Coltivare

"When it comes to dining al fresco, Coltivare is a classic. This farm-to-table gem serves up piping hot pizzas and Italian dishes made with fresh produce harvested straight from its own garden. On pleasant days, the lush patio provides an ideal backdrop for sipping cocktails or wine while enjoying toasty focaccia bread, indulgent pasta dishes like cacio e pepe, and creamy gelatos and sorbets that change daily." - Brittany Britto Garley

"For a restaurant to steal the heart of a Taurus, it needs to be doused in romance and involve some nature. Coltivare is the closest thing to a candlelit picnic in a garden, which falls under the type of rom-com fantasy Taurueans enjoy. Split a pizza loaded with spicy, slow-roasted pork with your friends, make a plate of fried oyster mushrooms disappear in record time, or get extra sappy and Lady And The Tramp some cacio e pepe under a giant, shady fig tree." - gianni greene, chelsea thomas

"The Heights restaurant checks many standard Houston Italian restaurant boxes: minimal lighting, dark wooden walls, and people leaning over candlelight while sharing a bottle of wine. But the real selling point is the covered patio and the lush garden where you can soak up the sun and live what temporarily feels like a slow life. Split a pizza loaded with spicy, slow-roasted pork with your friends, make a plate of fried oyster mushrooms disappear in record time, or "Lady And The Tramp" some warming cacio e pepe under a giant, shady fig tree. photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen photo credit: Quit Nguyen Food Rundown photo credit: Quit Nguyen Chicken Wings The wings have a perfect amount of heat from the chile-infused sauce it's covered in. And with the acidity from the lemon drizzled on top, this balanced starter is so good that we don’t mind the inevitable sauce drip. photo credit: Mikah Danae Pizza The expertly assembled ingredient-laden pizzas rotate regularly at Coltivare. Opt for the spicy pork pizza with a sneaky heat from sliced peppers. photo credit: Mikah Danae Wood-Grilled Chicken This is one of the simplest dishes here. But the chicken is juicy with a crispy, charred skin that any BBQ lover would daydream about. The grilled meat also makes for a great smoky complement to one of their seasonal pastas. photo credit: Quit Nguyen Tagliatelle Verde Like many kinds of pasta here, the tagliatelle verde rotates out seasonally. But if it's on the menu, get it. The pasta absorbs the wild boar's rich flavor and has just the right amount of zest from the lemon coating the dish." - Gianni Greene

"A restaurant in the Heights, Houston, opened by chef Ryan Pera and his wife Lori Pera, a doctor. They met in New York and moved to Houston for Lori's medical program." - Brittany Britto Garley

"The gluten-free pizza crust at this beloved Heights restaurant is a true wonder — both chewy and lightly crisp (often difficult textural qualities to mimic in gluten-free pizza crusts). Top it simply with tomato, basil, and mozzarella, or get wild with accoutrements like ‘nduja, anchovies, olives, and pine nuts. Finish the meal with a scoop of Coltivare’s oft-changing gelato or sorbet flavors, or indulge in a perfectly blended affogato." - Brianna Griff