Chef Ryan Pera in the curing room at Revival Market.: Photo: Thomas Shea

He ate 18 pizzas in a day in a half. But it was all for work, said Ryan Pera of a recent business trip to Dallas and Seattle to check out pizza ovens for the new neighborhood restaurant he and his Revival Market business partner Morgan Weber are planning in the Heights.

So yes, Coltivare will feature pizza from a wood-burning hearth oven. “I don’t want the fanciest pizza, but the most to-the-roots pizza,” Pera said. “That’s what Revival Market thrives on – taking the most basic foods and making them the best.”

Coltivare also will feature house-made pasta (which will be sold at Revival Market), will bake its own bread and pull its own mozzarella. Its dishes will be invested with the same relentless dedication to fresh and local which has made Pera’s and Weber’s market a favorite of local foodies.

This week the partners announced their plans to open a new Italian restaurant at White Oak and Arlington only three blocks from Revival. Coltivare, expected to open in spring 2013, is inspired by Pera’s Italian heritage (his grandfather is from Genoa). The restaurant grew out of the special event dinners held inside the store that attracted the attention of Houston foodies and the participation of local chef talents.

So when they found a space so close to Revival (a former antiques shop that the landlord said was the home of Houston’s first Shipley Do-Nuts), they took a chance.

“The idea is a neighborhood Italian restaurant that plays off seasonal American and seasonal Italian,” Pera said. “Totally comfort, rustic food that’s unpretentious and fun.”

Vincent Huynh, who has been with Revival for a year, will oversee opeations at Coltivare.: Photo: Melissa Phillip

Pera said he’s especially excited about the outdoor garden, about 3,000 square feet, that will provide the restaurant and the market with fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs.

In addition to pizza, Coltivare will feature salads, house-made pasta, salumi and cheese, and dishes such as slow-braised beef ragu and pork roast with clams and chorizo over heirloom polenta.

Revival’s chef de cuisine Vincent Huynh will oversee the day-to-day operations of Coltivare.

You can follow Coltivare progress on Twitter @coltivareHTX.