Author Archives: elshepherd

About elshepherd

Marketing professional working and living in Portland, ME.

What’s a ReMix? Check out our location-specific pizza creations!

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Over the last 15 years, we have prided ourselves on creating delicious pizzas that break the rules, with unexpected combinations of high-quality ingredients that are anything but ordinary. We do that by spending countless hours developing recipes and taking an unreasonable amount of time determining how each ingredient is prepared. While most of the initial ideas have come from the thousands of OTTO team members that have made our journey possible, we haven’t always found ways to highlight more of these ideas and personalities. That’s why we’re so excited about the Team ReMix pies.

Each OTTO team will be creating a custom pie using our currently available ingredients and toppings. Whether they’re prepping an item in a slightly different way, substituting or adding toppings to a pie currently on the menu, or going completely rogue with something totally new and unexpected, you’ll finally have the chance to order our teams’ favorite off-menu creations.

We invite you to try what our teams are creating. Better yet, let us know if you like their ideas…maybe one day it’ll become a permanent addition to our menu!

Currently Playing in Maine:
Sunrise Slice (Mozzarella, Egg, Cream & Bacon) — 159 Cottage Rd, South Portland
BBQ Chicken & Pineapple — 125 John Roberts Rd, South Portland
Jalapeno Pepper Pie — 250 Read St, Portland
Chicken Parmesan — 109 Main St, Gorham
The Rustic Spin (Chicken, Spinach, Cranberry, Goat Cheese, Herb Mix) — 730 Center St, Auburn
The BBQ Masher (Mashed Potato, Bacon, Scallion, Pulled Pork) — 779 Portland Rd, Saco
Big Burger Pizza (Beef, Pickles, Mozzarella, Lettuce, Thousand Island Dressing) — 305 US-1, Yarmouth
Pesto-Roni (Mozzarella, Pesto, Cup & Char Pepperoni & Hot Honey) — 15 Cushing St, Brunswick and 1299 Main St, Sanford
The Hot Peary Chicken Pizza (Chicken, Mozzarella, Caramelized Pears, Ricotta, Hot Honey) — 576 Congress St, Portland
The Chicken Caesar (Chicken, Mozzarella, Red Onion, Romaine Lettuce, Caesar Dressing, Shaved Parmesan) — 225 Congress St, Portland

Currently Playing in Massachusetts:
Pear, Bacon & Fontina — 1210 Market St, Lynnfield
Chicken, Ricotta & Basil — 289 Harvard St, Brookline
Beef, Ranch & Vidalia Onion — 888 Commonwealth Ave, Boston
Three Meats with Pink Spicy Sauce — 1432 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
Sauteed Spinach & Chicken — 202 Mass Ave, Arlington
Caramelized Pineapple & Roasted Turkey — 344 Walnut St, Newton
Roasted Corn, Bacon & Jalapeno — 27 Main St, Andover and 251 Primrose St, Haverhill
Bacon Ranch Garlic Sticks — 199 Rantoul St, Beverly, 345 Harrison Ave, Boston, 416 W Broadway, Boston and 39 Trotter Rd, Weymouth

Currently Playing in New Hampshire:
Roasted Corn, Bacon & Jalapeno — 110 Brewery Ln, Portsmouth & 33 Water St, Exeter

Check back each month to see what our teams are cooking up!

ORDER ONE TODAY

OTTO Birthday Fest: 3 Days of Music, Love & Pizza

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Hard to believe it’s been nearly 14 years since we opened the doors on a tiny little slice shop on Congress Street in Portland, ME. It’s been a wild ride, but none of it could have been possible without you. We truly have the best customers any business could ask for. Thank you for supporting us over the years.

To celebrate, we want to invite you to three events this June (our birthday month). We sure would love to see you.

June 4 – OTTO’s Birthday Bash on the Esplanade (Boston)
Join us from 1-4pm at Night Shift Esplanade, located right along the Charles River in Boston, MA. We’ll be descending upon the scenic Night Shift beer garden with FREE PIZZA (50 pizzas, while it lasts!) and some giveaways. Beer, pizza, and the Esplanade — what’s not to love?
No admission — open to the public. Rain date June 18.
For more information and directions, click here.

