OTTO Gift Cards: The Gift That Gives Back

Posted on November 23, 2015 by elshepherd

The hardest thing about buying an OTTO gift card for someone is not keeping it for yourself.

Don’t worry. We have a special Buy One Get One offer to soften the blow.

From now through January 7, 2016, buy a $25 gift card, get a FREE $5 gift card of your very own! Buy a $50 gift card, get $10. Buy a $100, get $20.

Buy one for everyone on your list, and you may not have to buy dinner in 2016!

Keep in mind that this offer is only available in-store.

Each gift card can be used at each of OTTO’s locations throughout Maine and Massachusetts, as well as at OCHO, our new burrito restaurant on Congress Street in Portland.

OTTO’s gift cards can also be used for online orders, phone-in orders, take-out, or delivery. They can be stored in your OTTO mobile app, they can be reloaded, and you can check your gift card balance at any time!

Stop by any OTTO location and knock out your holiday shopping today!

ENZO’s Piece of Music History: The Police, Beastie Boys, Black Flag, Wu-Tang Clan & Metallica Drank Here

Posted on September 11, 2015 by elshepherd

Next to OTTO’s original slice shop at 576 Congress Street in Portland, you’ll find ENZO. The centerpiece of ENZO is its bar — a beautifully carved piece of craftsmanship in mahogany that exudes a sense of history. When you sit at the ENZO bar, you have the feeling that the bar has a million stories to tell. If bars could talk, this one could tell you some stories. It was once upon a time at the heart of one of rock’s legendary outposts: The Rathskeller (known lovingly as The Rat), located in Boston’s Kenmore Square.

The Rathskeller, Boston

For those of you unfamiliar with ENZO, it’s complicated. The cozy, beloved room opened in 2010 when the small space next to OTTO became available. At the time, when OTTO existed only as a take-out location, the expansion shared the same kitchen, served the same pizza, but had its own name, its own sign, and its own door. (Still does.) It offered OTTO customers a place to sit and enjoy their pizza with a glass of wine or a glass of craft beer.

Most folks sitting at the bar, however, might be unaware that their elbows are resting where countless rock legends rested theirs, before or after they graced the stage of The Rat.

The next time you visit ENZO, remember that you’re sitting where the following (and countless others) likely sat:

Sonic Youth performing at The Rat

311
7 Seconds
Aerosmith
Agent Orange
Agnostic Front
Aimee Mann
Alex Chilton
At the Gates
B-52s
Babe the Blue Ox
Babes in Toyland
Bad Brains
Beastie Boys
Big Black
Black Flag
Blondie
Bloodhound Gang
Buffalo Tom
Butthole Surfers
Chris Isaak
Dag Nasty
Dead Kennedys
Del Fuegos
Dinosaur Jr

REM at the Rat

DMZ
Dream Syndicate
DRI
Dropkick Murphys
Fishbone
Flipper
Foetus
Galaxie 500
Gang Green
Gang of Four
GG Allin
Geezer Lake
Goo Goo Dolls
Gorilla Biscuits
Henry Rollins

The Cars at The Rat

Hole
Human Sexual Response
Husker Du
Iggy Pop
J Geils Band
Joan Jett
John Cale
Los Lobos
Lou Reed
Lyres
Mazzy Star
MDC
Megadeth
Melvins
Metallica

Aimee Mann at The Rat

Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Minutemen
Misfits
Mission of Burma
Mother Love Bone
Napal Death
Patti Smith
Pixies
Poison
Powerman 5000
Quicksand
Quiet Riot
Ramones
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Talking Heads at The Rat

Redd Kross
REM
Richard Hell
Rick James
Scruffy The Cat
Sick of it All
Sonic Youth
Soul Asylum
Soundgarden
Steve Earle
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Suicide
Talking Heads
The Cars
The Clash
The Cramps

The Jam at The Rat

The Damned
The dB’s
The English Beat
The Fall
The Flaming Lips
The Go-Gos
The Jam
The Lemonheads
The Mr. T Experience
The Neighborhoods
The Plasmatics
The Police
The Queers
The Remains
The Replacements

The Replacements at The Rat

The Runaways
The Smithereens
The Stranglers
The Wipers
Thin Lizzy
Throwing Muses
Til Tuesday
Tiny Tim
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tool
U2
Volcano Suns
White Zombie
Widespread Panic
Wu-Tang Clan

To learn more about how OTTO acquired the Rat’s bar, click here.

