Just Open: Mister Paganini pizza, South Bank, Brisbane

The co-owner of Mister Paganini in South Bank has thrown down the gauntlet to Brisbane's pizza restaurants. "We've been doing a lot of research and I'm pretty sure that we are equal to, if not better than, the best pizza in Brisbane," Luke Stringer says.

It's a lofty claim, but Stringer and business partner David Price have a secret weapon: primo pizzaiolo Youssef Ben Touati.

The dextrous, Mario-moustached pizza maestro is something of a YouTube star, known for his flamboyant gymnastics with a ball of dough. He has competed in pizza-making competitions in Australia and Italy and was most recently in charge of the pizza oven at Tartufo in Fortitude Valley.

"We've been so lucky to get Youssef," Stringer says. "He really knows his pizza and has created a pizza that has a density and chewiness of crust that is just perfect."

The Stefano Ferrara​ wood-fired oven turns out 10 pizza varieties: five pizza "in bianco" (without tomato sauce) and five "rosso" (with tomato sauce), with traditional toppings such as "salsicce" (sausage, truffles and onions) and margherita.

The 160-seat pizzeria opened on Monday in the former Poppy's Basket Bakery/Deli space, and includes a courtyard area planted with vines and climbing flowers.

Chef Steve Wildermoth​ (ex Ortiga and Sorellina) heads up the non wood-fired part of the kitchen, with a menu including house-made pasta such as gnocchi with rocket and walnut pesto; sand crab spaghetti; rigatoni with eggplant, tomato, saffron and pecorino; and a brisket bolognese. There are also smaller plates and meatier dishes for two.

The drinks list is peppered with Italian drops – from Sicilian beers (Peroni comes on tap) to wine from Piedmonte, Veneto and Calabria, as well as classic Negroni and Americano cocktails.

Open daily 11am-late; open for breakfast from 8am from next week.

174 Grey Street, South Bank, 07 3844 855 (group bookings only), misterpaganini.com.au