June 11 – Resurgam Music and Arts Festival Presented by OTTO (Portland)
Come celebrate Portland’s music, arts, and youth at the second annual Resurgam Festival at the Ocean Gateway and surrounding areas. We are thrilled to be the headline sponsor for this year’s event. Stop by one of our booths for slices, games, and giveaways! The festival will feature over 50 performers on 5 stages and will showcase Portland’s creativity and youth. The event will run from 11am-6pm and is FREE and open to the public!
For more information, click here.

June 20 — OTTO 14th Birthday Party (All OTTO Locations in ME, NH, and MA)
Swing by any of our locations where we’ll be serving $1.40 slices* all day long.
We’ll have some giveaways as well, while they last!

*Limit 2 slices per customer.

Thanks again for 14 great years! We couldn’t do it without you.

A New Year brings a new app and changes to digital ordering

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Throughout January, OTTO locations will be migrating to a new ordering system – including new web ordering and a new mobile app. Locations will be migrating in stages throughout January. 

Once complete, we will be rolling out new features over the next few months that will improve the overall customer experience, as well as providing operational efficiencies for our team members.

Our teams will be working hard to ensure a smooth transition, but it is possible that you may experience some minor turbulence.  We appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this transition period.

What does this mean for me?
If you typically place your order digitally, and/or if you are a Rewards member, your account password will not migrate over to the new system. But never fear. See below for details on how to ensure the transfer of key account information.

Ordering Online
Once your location has migrated to the new system, you will notice that the ordering page has a different look and feel. You will not be able to log in with your previous password. On the new ordering page (order.ottoportland.com) click ‘Sign In/Sign Up’ on the upper right side of the page, click ‘Create Account’ and set up a new account using the email address associated with your ‘old’ account.

Your past order history not transfer to your new account, so you’ll be starting fresh. Any orders placed from this point on will be added to the ‘Order History’ tab, and will be available for quick re-order.

If you typically store credit/debit card info on your account, you will need to re-add these to your new account. You can add multiple payment options in the new ‘Manage Cards’ tab.

We apologize for these inconveniences.

OTTO Rewards Members
Existing Rewards members’ points balance and coupons will transfer to your new account, as long as your previous account’s phone number is used when setting up your new account.

OTTO Mobile App
The OTTO mobile app was just updated on Jan. 20. If you have downloaded the app prior to that date, you will need to update the app, or download again. (If you open the app and are not able to order, you are likely viewing the ‘old’ app and will need to download the updated version.

As mentioned above under ‘Ordering Online,’ if this is the first time you have signed in to the new platform, you will need to create a new account. Please see ‘Ordering Online’ above for details.

As always, the OTTO Mobile App can be found on the Apple App Store and on Google Play (for Android devices). Just search “OTTO Pizza.”

Gift Cards
Any OTTO gift card, regardless of when it was purchased, will be redeemable at any OTTO location post-migration. NOTE: Gift cards redemption is currently (and temporarily) not available on the mobile app…stay tuned.

Should you run into any issues activating an e-gift (email) gift card, or locating a previously ‘saved’ gift card during this time, please reach out to us at contactus@ottoportland.com with a brief description of your issue, along with details (date ordered, physical or digital card, email address or phone number associated with the account, etc.) and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

What if I run into other issues during this transitional period? 
We will be standing by to assist you with any problems you encounter during this transition. If you need assistance, please email contactus@ottoportland.com with a brief description of your issue, including any account details (email, phone number, etc.). We’ll do our very best to get back to you as soon as possible. 

Thanks for your patience. We really appreciate it.

Holiday Gift Card BOGO: For Every $25 spent on gift cards, get $5 free!

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OTTO gift cards are now BUY ONE, GET ONE free from November 20 through January 5, 2023! For every $25 spent on OTTO gift cards, you will receive $5 on a bonus card!

Give them both away, or keep one (or both!) for yourself!

OTTO gift cards can be purchased at any OTTO location, or can be purchased online (physical gift cards mailed via USPS).

OTTO gift cards are perfect stocking-stuffers, and are great gifts for teachers, mail carriers, caregivers, or anyone who deserves a little something special during the holidays.

Order online at www.ottoportland.com/shop or purchase at any OTTO location.

ENZO – Reserve your own private OTTO for your next event!

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Need a place where 30 of your closest friends can gather over OTTO’s delicious signature pies, savory salads, the best in local craft beer, 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, family gatherings, rehearsal dinners, sports team functions, bridal or baby showers, and other celebrations.