Oscar Tango Tango Oscar: Rising Tide and OTTO’s Spring Collaboration Is Here!

Posted on April 22, 2015 by elshepherd

On the heels of Autohelm, the highly regarded winter collaboration, OTTO and Rising Tide Brewing Company are launching their spring collaboration, Oscar Tango Tango Oscar, a crisp, snappy, and sessionable pale ale brewed with rice.

Starting this weekend in Maine, diners at all OTTO locations will be able to pair their pie with Oscar Tango Tango Oscar. By the week of April 27, OTTO diners at our Coolidge Corner and Comm Ave locations in Massachusetts will be able to do the same.

This limited special collaboration will be available exclusively at OTTO.

The brewing process kicked off on April Fool’s Day (coincidence, we promise!), with OTTO team members on site. While the Autohelm collaboration was brewed to provide a hearty, hoppy dose of comfort during the harsh New England winter, Oscar Tango Tango Oscar’s citrusy snap goes perfect on our sunny patios while sharing one of OTTO’s spring pies — eggplant, ricotta and basil, or roasted chicken, caramelized pears and fontina.

Oscar Tango Tango Oscar’s profile is sure to provoke an onset of Spring Fever. Proceed with caution.

Aroma: tangerine, orange peel, grapefruit, rose
Taste: tangerine, grapefruit, cereal, crisp with a snappy bitterness
Malts: 2-row, flaked rice, carapils
Hops: amarillo, mandarina, cascade
Yeast: house american ale
Specifics: 4.4% abv, 1.044 o.g., 4 srm, 25 ibu

Cheers!

2014: A Year of Giving Back

Posted on January 7, 2015 by elshepherd

Since opening its first little slice shop on Congress Street in Portland in 2009, giving back has been an big part of what OTTO does. From day one, co-owners Anthony Allen and Mike Keon believed that it was important to better the communities in which OTTO does business, and this sentiment reverberates through the growing independent chain today.

It is not lost on us that without having been embraced and supported over the past 5+ years by our communities, we would not be able to grow this sentiment into an integral part of the chain’s culture.

We are now running weekly fundraiser series in four locations in two states. In addition to these, we provide many in-kind donations to many deserving charities and community organizations throughout the year.

OTTO has been fortunate enough to have donated to over 250 organizations in Maine, Massachusetts and beyond in 2014. We are extremely grateful to be in a position to do so. Perhaps more so, we are thankful for the many wonderful organizations (and those who keep them operating) who tirelessly work to better our communities in so many ways.

As we look back on 2014, we want to acknowledge some of the great organizations that we have had the pleasure of working with in some capacity.

Thank you for all you do.

