Our Portland Arts District location has re-opened!

DSC_3689We are pleased to announce that, after three weeks of closure due to water damage, our original shop at 576 Congress Street will re-open at 5pm on Friday, September 8!

Stop in for a quick slice to-go, join us in our full-service dining room (and bar), or lounge in our next-door sister bar, ENZO. (And enjoy outdoor dining while you still can!)

We appreciate the outpouring of support we received from the community (and beyond!) while we were recovering from the damage. We are so fortunate to be part of such a vibrant, diverse, and caring community — it reminds us why we do what we do.

We are so thrilled to be back, and we’d love to see you.  Come on down!

Celebrating New England Craft Beer

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While our main gig at OTTO is crafting an array of delicious pizzas, we also like to celebrate the range of local craft beers we have on tap from breweries across New England. From an Austin Street Patina to a Lamplighter Lucid Nonsense, we’re always seeking out the best local beers to pair up with our pies and slices.

Overwhelmingly we’re serving beers from breweries in the two states we call home – Maine and Massachusetts. Our New England offerings come from as far north as Atlantic Brewing in Bar Harbor and as far south as Stratford, CT, the home of Two Roads Brewing Company. Our Massachusetts beers come from as far west as Big Elm Brewing in the Berkshires to as far east as Cisco Brewers on Nantucket.
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AND, just last year our hometown of Portland was recently named America’s Craft Beer Capital! While the city’s population is smaller than all of the other cities on the list with only about 66,000 people, there’s an average of 25.5 microbreweries per 100,000 inhabitants! Yep, Portlanders like their beer. Each year, droves of beer lovers trek to Maine just to check out the 60+ breweries across the state.

Here at OTTO we also have a bi-annual collaboration going with Rising Tide, our not too far away neighbors in the East Bayside neighborhood of Portland. Each year, we brew two beers with Rising Tide –  Oscar Tango Tango Oscar, our spring collab (coming right up!) and Autohelm, which is released in the late fall. The two beers are available exclusively at OTTO locations and in the Rising Tide tasting room. Our employees enjoy working together with the Rising Tide crew each year to brew these fan favorites.

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Back in the fall, we opened our newest location in Portland (250 Read Street) with our most taps yet – TWELVE. The majority of these taps serve up local Maine beers, but we always offer a few options for those wanting to grab some brews from a bit farther afield like Jack’s Abby and Lord Hobo.

Since we opened our first location in 2009 in downtown Portland, we have enjoyed ‘growing up’ alongside the craft beer scene and supporting our local brewers. We’re proud to be currently serving beer from over 20 New England breweries and cider makers! These local breweries make it easy for the love match between beer & pizza to continue…forever.

MAINE
Allagash – Portland
Atlantic – Bar Harbor
Austin Street – Portland
Banded Horn – Biddeford
Bissell Brothers – Portland
Foundation – Portland
Funky Bow – Lyman
Lone Pine – Portland
Oxbow – Newcastle
Peak Organic – Portland
Rising Tide – Portland
Urban Farm Fermentory – Portland

MASSACHUSETTS
Bantam Cider – Somerville
Big Elm – Sheffield
Castle Island – Norwood
Downeast Cider – East Boston
Ipswich Ale Brewery – Ipswich
Jack’s Abby – Framingham
Lamplighter – Cambridge
Lord Hobo – Woburn
Night Shift – Everett

CONNECTICUT
Two Roads – Stratford

Kids Eat Free on Wednesdays!

kidseatfree-01Are you down and out with cabin fever this winter? Get yourself out of the house and bring the kids along with you!

Buy any large pizza and get a FREE 8″ kids cheese pizza! We’ll be offering this for a limited time at all of our full-service dine in restaurants. Head over to any of the following OTTO locations for a night out with the family:

576 Congress St., Portland
225 Congress St., Portland
250 Read St., Portland
159 Cottage Rd., South Portland
367 Main St., Yarmouth
779 Portland Rd., Saco

Treat yourself (and your wallet) and satisfy that mid-week pizza craving. Because we know you really don’t want to cook tonight.

*the following restrictions apply: Full service dine-in only; one free kids cheese pizza per check; kids 12 & under

Host Your Business Luncheon, Party, or Function at ENZO in Portland

enzoNow that OTTO’s expansion at 574 Congress Street opens up 40 new seats, ENZO (OTTO’s sister shop next door) is being made available for private parties, business luncheons, and other functions.

