Joe Walsh & Friends: Free World-Class Bluegrass Every Monday Night at OTTO

Posted on February 21, 2013 by elshepherd

OTTO’s Arts District location (574 Congress St, Portland) is extremely proud to host mandolin-picking wunderkind Joe Walsh every Monday night at 8pm.

For several weeks now, the acclaimed bluegrass player (not to be confused with The Eagles guitarist) has been helping OTTO break in the new dining room and bar expansion. We’re not sure how long we’ll be lucky enough to host Joe & friends, but it has certainly been a treat.

For the uninitiated, Joe Walsh was the first student at Berklee College of Music to graduate with a degree in performance specializing in mandolin. He currently teaches at Berklee, where he serves as Managing Director of the American Roots Music Program.

The world-renowned fiddle legend Darol Anger called Walsh “one of my favorite musicians on earth.”

While in Boston, Joe played in several bands, including Joy Kills Sorrow, the New England Bluegrass Band and Northern Lights. Since 2007, Joe has called Portland home. He is currently a full time member of the Gibson Brothers, recently named the 2012 IBMA Entertainers of the Year.

Although Joe is certainly one of Portland’s busiest and most celebrated musicians, he has found time to pull together an enormously talented rotating group of friends to perform each Monday night at OTTO. The performances are loose and fun, but certainly not lacking in fireworks.

And to boot, the shows are 100% free.

We can’t think of a better way to spend a Monday night.

Grab your family and friends, pop over for a few pies, some craft beer, and take in some of the best bluegrass you’re likely to hear anywhere.

Here’s a taste of Joe’s playing, from a recent performance at One Longfellow Square:

OTTO Fundraiser Calendar: Good Food, Good Causes

Posted on February 20, 2013 by elshepherd

Several great reasons to eat an entire pizza without feeling guilty.

OTTO is pleased to be hosting an ongoing series of fundraiser nights to benefit regional charities and community organizations. At each event, a portion of sales will be donated to the dedicated organization.

The series will run in both Maine and Massachusetts, with Maine fundraisers taking place at OTTO’s new 574 Congress Street expansion, and the Massachusetts fundraisers taking place at OTTO’s BU location at 888 Commonwealth Avenue.

OTTO looks forward to partnering with area charities, schools, and non-profit organizations. The fundraiser series further extends OTTO’s philanthropic initiatives – the restaurant has been actively supporting charities and non-profits since opening its doors in 2009.

In addition to raising funds, OTTO owners and staff hope the events will help raise awareness, encourage dialogue, and provide a venue for networking, brainstorming, and speaking with potential volunteers. OTTO also looks forward to working more closely with organizations and becoming better acquainted with those who dedicate their time to these causes.

The series is still in its infancy, and OTTO encourages charities, schools, and organizations to reach out to discuss opportunities. Those interested should send an email to contactus@ottoportland.com.

As of this writing the schedule is as follows (all dates are subject to change):

OTTO 574 Congress St. Portland (Arts District)
March 12 – Casco Bay High School Model UN
March 19 – Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
March 26 – Ronald McDonald House
April 2 – Portland Veterans’ Acupuncture Clinic
April 9 – American Liver Foundation’s Run For Research
April 16 – Portland Ballet
April 23 – LearningWorks

OTTO 888 Comm Ave, Boston (across from BU)
March 18 – The Lawrence School
March 19 – Project Mailbox
March 25 – Grub Street Writers
April 1 – Boston Marathon fundraiser to support the Boston Bruins Foundation
April 8 – BU Center for Gender, Sexuality & Activism
April 15 – Project Mailbox
April 22 – OnStage Dance Co.
April 29 – Children’s Center of Brookline
May 6 – Brookline Arts Center

Please consider supporting these organizations by stopping by OTTO during their events. A percentage of each purchase will go directly to the organization. It’s a great opportunity to eat an entire pizza without the guilt!

OTTO Delivers Pizza 3,158 Miles For Birthday Surprise

Posted on December 20, 2012 by elshepherd

We at OTTO are aware that a lot of folks really, really like our pizza. We have seen all kinds of public declarations that remind us that we’re doing something special. Our beloved Red Sox have placed large orders on consecutive weeks. New Yorkers have declared OTTO the best pizza they’ve ever eaten.

We haven’t yet, however, received a request to deliver pizza all the way across the United States, no matter the cost. (We do offer free delivery in Portland, by the way!)

Joy and Jeff Johnson of Washington, reached out to OTTO to see if there was any way possible we could have a few pizzas delivered for their daughter Devi’s 18th birthday.