MAINE:
48hour Film Festival
American Diabetes Association
American Red Cross
An Evening of Promise
Animal Refuge League
Art Play Nursery School
Barbara Bush Cures for Kids
Bayside Community Health Fair
Borgen Project
Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine
Camp Twitch & Shout
Cape Elizabeth Girl’s Volleyball
Cape Elizabeth High School Baseball
Cape Elizabeth High School’s Mock Trial Team
Cape Elizabeth Project Graduation
Children’s Association for Maximum Potential
Children’s Museum of Maine
Co-op Nursery School
Coastal Studies for Girls
Cultivating Community
Deering High School
Easter Seals ME
Empowering Young Women
Environmental Health Strategy Center
Family Crisis Services
Florence House
Free The Children
Freeze out Hunger
Friends of Feral Felines
Gorham High School Girl Up
GLSEN
Hall School
Hardy Girls Healthy Women
Holy Cross School
Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership
Husky Harvest
Junior League of Portland
King Middle School
Knights of Columbus Cheverus Council
Learning Works
Levy Day School
Longfellow Elementary School
Love, People
Lucy K Fund
Lucky Pup Rescue
Lyric Music Theater
Magic Matinee
Mahoney Middle School
Maine Books for Maine Kids
Maine Cancer Foundation
Maine Children’s Cancer Fund
Maine Freedom Project
Maine Island Trail Association
Maine Military Museum
Maine Narrow Gauge
Make A Wish Maine
March of Dimes
Maine Children’s Cancer Program
Mechanics Hall
Michael Pecha Cancer Fund
Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization
Muscular Dystrophy Association
Musica De Filia
National Tourette Syndrome Association
Parkside Neighborhood Association
Pets for Vets
Planned Parenthood
Port Resources
Portland Buy Local
Portland Education Foundation
Portland High School
Portland Public Library
Portland Stage Company
Portland Sunshine Rotary
Portland Trails
Portland Veterans Acupuncture Clinic
Portland Youth Dance
Preble Street Teen Center
SailMaine
SealsFit
Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine
Silent Sidekicks
South Portland Food Cupboard
South Portland High School
South Portland High School Robotics
South Portland High School Soccer
South Portland Swim Boosters
South Portland High School Project Graduation
SPACE Gallery
Spindleworks
The Children’s Trust
The South Portland Historical Society
The Telling Room
UNE Medication Collection
Voter Education Brigade
Winship Memorial Fund
WMPG
Women in Harmony
YMCA for Adaptive Services

MASSACHUSETTS:
Alzheimer Association’s RunTriRide
American Red Cross
Amphibious Achievements
Boston Children’s Hospital
Boston College Relay for Life
Boston Collegiate Charter School
Boston Minstrels
Boston University China Care Fund
Boston University Occupational Therapy
Boston Workman’s Circle
Brian D. Silver Memorial Fun
Brookline Boys Basketball
Brookline Early Education Project
Brookline Food Coop
Brookline High School
Brookline Teen Center
BU 85 Broads
BU Center for Gender Sexuality
BU China Care Fund
BU College of Fine Arts
BU Ellevate
BU Global Water Brigades
BU Law Public Interest Project
BU Marketing Club
BU Outing Club
BU Pre-Law Review
BU Relay for Life
BU Sargent College- Ghana Volunteer Trip
BU Senior Theatre Arts Majors Productions
BU Sigma Beta Rho
BU Unite for Sight
BU Water Polo
Cambridge Community Chorus
Children’s Center for Communication
Congregation Kehillath Israel
Coolidge Corner Community Chorus
Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation
Cross Keys Retreat
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Destination ImagiNation- Lynnfield HS
Edward Devotion School
EMARC
Engineers Without Borders
Evening with Champions
FairTrade (Harvard U.)
Family Equality Council
Fenway Health
Friends of Buker
Friends of Lynnfield Library
Gathering Change
Global Water Brigades
Greenwood Elementary
Harvard China Care
Helping Hands for Homeless
Huckleberry Hill Elementary School
Humanist Community at Harvard
Lawrence School PTO
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Lynnfield High School
Lynnfield Pioneer Football Club
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
Massmouth
Melrose Humane Sociaty
Morse Elementary School
Nashoba Learning Group
NEADS (Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans)
Newbury College Alumni Committee
Newburyport River Run
North Shore Scleroderma
Northeast Parent Advisory Council
Omega Phi Alpha
Pan-Mass Challenge Team Paul & Eve
Partners in Health
River Relay for Real Lives
Rodman Ride for Kids
Safe Passage
Science Club for Girls
Sinclair Firefighters Benefit
Smart Woman Securities
St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital
Stock Our Shelves
Summer St. Elementary PTO
Temple Ohabei Shalom
Unite for Sight
WGBH
With Certainty Project
Wounded Warrior Project

