For nearly two decades, Frank DeCarlo has run Peasant, the Elizabeth Street Italian restaurant with a wood-fired oven and a very devoted following. While DeCarlo has expanded, he’s hardly an empire builder. In fact, a new restaurant opening in a couple weeks will be only his third.

That restaurant, Barba Bianca — “White Beard” — won’t even be in New York City. It’s in Greenport, on Long Island’s North Fork. Grub got on the phone with DeCarlo to talk about the new spot, living the good life out east, and what it took to run one of Manhattan’s most charming restaurants for the last 18 years.