Mister 01 Thrives in Sandy Springs
Jews are the among first to trend and sometimes wait to get a seat at an upscalish new restaurant with ingredients sourced from Italy. Look for unique star shapes, but not the “David” kind.
You may need to wait a bit to land a table at one of Sandy Spring’s hottest new pizza spots just across from Flower Child in the City Springs complex. Mister O1, the Miami-born artisanal pizza concept, opened this location in Spring of 2025.
Recently named the No. 1 Most Popular Independent Pizzeria in America by PMQ Pizza Magazine’s 2025 Pizza Power Report, Mister O1 has a story to tell and distances itself from the “pizza joint” herd. Most of the ingredients are sourced directly from Italy or trusted local vendors, ensuring a fresh and authentic experience.
The concept was founded by Master Pizza Chef Renato Viola, who developed a passion for cooking as a child in Southern Italy. By age 11, Viola was apprenticing under some of Italy’s finest chefs. In 2014, he moved to Miami under an O1 Visa (a visa category reserved for individuals with “extraordinary artistic ability” and opened the first Mister O1 location. Today, the brand has expanded to more than 20 locations, earning praise including being named “Best Pizza in Florida” by Food & Wine in 2021.
“Mister O1 is all about delivering an extraordinary dining experience, and we’re excited to bring that to Sandy Springs,” said Viola. “This new location will introduce our signature pizzas and passion for quality to even more guests.”
Mister O1’s menu pizzas are known for their thin crust and light dough, which is prepared before resting for a minimum of 72 hours. The menu includes both classic and signature pizzas shaped like stars. Maybe it’s gimmicky, but it is a conversation piece; and above all, the staff is very accommodating. We substituted ingredients (took off meats, added veggies), one wanted gluten-free, another wanted all white, another insisted on extra crispy crust.
Our favorite pizza was the Star Michele ($19.99) with ricotta cheese, mozzarella, Italian tomato sauce, spinach, zucchini and fresh roasted pepper puree, the latter of which was smooth and rich. More than one commented that the star points were akin to hamantaschen. The gluten-free crust was thinner and traditionally round (the round styles start at and got high marks for the GF).
An enticing one to try would be Ginger Lilliam: Italian tomato sauce, fresh burrata, stracciatella cheese, black pepper, organic ginger. Who has ever had ginger on a pizza? Then, there’s Coffee Paolo: Italian tomato sauce, mozzarella, gorgonzola blue cheese, natural honey, coffee, and spicy salami calabrese (optional).
The menu also includes calzones, salads, antipasti, and dessert pizzas, paired with a curated selection of Italian wines and beer. Pizza yes, but the HUGE salads are also part of the experience -sharable for a table of four. We had the romaine Ceasar ($10.99) with focaccia croutons and tangy dressing. Could have used some anchovies! Also, the Greek salad, Greta ($12.99), had the requisite feta, kalamata olives, both enough for leftovers. There is a Create Your Own Salad option. Even more fun is the Mister O1 olive and truffle oils, and balsamic vinegar in bottles starting at $15.99 (as a to go gift, no charge for having tableside with meal). There’s one outrageous bottle: Spicy Italian EEOV $15.99. Yowzer, it’s HOT!
For dessert, we had the Nutella and banana calzone ($13.99) with large segments to share.
The Sandy Springs location has a modern, trendy, 3,100-square-foot space, seating 30 indoors and an additional 30 on the patio. The white umbrellas add a European touch. The overall design is casual, yet sophisticated. The wine and “sparkling” and beer menu is well matched. Glasses are $14.95 with ales at $8.95. A bottle of Chianti Grati is $47.95. Only the Prosecco Clara C is $2 more.
Couldn’t help but notice a private room labeled “Pizza School,” which is currently scheduled once a year – November (sold out) and November 2026 (dated TBD). The class is offered at majority of the Mister O1 locations. All Mister O1’s have the same menu with one or two special variations based on regional preferences.
For more info, please visit www.mistero1.com. They don’t host events or take reservations – everything is first come, first served.