Adjacent to the original OTTO location at 576 Congress Street in Portland’s Arts District, ENZO is conveniently located mere blocks from downtown hotels, music venues, the Old Port, parking decks, and several of Portland’s museums and art galleries.

ENZO also contains a piece of New England music history — the original bar from Boston’s legendary Rathskeller club, which was the premiere spot for up and coming punk, rock, and alternative acts from 1974 to 1997. (Many of your favorite artists have rested their elbows on that bar back in the day.)

ENZO shares OTTO’s kitchen, meaning all of OTTO’s offerings — pizzas, sandwiches, salads, apps and desserts — are available for your event.

To reserve ENZO, or to learn more, contact James Tranchemontagne at jamest@ottoportland.com.

The OTTO Thirsty Camper Tour is headed your way with delicious Maine beer, pizza, bluegrass, and more!

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We’re loading up a little bit of what makes Portland special and setting up camp at a location near you. It’s a traveling pizza and beer garden on wheels — the OTTO Airstream, courtesy of Rustic Taps.  Come down and enjoy beer from our friends at Maine Beer, Lone Pine, Allagash, and Orono, hear some live bluegrass, play some games, win some prizes — and of course we’ll be supplying the pizza.  

Every Thursday in August, we’ll be pulling up to a different OTTO location to celebrate summer in Vacationland. (With pizza, beer, and bluegrass this good, why would you leave??)

We’ll be serving cold, delicious Maine beer from the Airstream bar, and each evening will feature the best in Maine bluegrass, including renowned mandolinist Joe Walsh, who headed up OTTO Bluegrass Nights back in the day.

Our lovely beer partners have provided us with loads of great brewery swag, and OTTO will have plenty on hand as well, so you’re likely to go home with more than a smile.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’ll be cornhole, giant Jenga, and did we say PIZZA??

Come join us at one of our stops below.  This is a magical, silvery beer and pizza garden on wheels – and we can’t wait to see all of you.

The OTTO Thirsty Camper Tour:

* 5PM-close each night * Free Entry! *

Thu Aug 4 – RSVP – OTTO 159 Cottage Rd, South Portland – feat. Joe Walsh & Friends

Thu Aug 11 – RSVP – OTTO 305 US-1, Yarmouth – feat. Taylor Smith & Friends

Thu Aug 18 – RSVP – OTTO 779 Portland Rd, Saco – feat. The Snowglobe String Band

Thu Aug 25 – RSVP – Congress Square Park, Portland – feat. Joe Walsh & Friends

Godfather Night at ENZO (576A Congress Street) — Celebrating 50 Years

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Join us Saturday, July 16 from 6-10pm at OTTO’s wine bar and event space, ENZO, for an evening of Godfather-themed pizzas, cocktails, wine, music, and don’t forget the cannoli.

We’ll be celebrating with two special pizzas — one night only:

  • The Corleone — Brie, Prosciutto, and Fig Jam (white pie)
  • The Mattress — Sliced Meatballs and Fresh Basil (red pie)

Two special cocktails:

  • The Don — Whiskey, Amoretto, and Garnish, with Blood Orange and Dark Cherry
  • The Appolonia — House-made Jalapeño-infused Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Fresh Strawberry

Special wines to pair with each pizza.

Cannolis.

Free slice and cannoli for each customer arriving in funeral attire.

RSVP here.

ENZO is located right next door to the original OTTO slice shop in the Portland Arts District, at 576A Congress Street.

Our NEW Yarmouth location is NOW OPEN

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If you’ve driven on US-1 in Yarmouth, you’ve likely seen the sign. It’s kinda hard to miss.

After 6+ years at our Main St. location, we have closed the doors and re-opened just down the road at 305 US-1 (in the former Maine Coffee Roasters building).

Just a stone’s throw from Yarmouth High and North Yarmouth Academy, OTTO Yarmouth is now offering counter service, takeout, and delivery, with a dining room opening in the next few months (along with beer and wine!). And with dedicated parking, pickup orders are a breeze.

Customers will be pleased to know that our phone number, and our online ordering link will not change with this move, as these will follow us to our new home. Our delivery radius will also remain unchanged.

We look forward to seeing your smiling faces at 305 US-1 in Yarmouth.

OTTO Yarmouth is moving!

