Editor’s Note Januar 2019: The name is now Mister 01 and there are locations near Brickell Avenue and in Midtown Miami.
The word of mouth of some eateries spreads like wildfire and they get almost a cult following. Such was the case with the original PubBelly, then Drunken Dragon and now Visa-o1, 1680 Michigan Avenue (T.305-397-8189). I first heard of the pizzeria from a colleague at Miami New Times and recommendations from others swiftly followed. No time to waste to check it out.
You have to be highly motivated to find the place. It’s tucked inside an office building with no sign indicating the restaurant is inside. Fortunately there’s a young woman in the lobby who tells you you’re in the right place and then leads the way. The name Visa-o1 is described,
“Individuals with extraordinary ability. To qualify for an o-1 visa, the beneficiary must demonstrate extraordinary ability by sustained national or international acclaim.”
Chef/owner Renato Viola won the Bar Giornali prize in Monte Carlo for the best pizza. Though there’s calzoni and a mozzarella bar, pizzas in 8 inch or 13 inch versions are the main, not to be missed event. There are no fewer than 28 pizzas divided into categories including traditional, special and extraordinary. The latter are the ones to go for here and in that group, the standouts are the Star Luca and the Marco. Whichever you choose, the pizza crust is thin, yeasty and oh so tasty. The waitress explains how the dough takes 72 to 96 hours to rise . I could eat it on its own, without fillings. The other major point of differences in the pizza here and in other places is the use of burrata and straciatella cheeses and the “star” part of the pie. Unlike mozzarella, these cheeses are runny, made for even dipping a crust. The “star” part are the pockets around the points of the star that are filled with ricotta cheese, pepperoni, and mozzarella. The Star Luca was the competition winner and it’s obvious why. We had the Marco and the Star Luca. Both were exceptional.
There’s also a delish nutella pizza that’s the dough filled with the chocolate hazelnut spread and dusted with powdered sugar.
Unusual in a pizza restaurant but much welcome in my book, is a menu of seven different salads and a create your own salad in addition. Choose from among 13 different vegetables (from grilled eggplant and avocado to red onions and roasted peppers), 5 cheeses, 8 proteins (bresaola, tuna, chicken, baon and more) and 5 dressings. Choose a spring mix or romaine and then the add ons are priced separately. We shared a 13 inch pizza, the Azzurra salad and the Nutella pizza for dessert and we had just enough food.
There’s a solid selection of reasonably priced Italian wines in the $30’s a bottle. Small pizzas start at $4.99 and the larger ones are in the low to high teens. Visa-o1 also has a vegan pizza and serves breakfast. The restaurant has only 9 tables. They do take reservations which is highly recommended. As you can imagine, it’s super casual. Service is friendly, and kudos to whoever did the music playlist. Well worth a visit when you’re in the mood for pizza.
And soon there will be a second outpost, in Wynwood. Stay tuned.
Photography by William Oberheiser
