We could not have enough Star Lucas.
At Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza in the Galleria Shoppes at Vanderbilt, the hallmarks are there for a classic pizzeria—an open kitchen in the back of the restaurant (with enough ovens to make a baker jealous), plenty of tables to feed hungry families and a menu that sticks to what it knows best. Beyond the 34 pies as thin as a few sheets of paper, it offers a few antipasti, calzones and salads buried at the bottom of the menu—plus, you guessed it, Nutella pizzas for dessert.
But there’s nothing basic about the experience. At all.
The name tells it like it is, and the place carries a unique backstory we explored when owner Laina Kennedy announced she was going to open it back in 2018.
For starters, even on the surface level, you feel like you’ve been whisked away to Rome. The airy dining room has a contemporary rustic-chic look, aided by gray-stained woods, bistro chairs and green hedges that divide the space.
The main event, the kind of ultra-thin crust pizza where the edges get blistered and crisped just so, is a work of edible art that citizens of the Eternal City would want to claim as their own. Aside from an exclusive on the import of a special kind of burrata that is served whole with prosciutto to start and also gets melted onto both the Marco and Claudio pies (creating a creamy patina that shines through the other topping like an ice skating rink on a bright day), there are all kinds of artisanal cheeses to devour as toppings. Take the fresh fior di latte mozzarella and the ricotta that gets stuffed into the folded points of the “Star” pies (our favorite was the Star Luca, where it was enveloped by zesty Calabrian salami, which also appeared on top with a chiffonade of basil).
Everything is so light, so fresh, you can practically eat a whole pizza without realizing it, nor feeling the effects the next day.
All in, the genius here is that the restaurant is so much more than your average pizza joint—and we don’t have to jump across the pond for an authentic taste of one of Italy’s most extraordinary gifts to the food universe.
To plan a visit: Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza 2355 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples (239) 631-6844 facebook.com/MisterO1Naples Open every day for lunch and dinner.
