the added task of translating the entire menu.
  8. We started out at the bar at had a fabulous time with Aaron the bartender and his delicious Pomegranate Martinis
  9. Terrible experience with manager - food not worth the trouble
  10. The people sitting at the bar seemed to get decent, or at least timely, service.
  11. simply delicious,osso bucco to die for, and sardines cooked in a pizza oven,oh yeah,nice people to,
  12. The pretty atmosphere is not enough to counter the horrible service.
  13. Even the people in the restaurant seemed to have a great cheer about them.
  14. The food was good, the prices were reasonable and our server was pleasant, helpful and friendly.
  15. go generally with one friend but on occasion have popped in with more, if a table is not possible, as they are booked solid every night, well, the food and service is just as over-the-top amazing at the bar or in the lounge as it is in the dining room.
  16. The service is a tiny bit slow, or it was the one time I went, but I was so happy there it didn't really matter.
  17. The service was extremely poor from the time we asked for a table NOT crammed between two other couples (they said they had reservations, yet no one arrived before we had finished our meals) till the time we left.
  18. i'm generally very minimal and reserved and quiet with the staff but one guy here really had an attitude problem (i got there late, upstairs was closed, they said please go downstairs where we're serving meat dishes (not seafood, not pastas, not poultry),
  19. The service was beyond slow to begin with, and they squeezed too many people onto the bench tables in the wine bar to the point we could barely eat our food properly.
  20. Having been there several times, the people are still not friendly.
  21. The waiter was helpful and knowledgeable.
  22. Possibly the worst hostess+manager in NY !
  23. If you're like me and find that paying just a little extra for premium quality food, wonderful ambiance and excellent service is well worth it, than I'm sure your experience at Peasant will be at least as pleasurable as mine.
  24. the host with the ugly,cheap looking sweater and glasses was condescending and rude and the "general manager" with the australian accent was equally disappointing.
  25. Our waiter, I think his name was Kosta, was as bad as I've had in recent memory- snide, resented translating the Italian menu which is part of the kitsch novelty of this place, and totally inequitable in time allocation across his tables, meaning we saw h
  26. must say peasant has been terrific to me in the last few years,except for those common stupid things everyone i know complains about,the menu in all italian, mean hostess,who screams at her staff in front of customers,,but food,amazing, now i went to th
  27. know alot of people hate the italian menu but I crave it.
  28. It was an incredible meal, and our server was a really upbeat person.
  29. The decor is okay, the service okay but the food is wonderful!
  30. So the rude Asian hostess told us to have a drink at the bar where the female bartenderess even copped an attitude with us when I asked what type of wine they offered.
  31. best food best service best restaurant
  32. The waiter was obnoxious, conceited and not professional.
  33. Clean, comfortable and understated elegance meshes well with an unpretentious, warm & friendly atmosphere.
  34. The food is ok but service is terrible.
  35. Great atmosphere, food and service.
  36. The service was a 10plus the waitress was patient and attentive, and the food and ambiance was excellent.
  37. All in all, still a cute space, but the service was horrific, punctuated by the bad food.
  38. Amazing food (love the ricotta), very friendly service (waitress read the whole menu without us having to ask and was very attentive).
  39. There are places where you will get good food and great service.
  40. The staff is super nice and helpful-- they never mind translating the whole Italian menu for us!
  41. We went during the heat wave and although the restaurant was a little warm the staff did everything they could to cool us down.
  42. We had a really fun server and the room is nice enough for a big date.
  43. flaw, service was excellent throughout.
  44. great staff of knowledgeable folks, always someone to answer a question.
  45. Our waiter, translated the menu from the printed Italian, seemed to know every dish personally and recommended a great wine from Sardegna.
  46. In a very rude "we're so above you" tone, we were told to keep waiting at the bar, 30 min after our reservation!
  47. The other reviews on here mentioning the bad service are dead on (especially the one from 12/2006 - nothing has changed).
  48. Amazing polenta, warm service.
  49. now, downstairs is very nice and actually quite desirable but, the waiter also had the same attitude.
  50. Horrible hostess
