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On the final day of 2018, restaurateur Shanon Scott shuttered Rice Village Italian restaurant Sud Italia with plans to transform it into a casual new pizza destination.
Sud Italia’s shutter comes three years after it first opened in Rice Village, and according to the Houston Chronicle, the restaurant struggled to sustain enough business to keep the doors open. The restaurant will be revamped into Roma, a decidedly more casual spot with pizzas and pastas inspired by the classic dishes of Rome.
During the restaurant’s brief closure, the Sud Italia space will get a modern interior revamp with gray paint and photos of Italy hanging on the walls. A tight menu of Roman-style pizzas, pastas, and Italian classics like osso buco and risotto will be on offer, and a cocktail menu is set to follow in the coming months once the restaurant secures a new liquor license.
Roma is set to debut on January 11.