28 Pizza-Themed Gifs That Will Restore Your Faith In Humanity

Posted on December 30, 2014 by elshepherd

1. Put a ring on it

2. Chicken riding a pizza-eating kitten rug. Duh.

3. Laser-eyed space kitten is adorbs

4. Liz Lemon, seductress

5. Walter, that’s a perfectly good pizza.

6. Tobias Funke, space cowboy

7. Zac hearts pizza

8. Homer hearts pizza

9. Even monsters heart pizza

10. The Blueprint is pizza

11. J-Law hearts pizza

12. JT *really* hearts pizza

13. Bobby can’t wait for pizza

14. Smells like pizza

15. Nine lives

16. Mary Kate (or is it Ashley?) hearts pizza

17. When is it *not* pizza time?

18. Cinder(mozza)rella

19. The Ramones heart pizza

20. Rigby scores pizza

21. So hot. (And Ryan Gosling’s not bad either)

22. One thing Congress can agree on

23. Zoinks!

24. Jerry hearts pizza

25. Sims pizza dance

26. Stanley wins

27. Tim and Eric heart pizza

28. Liz Lemon gets it done

Introducing AUTOHELM: A Hoppy Amber Ale Brewed By Rising Tide in Collaboration with OTTO

Posted on December 4, 2014 by elshepherd

Everybody knows that pizza and beer go together like, well, pizza and beer. It’s a well-known fact that Portland, Maine has no shortage of either.

Rising Tide & OTTO: A match made in heaven

Starting December 10, in Maine, diners at OTTO will be able to pair their pie with Autohelm, a deliciously hoppy amber ale brewed by Rising Tide Brewing Company in collaboration with OTTO. By mid-December, OTTO diners in Massachusetts will be able to do the same.

This limited special collaboration will be available exclusively at OTTO.

Our neighbors at Rising Tide have been brewing beer about as long as we have been selling pizza. Both OTTO and Rising Tide have strikingly similar histories: Independent businesses launched by pairs of lifelong New Englanders with a passion for crafting artisanal provisions. Both pairs followed winding paths that led to their recent successes. Both, in just a handful of years, have become celebrated staples of the Portland food & drink scene. Both have recently cracked increasingly competitive markets out-of-state, while staying fiercely loyal to the home town. Both are also very committed to supporting local organizations and giving back to the communities in which they live and work.

OTTO’s Lindsey Gordon pours on the hops

While OTTO and Rising Tide have partnered on a number of occasions — road races, charity events, and other local initiatives — it wasn’t until fall of 2014 that the idea came up for an actual collaboration. It made complete sense. Soon the collaboration process began, and the brewing kicked off on November 12, with several OTTO team on site to assist.

Everyone at OTTO and Rising Tide looks forward to sharing the fruits of this exciting (and delicious) collaboration the public. The first keg will be tapped at a special kickoff event on Wednesday December 10 at our Munjoy Hill location (225 Congress Street, Portland). Rising Tide (and OTTO) brewers will be on the scene.

There will be swag.

Most importantly, there will be no shortage of delicious Portland-born pizza and beer.

OTTO & Rising Tide kicking off the brewing process

OTTO & Rising Tide kick off the brewing process

Two Ways to Give the Gift of OTTO (and One Way to Receive $500 in Pizza!)

Posted on November 13, 2014 by elshepherd

The bad news is that holiday shopping is stressful for millions of Americans. The good news is, um, who doesn’t love pizza?

In an effort to make it easy to give the gift of OTTO this holiday season, we have implemented a brand new super-easy gift card system that is fully integrated with each and every OTTO location, including delivery and online ordering! card_side-photo

Send an OTTO Gift Card via Email
If you’re like some of us, you may prefer to do your holiday shopping in your pajamas from the comfort of your home. Totally not a problem. Just go to ottoportland.com, click on the Gift Card banner, and order a gift card in any denomination to be delivered via email.

Gift Cards via email work pretty much like an Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. The gift-receiver will get a stylish, personalized email with all the details, and only needs to print out the email and show it when it’s time to pay. The 12-digit code in the email can also be used for phone orders or online orders. Recipients can go online to check their balances or to reload.

Did we mention that by simply purchasing a gift card online, you (yes, you, the gift-buyer) are automatically entered to win a $500 gift card of your very own? That’s, like, a large pizza every month for two whole years just for giving someone a really cool gift.

Or, Give the Gift of Plastic
If you’re like some of us who aren’t into computers and whatnot, you can give an old-fashioned gift card that can be kept in a wallet or purse (or in a sock, really — who are we to judge?).

