Calliope

Convenient to the New York Theatre Workshop and La Mama, Calliope is a charmingly hospitable bistro where it's quiet enough to discuss a show. The setting is rustic French, the menu skewing Continental with a number of terrines, warm octopus salad with fingerling potatoes and white anchovy, and slow-cooked rabbit pappardelle with English peas and Thumbelina carrots. The dining room factors in a table that can seat 20—ideal for wine-soaked dinners focusing on interesting natural selections from small producers. A husband-and-wife team, Eric Korsh (formerly at Waverly Inn) and Ginevra Iverson (from Prune) contribute to the warm vibe.