The Johnsons discovered OTTO’s Harvard Square location while on a college-hunting trip with Devi, and it was love at first bite. (They nearly missed their plane when they tried to get more pizza on their last day in Massachusetts.)

Since then, Devi and her parents have followed OTTO on Facebook, but simply couldn’t take the posts of pizza pictures any longer (“the daily torture!”).

That’s when the idea was born to have OTTO delivered cross-country as a surprise for Devi’s birthday. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

It was certainly one of the strangest requests we’ve received at OTTO. Never ones to shirk away from a challenge, we worked out a way to make it happen. On Tuesday, December 18th, OTTO’s 578 Congress Street (Portland) staff hand-tossed, built, baked, and packed two vegetarian pies for overnight shipping. The pies were crafted and packaged with great care to ensure they showed up as fresh, and as eye-pleasing, as possible.

The Johnsons, ever the good sports, promised to send photos of our pies arriving 3,158 miles away. As an added gesture of appreciation, the Johnsons made a donation in OTTO’s name to a New England-based literacy program.

We at OTTO wish Devi a very wonderful birthday, and hope that the pizza is as delicious as she remembers.

Now Serving: OTTO Ale by Magic Hat Brewery

Posted on December 7, 2012 by elshepherd

OTTO is proud to begin serving OTTO Ale, a medium bodied golden beer produced by our friends at Magic Hat. The brew is an all-barley malt ale made with the German Hallertau hop – known for its fruity and mildly spicy character.

OTTO serves wine and alcohol in all locations except for our Harvard Square slice shop. (Beer and wine sales at our BU location are imminent!)

OTTO Ale will be available for a limited time and availability may vary, so ask for it by name and give it a try while you can. It goes down great with a mashed potato, bacon, and scallion pie.

OTTO Ale is a great reason for guests to pay a visit to our new 574 Congress Street expansion in Portland, which sports a beautiful, spacious, but cozy bar crafted from salvaged wood. It will soon be a great opportunity for Bostonians to break in the taps at our BU location.

At OTTO, we pride ourselves on being the prime destination for discerning New England pizza aficionados. We also happen to think OTTO makes for a pretty great bar.

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

Posted on November 30, 2012 by elshepherd

OTTO 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.

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

Posted on November 15, 2012 by elshepherd

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.

Hot Stove Report: OTTO Provides Catering To Red Sox Twice In Two Weeks

Posted on November 2, 2012 by elshepherd

The season may have come and gone with little fanfare, but The Red Sox organization never stops working. (They call it the Hot Stove season for a reason.)

Today OTTO will be serving up a delicious array of 18 large pies to Baseball Operations at Fenway Park. Now, we all know the Sox are a quality organization, and this marks their second OTTO catering order in two weeks. It doesn’t take a statistician to make an inference here.

We’ve often said that OTTO is brain food, so if the stats-crunchers help assemble a comeback team for the 2013 season, OTTO will be happy to take some credit.

If you’d like OTTO to cater your next event, call our catering manager at (207) 807-6426 in Portland or (617) 947-8517 in Boston.

Having a Party? A Meeting? Just Plain Hungry? Try OTTO’s ‘Buy 10 Get 1 Free’ Deal!

Posted on October 5, 2012 by elshepherd

Pizza has always been a communal food. It’s the first thing we think of when we need food for a baseball team, a birthday party, or a business meeting.

The problem is that most pizza out there is pretty interchangeable. And boring.

Enter OTTO. Imagine the look on the faces of your guests when you serve up a stack of our signature pies: Pulled pork and mango. Eggplant, ricotta and basil. Apple, bacon, and red onion. Mashed Potato, Bacon and Scallion.

If you order 10 OTTO pizzas, we throw one in for free. Pretty simple. The hardest thing is deciding which of our mouth-watering combinations to choose.

All you need to do is call in to your local OTTO Pizza location and tell them you want in on the ‘Buy 10 get 1 free’ deal.

And yes, in Portland, we will deliver at no charge (stay tuned for OTTO To Go at our Boston locations).

And don’t forget. OTTO also does catering. Whether it’s a gameday party, a business meeting, or a campus event, OTTO has you covered.

A Baker’s Dozen: 13 Mouth-Watering OTTO Pizza Instagram Pics

Posted on October 4, 2012 by elshepherd

Nothing makes us happier than knowing our customers love our pizza. While we love your praise when you’re in the shop, we also know that a picture’s worth a thousand words.

When our customers tweet or post pictures of our pizza (or our signature sodas and salads), we know they don’t just love it, they want others to love it too.

Here are 13 of our favorite OTTO shares on Instagram. Try not to drool on the keyboard, please.

1. From italianinboston: