Trattoria Il Mulino

You don't have to book a flight to New York to get world-class Italian food when little sister to NYC's Il Mulino - Trattoria Il Mulino - is right here in Houston. The angular Westin Hotel facing Memorial City Mall is the unlikely home of the Trattoria, which specializes in Abruzzese cuisine in a very modern, strikingly formal space. Despite its seeming formality, the Trattoria is a welcoming spot where you can indulge in well-executed classics like gnocchi, pizza and truly excellent meatballs. Get there before 11 a.m. and you can grab breakfast, although it's pricey and decidedly non-Italian.