Houston has its fair share of northern Italian restaurants, but this is the destination if you're craving the southern part of the boot—the pristine beaches, the stark blue waters of the Mediterranean, and especially the seafood that comes out of it. At Sud Italia, try the capesante e gamberi allo zafferano—scallops and tiger prawns in a brilliant saffron sauce over a bed of fregula, an Italian pasta resembling fat pearls of Israeli couscous. Consider it a healthy dose of southern Italian comfort—unless, of course, you’ve already booked a trip to Abruzzo.