Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza has opened at The Market at University Town Center, bringing its Michelin-recognized pies to the University Parkway corridor near Lakewood Ranch.
The Miami-based chain occupies a 2,500-square-foot space at 5231 University Parkway, Unit 111, in the same plaza as Just Salad.
From an O-1 Visa to a Pizza Brand
Founder Renato Viola, a chef raised in southern Italy, started the brand in Miami Beach in 2014 after arriving in the United States on an O-1 visa, a designation reserved for people with extraordinary artistic ability. The name nods to that visa.
Dough Rests 72 Hours Before Baking
The restaurant's thin-crust dough rests for a minimum of 72 hours before baking, according to the company's website. Most ingredients are imported from Italy or locally sourced. The signature item is a 13-inch star-shaped pizza with a pouch of ricotta cheese tucked into each of the eight points, the Bradenton Herald reported, citing the Miami Herald.
Beyond pizza, the menu includes a burrata bar and fresh salads, according to the company's LinkedIn page.
Michelin Guide Listing and National Awards
The chain's flagship Miami Beach location earned a spot in Florida's Michelin Guide. Food & Wine magazine named Mister O1 the best pizza in Florida in 2021. PMQ Pizza Magazine called it the best independent pizzeria in the country in 2025, according to food blog Tasty Chomps.
Chain Expands Across Florida and Beyond
Mister O1 now operates more than 12 locations across Florida, Texas and Georgia, with international outposts in Spain and Saudi Arabia. The Bradenton Herald first reported in December 2025 that the chain planned a UTC location, citing local building records for the renovation. That report described the University Parkway spot as the chain's second Manatee County location, following a planned site at the Marketplace at Heritage Harbour plaza in Bradenton.
"We're honored to join the Inman Quarter community and bring our artisan approach to a neighborhood that values both quality and creativity ... " Viola said at the Sept. 2 opening of a separate Mister O1 location in Atlanta's Inman Park neighborhood, What Now Atlanta reported.
No Opening Date Announced Yet
No specific opening date or hours for the UTC location have been announced. The restaurant is open for business at 5231 University Parkway, Unit 111.
