This chain from Italy made a big, colorful splash when it landed in Houston a few years ago, and both Piola’s dining room and small, charming patio have been pleasantly packed ever since. That’s thanks to a generous happy hour (with free appetizers to match the well-priced drinks) and some of the city’s best pizza. Piola’s pizza is cooked to order in a wood-fired oven that chars the thin crusts to an ideal crisp. We recommend experimenting with Brazilian and Italian standards such as the Rio de Janeiro with chicken breast and cream catupiry cheese, or the Mantova, which tops a pie with Brie, arugula and beef carpaccio.