Yeah, that's a real mystery. I get all the fresh lobster and oysters one can eat at the summer house in Maine, and for the rest of the year, the lady friend can cook pasta and I can grill steak better than any restaurant we've ever eaten at.
Homemade pizza is problematic, you really need the ovens, but in CT you can get the very best in the nation (not olive garden) if you're willing to drive ten or fifteen minutes in any direction.
I’ve always wondered what access to fresh seafood would be like. Here in DFW we’re not swimming in it. We do have excellent pizza of varying types. A little joint in Hurst (Ti Amo) makes their White Pizza and it has consistently wowed me for years. iFratelli makes their cracker-like crusted rectangular pizzas (”never trust a round pizza”). My sister dropped off a pepperoni pizza from Fireside Pies while I was at work and it was delicious COLD. It had that “authentic” puffy, slightly charred crust from Italy.
Missing Pepe’s since we moved down here to NC.
Theres some good food down here in the Raleigh area. But we’ve yet to find an outstanding pizza place.
Theres some locals that are good, but no Pepe’s.
Oysters and ‘cue can’t be beat. Seafood is hit or miss. People look at you like you have a giant wart on your nose if you ask for whole belly fried clams!