The Pies Have It at Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza

It would be a mistake to dismiss the name Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza as hyperbolic. One look at the visually stunning pies is the first sign that it’s fitting. The initial bite seals the deal. The dough is rested for at least 72 hours before being baked and topped with a variety of intriguing ingredients, such as burrata, honey, avocado, jalapeños, white truffle oil, coffee, and spicy salami Calabrese. The restaurant also offers salads, calzones, a burrata bar, and desserts, including a Nutella pizza and a Nutella and banana calzone. An added plus: vegetarian selections are labeled, and vegan cheese and gluten-free crust are available.

The Mister O1 concept comes from Italian-born chef Renato Viola, whose passion for cooking began during his childhood in southern Italy. He landed his first apprenticeship at age 11 and went on to win competitions and build a name for himself before immigrating to Miami Beach. He now operates pizzerias in Texas, Georgia, and Florida. “We pay close attention to quality and consistency, from the ingredients we choose to the way we prepare each pizza,” Viola says.

Over the past seven years, his location at Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt developed a faithful following. He opened a second Naples location, on Central Avenue, in January. The name comes from the O-1 visa the United States awarded him. This special visa is given to individuals with “extraordinary talent,” often in the arts—culinary, in this case.

Viola’s pizzerias serve round and star-shaped pies, something he unintentionally created while competing in the finals of the European Pizza World Championship. “I tried to combine a pizza with a calzone,” he says. “The ‘star’ wasn’t the plan, but it happened naturally. Each point is a little calzone pocket filled with ricotta.” That experiment became the Star Luca, featuring ricotta, mozzarella, Italian tomato sauce, spicy salami, and basil. With that creation, he won the competition and opened a lot of opportunities. 

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