  51. think there's sharp disagreement among reviewers because Peasant is a little bit of a Euro/hipster place right now and because the service is a tad snotty.
  52. abusive, awful service, and mediocre food
  53. The manager was called, and he too had a very rude, matter-of-fact attitude on our wait, and he did not offer us a "thanks for waiting" drink.
  54. From the moment we walked in the door the lovely hostess greeted us warmly seated us in the cozy and sleek lounge while we waited just a few minutes for our table.
  55. The plates were well presented very attractively rustic the wine recommended by the server was nice.
  56. This truly has become our new favourite restaurant the service was fantastic and friendliest in New York.
  57. Aside from the waitress having to recite the entire menu because it was written in Italian the restaurant was good.
  58. worst service ever experienced
  59. great food, nice ambiance and very good service.
  60. Excellent food - ok service
  61. Unfortunately after all the great food and yummy cocktails (the bartender named one after my sis) we went home early.
  62. have eaten in the best restaurants in Manhattan and have never seen such terribly trained and obnoxious support staff.
  63. The food was incredible, the service was so attentive, and our waiter was very likeable.
  64. The decor is very romantic, and our waiter was helpful and perceptive.
value
51.99999809265137% positive
  1. am a huge fan of tradition but when it begins to compromise the experience I say it's better to accomodate your clientele -please.
  2. Expensive but worth every penny.
  3. octopus apetizer tasted like nothing but garlic and the bottarga spaghetti only tasted like butter (at least use olive oil) the wine were a little overpriced too.
  4. unfortunately we had already ordered our food, so we waited it out for the most mediocre, overpriced italian food in nyc.
  5. It is very clear that the Italian menu (no English translations) are a huge burden not only to non Italian speaking cutomers but to the wait staff who now has the added task of translating the entire menu.
  6. Great wines at a decent price, and the best cheese plate I have had in this city.
  7. When they didn't have the bottle of wine in stock that we asked for they gave us a much more expensive bottle at the same price.
  8. Just about that time three huge barrels of some of the smelliest trash I've ever smelled were wheeled right through the dining room.
  9. The food is amazing and although it takes awhile to order ( the menu is in italian only) it is worth the wait.
  10. The food was overpriced and mediocre at best.
  11. The Prosciutto salad was served with huge chunks of delicious parmesan.
  12. the host with the ugly,cheap looking sweater and glasses was condescending and rude and the "general manager" with the australian accent was equally disappointing.
  13. Turned out to be an expensive meal in a loud setting.
  14. The food was good, the prices were reasonable and our server was pleasant, helpful and friendly.
  15. Course after overpriced course, I was wishing I had gone somewhere else.
  16. The meal was a bit pricey.
  17. Don't go here if you're going to order a mundane pizza or boring spaghetti dish - then yes, you may think it's overpriced.
  18. Our gnocci was outtanding, and the wine list was great - numerous bottles in all price ranges.
  19. no fine china, no expensive silver.
  20. was really disappointed and next time i want to eat white truffle i will go at Alain Ducasse, at least you pay more but you have decent garnish with and that worth it!
  21. If you're like me and find that paying just a little extra for premium quality food, wonderful ambiance and excellent service is well worth it, than I'm sure your experience at Peasant will be at least as pleasurable as mine.
  22. Peasant has to be the best italian restaurant in nyc (no offense mario) Great food, good prices, interesting wine list.
  23. like most places with a huge name (magnolia bakery above all), the food is mediocre at best, as italian as the olive garden, and absolutely overpriced.
  24. Had a hard time ordering (confusing italian menu) and it was a bit pricey but overall very good experience!
  25. Terrible experience with manager - food not worth the trouble
wait time
62.5% positive
  1. The service is a tiny bit slow, or it was the one time I went, but I was so happy there it didn't really matter.
  2. From the moment we walked in the door the lovely hostess greeted us warmly seated us in the cozy and sleek lounge while we waited just a few minutes for our table.
  3. The service was beyond slow to begin with, and they squeezed too many people onto the bench tables in the wine bar to the point we could barely eat our food properly.
  4. My husband and I moved to Nolita 6 years ago and for as long as we have lived here, Peasant has been our favorite!
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/06/12