Need a place where 24 of your closest friends can gather over OTTO’s delicious signature pies, savory salads, craft brew, and wine? We’ve got you covered.

ENZO is a gem of a room. Its warmth and simplicity make it the perfect spot for birthday parties, business meetings, family gatherings, sports team functions, baby showers, and other celebrations.

The catch? You need only provide a small room fee which will be donated to charity.enzo2

If you’d like more information, please send us an email at contactus @ ottoportland.com with your contact info and we’ll be happy to get in touch with you.

Reserve space now, before it fills up.

OTTO’s Portland Expansion at 574 Congress Street Is Now Open For Dining!

OTTO 574 Congress StreetOTTO is pleased to announce that our new expansion to our 574 Congress Street slice shop is now open for dining.

While remodling of the former Wild Burrito storefront was underway this year, curious Portlanders peeked in as they strolled past, wondering what exactly was being done. After taking in the repurposed mahogany, subway tiles, and minimalist lighting, It didn’t take folks too long to realize that OTTO was simply becoming more symmetrical.

In April 2010, the original OTTO slice shop opened a sister shop, Enzo, directly next door. While Enzo had its own storefront entry, internally she and OTTO were conjoined. Enzo provided OTTO with much needed seating, and more importantly, an intimate bar setting with an array of fine wines and craft beer.

In the spirit of OTTO and Enzo, the 574 Congress expansion maintains the same cozy, minimalist aesthetic, while adding enough dining space (approximately 40 seats) to accomodate families and large parties, and a spacious, gorgeous bar perfect for dining, unwinding after work, or meeting up with friends and family.2012-11-28_18-38-09_999

The 574 Congress location not only expands OTTO’s capacity, it expands its menu. Guests will notice an expanded wine list, six additional taps of delicious craft brews, as well as OTTO’s signature salads and desserts.

Hours are 11:30am to 11pm Sunday through Thursday and 11:30am to 12am Friday and Saturday.

Come by. We’d love to see you.

OTTO’s Getting Bigger: A Sneak Peek Of Our 574 Congress Street Extension

You may have heard the news. If you’ve been to our 576 Congress Street, Portland location, you’ve certainly seen (and heard) some commotion.

It’s no secret that OTTO quickly outgrew it’s small digs at 576 Congress, even after the the addition of sister-shop ENZO at 576-A. Rest assured, Portland OTTO enthusiasts (and employees), you will soon have plenty of wiggle-room.

The expansion into 574 Congress (formerly Wild Burrito) will add 50 seats, an additional bar, and six more taps of your favorite craft brews.

While the opening is imminent, we are refraining from declaring an opening date. OTTO does nothing half-assed.

In the meantime, please enjoy the sneak peek of the new room. She’s a beauty.

Stay tuned. We’ll be sure to let you know as soon as we have a confirmed opening date.

OTTO TO GO: Pizza Delivery Available in the Portland Area

Why order delivery from the big chains, when OTTO Pizza will come to you?OTTO Pizza delivers!

Now, of course we love to see you. Your smiling face brightens our day. But we also know there are times when it’s hard to get out of the house, or you just don’t feel like getting out of your pajamas.

If you live in the Portland area, you can order any of our deliciously different pizzas by phone or fax. Whether you’re in the East End, the West End, downtown, the Arts District, Old Port, or Munjoy Hill, OTTO will ensure your pizza is delivered hot and fresh from our oven.

Delivery times may vary, depending on volume, but you can expect to have our custom-topped gourmet pies within 30-45 minutes. Some of the big chains can’t even do that.

It’s OTTO-Matic. For the people.

Win An OTTO Pizza Hat Just Like the Ones Worn by the Folks Behind the Counter!

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Here’s your chance to win an official OTTO Pizza hat, just like the ones worn by the folks who work there!

If you’ve been to OTTO Pizza, or had OTTO Pizza delivered to you, you’ve probably seen them — those sylish, white hats that the kitchen and delivery staff wear. Here’s your chance to get one for yourself!

To snag one, all you’ve got to do is visit our Facebook page, click on the “OTTO Hat Contest” link and fill  out the form by 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 1, 2012. We’ll select a winner at random from among the entries on Monday, July 2, and the lucky entrant should be sporting that new cap by the weekend!

These are great hats, featuring the OTTO Pizza logo embroidered in black thread on the front of a 100-percent cotton, pure white cap, and until now the only way to get one has been to work at OTTO Pizza — which is a possibility. We’re always looking for good help.