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If you’ve driven on US-1 in Yarmouth, you’ve likely seen the sign. It’s kinda hard to miss.

After 6+ years at our Main St. location, we will be closing the doors and re-opening just down the road at 305 US-1 (the former Maine Coffee Roasters location).

Just a stone’s throw from Yarmouth High and North Yarmouth Academy, OTTO Yarmouth will be providing counter service, takeout, and delivery initially, with a dining room opening in the next few months (along with beer and wine!). On-site parking is also available.

Customers will be pleased to know that our phone number, and our online ordering link will not change with this move, as these will follow us to our new home. Our delivery radius will also remain unchanged.

As with any move, restaurant or otherwise, there are several moving parts, so we can’t yet share our final date for our Main Street location, or the opening date of the new US-1 location, we will be sharing more information as we get closer, and will continue to provide updates as we go!

Stay tuned! We look forward to seeing your smiling faces at 305 US-1 in Yarmouth.

2021: Our Year of Giving Back

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In many ways, 2021 felt like a repeat of 2020 — a year of uncertainty and unprecedented change in how we live our daily lives. Our friends, families and communities have all been affected in some way by the continued impacts of COVID-19. Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, however, there has been a constant; the tireless dedication of those who work so hard to support those in need, despite the challenges.

Although COVID impacted the ways in which we typically have supported our communities, we have partnered with many wonderful organizations in a variety of ongoing programs, and you — our customers — have made it possible for us to maximize support of many deserving recipients doing important work.

Seasonal Special Donations

In Massachusetts, we continued our ongoing partnership with Cooking Matters MA – an organization which helps connect families with affordable and nutritious meal options. “Cooking Matters is helping end childhood hunger by inspiring families to make healthy, affordable food choices. [Their] programs teach parents and caregivers with limited food budgets to shop for and cook healthy meals.” $1 of each monthly special pie sold from our Massachusetts locations goes to Cooking Matters MA. This year, we have donated over $11,000 directly to the organization.

In Maine, we continued to work with Full Plates Full Potential as one of their FEED Kids partners. Full Plates, Full Potential is an organization dedicated to ending child hunger in Maine. “[Their] work focuses on increasing participation in school breakfast, after school meals, and summer meal programs.” We’ve donated $1 of each monthly special sold from our Maine locations to Full Plates Full Potential since March. This has allowed us to donate over $12,000 directly to the organization.

Feeding the Frontline

Another group that’s been severely strained by this pandemic is healthcare workers. They have gone through extraordinary efforts to heal and protect their patients and our communities, working tirelessly around the clock dealing with scenarios that many of us cannot imagine. In April of 2020, we began our Feeding the Frontline initiative – a donation-based framework that supports both restaurants and frontline workers during the COVID-19 crisis by turning customer donations into nourishment for healthcare workers throughout Maine and Massachusetts.

In 2021, we received over $75,000 in customer donations that we’ve turned into countless orders, feeding thousands of healthcare workers and first responders ($125,000 in donations have been received since May 2020, the start of the initiative). We are both amazed and extremely humbled by the support we’ve received, and can tell you first hand how appreciative our healthcare heroes have been to benefit from this program. Below are a few of the facilities we’ve made deliveries to as a part of this initiative:

  • Maine Medical Center
  • Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
  • Boston Children’s Hospital
  • Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Maine General Hospital
  • Brigham & Women’s Hospital
  • Boston Medical Center
  • Salem Hospital
  • St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
  • Carney Hospital
  • Maine Cancer Center
  • Mid Coast Hospital
  • Mount Auburn Hospital
  • Mercy Hospital
  • US Coast Guard
  • Preble Street
  • Good Shepherd Food Bank
  • Various vaccine sites throughout Maine and Massachusetts

Tips For Kids

In 2020, a new initiative was started at our Southie location in which all tips are donated to a deserving local charity. This initiative has since grown to include our South End and Beverly locations.

In 2021, customers of these locations have made the following donations possible:

With all of that said, we owe a huge thanks to our customers. The programs and initiatives above would not be possible without your support. While many of us continued to spend much of the year in relative isolation, the power of community has never been more evident. As we reflect on this difficult year, we are incredibly thankful for our staff, our customers, our partners and our communities. We wish each of you a healthy and happy holiday season, and look forward to seeing your smiling faces in the new year.