Good pizza

by txkjporze

I have had the privilege of discovering this little jewel of a pizzeria. The price tags are great for delivery or have-out. The pizza top quality is pretty good given the small price range busting prices. I would highly recommend this pizzeria as a superior pizza with a super worth.

4 Star Rating: Recommended

08/10/11

Peasant is a perfect date joint

by RoxyNYCC

I remember vividly my time at peasant....or was it my second time? Either way, everytime I go it is always extremely intimate...its like a wine cave, small but never gets too mobbed, cool clientele, decent food, and amazing italian wine by the quartino. Oh yeah and you can sip your nebbiolo whilst listening to the cure. The bar staff seems to have an affinity for 70's/80's tunes from the UK. Yes!

2 Star Rating: Below Average

07/20/11

Mixed feelings: Great atmosphere, very average food.

by forpachio

Go eat somewhere else and get there for wine and cheese.

I do like décor and crowd at this place but food is very-very average.

Service – sometime it’s good sometime it’s take ages before you see your waiter again.

I rarely write reviews and this place wouldn’t get one from me but I happened to order steak there…

It was terrible experience…

what I got was burned piece of meat, I’d send it back to kitchen but got manager instead with the funniest excuse that I ever heard : “ That’s the open-fire…” Wow…, for a moment I thought it was a joke, when I understand that he wasn’t kidding I tried to explain him that if they don’t know how to prepare food on an open fire they shouldn’t use it at all.

She won’t take it back…, as a joke (I was in a good mood and burned piece of meat wouldn’t spoil it) I offer to pay half of the price (for inner part that survived open-fire) and … she accept my offer )))

Again, that was one time experience. I been there 3 times and overall food was average (3 out of 5), but if you are on a budget – that’s not the place to have a dinner.

1 Star Rating: Poor

02/18/10

HAVE TO AGREE...IT STINKS...

by jjc342

i guess 10 years is more than enough... i have taken customers to new york city restaurants for more than 20 years and have never been treated this poorly. the host with the ugly,cheap looking sweater and glasses was condescending and rude and the "general manager" with the australian accent was equally disappointing. my wife called to ask if our reservation would be held, as we were having a drink 2 doors down, and they said sure,come by 7. as we arrived at 655 we were told that our table had been given away and they would try to accommodate us downstairs. the attitude of rudeness was beyond compare. now, downstairs is very nice and actually quite desirable but, the waiter also had the same attitude. he couldn't really remember the specials and described nothing with his broken english...as for the food- my wife thought the tuna was from a can, as did i. for tuna salad, it certainly wasn't "sushi grade" as it was dry and brown. might as well have said "starkist" on the side...the lamb was raw and somewhat tasteless, the steak was overcooked and bland,etc,etc,etc...except for tourists and wannabe new yorkers that have missed the boat, this ship has sailed....too many better restaurants in nyc, and even within 2 blocks, to waste your time with this one....peasant is not pleasant...

  • Pros: GOOD WINE
  • Cons: FOOD,SERVICE,ATTITUDE
1 Star Rating: Poor

04/12/09

Unforunately, this place stinks now

by chenger_1

My wife and I have been going to Peasant Wine Bar for the last several years as one of our favorite "date" places. Sadly, however, the last two experiences have been horrific and subsequently we will never go there again. Both times have been a direct result of the host.

The first episode we walked out after my wife waited 1/2 hour for a table and then he told her she had to wait another 1/2 hour because he didn't know she was waiting. This was in spite of the fact that she gave him her name and table request when she first got there not to mention she had been standing there in plain view for a 1/2 hour.

Last night we arrived at ~ 7pm for an early dinner. The restaurant was empty and the host still managed to turn 2 couples away when he refused to sit them where they asked to be seated (considering the restaurant was empty, they didn't want to have to sit right next to us- I can appreciate that). We placed our order which started off with the meat and cheese plate. Firstly, it would have been nice if he told us what the cheeses were. Then when we were about 6 or 7 minutes into our appetizer the waiter brought our main course. We politely asked for him to take it back as we clearly were not done with our appetizer yet. Eventually when he did finally bring it back, it was cold and horribly over-salted. The host was oblivious to all of this as he was too busy trying to rush us out.

All in all, still a cute space, but the service was horrific, punctuated by the bad food. Sorry to say but this place is past it's prime.

  • Pros: Cute space
  • Cons: Horrible host/service

The Details on Peasant

Place Categories:

  • great italian food
  • great good italian place
  • great service
  • warm inviting atmosphere
  • favorite first date restaurant
  • great wine
  • mediocre average food
  • worst service
  • love peasant
  • order mundane pizza
  • great meal
  • really good overall dining experience
  • nice ambiance
  • helpful waiter
  • horrible dining experience
  • best italian restaurant
  • loved everything
  • amazing whole fish
  • great space
  • amazing hostess
  • really fun server
  • amazing italian
  • nice decor
  • amazing english
  • amazing steak

As Seen In…

Advertisement

Featured In

Recent Reviews In Manhattan

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Libation

137 Ludlow St., New York, NY

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Blackstones Pub & Restaurant

245 E 55th St, New York, NY

1 Star Rating: Poor

Garage Restaurant and Cafe

99 7th Avenue South, New York, NY

2 Star Rating: Below Average

William Greenberg Jr Desserts

1100 Madison Ave, New York, NY

Advertisement