But if you’ve got a job, or are otherwise occupied in that respect, this is your best bet to get an OTTO Pizza hat. We’ve got no plans to offer them for sale. So get on over to our Facebook page and enter! You can’t win if ya don’t play.

Free Slice Day — For Reals …

On Monday, Dec. 19, you can grab yourself a slice of OTTO Pizza's award-winning pie for free at the 576 Congress Street, in Portland, Maine, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

You may have heard the vicious, pernicious rumor — or as our Canadian friends to the north might put it, rumour — that Monday, Dec. 19 has been designated as a so-called “Free Slice Day” at OTTO Pizza.

Well, it’s true. All of it. Here’s the deal …

Monday, Dec. 19, is, in fact, Free Slice Day at OTTO Pizza’s shop at 576 Congress Street in Portland, Maine’s Arts District. The store will open at its regular time, 11 a.m., and close at about 1:30 p.m. so the employees can prepare themselves for the mayhem to come.

At 2 p.m., the doors will be thrown open once again, whereupon Free Slice Day will be in full effect.

How does it work? Simple …

From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., anyone who stops in can pick up one free slice of OTTO Pizza’s award-winninng pizza, any variety, on the house. One to a customer, please — we’d like everyone who wants one to get one. OTTO employees who aren’t busily making more pie to keep the pizza flowing will be on hand and passing the hat to benefit local non-profit agencies.

There might even be a few of our new, wicked cool t-shirts available, hot off the press … so get there early.

A Buddhist monk enjoys a slice of OTTO Pizza at the 576 Congress Street shop in Portland, Maine's Arts District.

At 6 p.m., the store will close so OTTO Pizza employees can retire for the evening to enjoy the OTTO Pizza Christmas party, which promises to be a rager of epic proportion … but that’s another story, and by the way, whatever you might have heard about the last OTTO party on Aug. 21, when the segment about OTTO Pizza aired on the Cooking Channel’s “Pizza Out of the Box,” is patently false — you can check the police reports for yourself, if you like …

Anyway, by now you’re probably asking yourself, “Why? Why would they do it? Why would they give away so much of that awesome pizza?”

Well, let’s just call it OTTO Pizza’s way of saying, “Thank you,” to the people of Portland, Maine, for everything they’ve done for OTTO in the 18 months or so since the first shop opened at 576 Congress Street — home of the “Free Slice Day.”

See you there!

Yeah, That Was Jonathan Richman Playing at OTTO Pizza the Other Night …

Jonathan Richman entertains the crowd at Portland, Maine's Space Gallery with songs from his latest release, "O Moon."

Ask the folks who live and work in and around Portland, Maine, and they’ll tell you that the city’s burgeoning arts scene plays a large role in what makes Portland such a cool little town. Of course, there are many other reasons, but the astonishing variety of artists, musicians, actors, writers, poets and playwrites who call Portland home, or pass through as they’re doing shows here, produce an aura of creative possibility that has become part of the fabric of life in the greater Portland area.

And OTTO Pizza‘s Arts District Shop at 576 Congress Street is right in the heart of the action — and because of that, every once in a while, something happens that allows us to transcend the rhythm of our day-in, day-out lives, step back and wonder at the beauty of it all.

Which is exactly what happened the recently when Jonathan Richman stopped in before his recent show at the Space Gallery. The show was part of his ongoing tour in support of his new record, “O Moon.”

Turns out that OTTO Pizza co-owner Mike Keon, as well as a couple of the members of the crew at the OTTO Pizza Arts District shop are big Jonathan Richman fans. The Space Gallery’s only a few doors down, so Mike had sent down a couple of pizzas so Jonathan wouldn’t have to take the stage hungry.

To show his thanks, Jonathan decided to stop in with his guitar, unannounced, and play a couple of tunes.

Seth Condon, the manager who was on that night, said he wasn’t exactly sure what was going on when Richman came in and started playing. He didn’t announce himself or say anything, Seth said, he just started playing, strolling through both OTTO and ENZO, the attached wine bar, before heading out the door and back down the street to the Space Gallery to do his show.

“I didn’t recognize any of the tunes he did,” Condon said, “but a couple of the customers knew exactly who he was when he started playing.”

Unfortunately, no one got so much as a photo of Jonathan during his visit to OTTO Pizza but the OTTO contingent that attended the show that night did get a couple of shots of him on stage at the Space Gallery.

And, for what it’s worth, if Jonathan Richman’s playing in your town, don’t miss it. He’s a great songwriter who puts on a fantastic show.