In the heart of hipster Williamsburg is an Italian eatery glowing with the ageless ambiance of the Eternal City. Adjacent to the decorated dining pavilion curbside at 115 Berry St. is a portal to a spacious room of dark wood, white brick, modern fixtures, adorned shelves, high ceilings, amber touches, a fireplace fronted by a couch and chairs, and the convivial spirit generated by a passion that is uniquely Italian: trumpeted greetings; extravagant gestures; handshakes and hugs; kisses on both cheeks; bursts of laughter; strains of music; the fragrance of a busy kitchen.

The staff at Antica Pesa is almost entirely from Italy, as are many of the regular customers, and this provides the ethos behind the establishment opened a decade ago by the Panella brothers from Rome, whose family has been in the restaurant business there for a century.