Traditional gift cards can be purchased at any of our locations in Maine and Massachusetts. Simply ask your server, bartender, or cashier, and they’ll be happy to assist. Just like our E-Gift Cards, these can be purchased in any denomination, and can be redeemed (or reloaded) at any location — including online orders and phone orders.

See how easy that was? You’re all set! Enjoy the rest of the holiday season!

Why You Shouldn’t Miss The Harmed Brothers’ FREE 2-Night Residency at OTTO

Posted on June 18, 2014 by elshepherd

As part of OTTO’s month-long 5-year anniversary celebration, Oregon’s The Harmed Brothers will be bringing their indie-grass shenanigans to our 574 Congress Street location Friday, June 20 through Saturday, June 21.

Each night the music will crank up at 9:30pm. There is no charge (suggested band donation $5-10).

This acclaimed group from the left coast don’t make it around these parts too often, so we’d like to make sure you know exactly what you’d be missing if you made other plans this weekend:

“The fact that The Harmed Brothers haven’t achieved the popularity of, say, The Avett Brothers or The Lumineers remains as baffling as it is frustrating.” – Country Standard Time

“Fans of the Avett Brothers will instantly fall in love with this album and have a new favorite group.” – Performer Magazine

“Fans of Uncle Tupelo and Avett Brothers, pull up a chair and sit a spell.” – The Big Takeover

“Melding indie rock fervor with the intricate fretwork of bluegrass, the band steer their way through both genres without slowing and manage to come out on the other side with something unique and wholly their own.” – Beats Per Minute

“This excellent four-piece band is blessed with two vocalists just about as good as any band in roots music can boast of, and with perfect harmonies to match.” – American Roots UK

“The Harmed Brothers embrace conviction much like a young Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar once did.” – Akron Beacon-Journal

“With blissful harmonies and shuffling banjos and guitars, the Harmed Brothers are creating some unique jams.” – Magnet

“The heartbreaking, fearless tenacity and swagger of Vietti’s vocals and guitar paired with Salcido’s wide ranging harmonies and banjo picking, hint toward a very promising group of young impassioned storytellers, as well as stellar performers.” – Relix

Five Years of OTTO: A Month-Long Celebration of Food, Music, and Community

Posted on May 23, 2014 by elshepherd

When OTTO first opened its doors at 576 Congress Street on June 18 of 2009, owners Anthony Allen and Mike Keon had no idea that their humble slice shop serving up their unique take on a culinary staple would evolve into a fast-growing business employing over 240 employees in 10 locations, in 7 cities, in 2 states.

To celebrate 5 great years of food, friends, family, and fun, we’ve got a month of shenanigans lined up, including, but not limited to the following:

Saturday, May 24: OTTO’s 5th Birthday Bash with Elliott BROOD at One Longfellow Square
Pizza, giveaways, beer, wine, and great music, at one of our favorite venues! Come join the party on Saturday. Providing the music will be the band that fueled many late nights at the original slice shop, Canada’s Elliott BROOD, the Juno Award-winning ‘death country’ band whose live shows are “known to be lively affairs” (Washington Post). Also performing: Sympathy & the Lion.
Tickets available at One Longfellow Square

Throughout the month of June: OTTO Throwback Specials
Over the past five years, we’ve changed our menu from time to time. Sometimes we had to make room for new pies by retiring others. This never came without the cries OTTO enthusiasts who bemoaned the loss of their favorite pie.

In June, we’re reviving several of these pies at all locations for a limited time. Keep your eye on our Facebook page or our Twitter account for dates and times.

Friday June 20 & Saturday June 21: The Harmed Brothers LIVE at OTTO (FREE!)
To cap off our birthday month, another OTTO fave from Oregon, The Harmed Brothers, will be doing a two-night residency at our 574 Congress Street dining room. Stay tuned for more info.

Slugger Walk Week: A Special Pizza, Wally The Green Monster & More!

Posted on May 2, 2014 by elshepherd

As the official carb-loading sponsor of Slugger the Sea Dog’s walk from Fenway Park to Hadlock Field for Tourette’s Syndrome, we’re pleased to announce some special events taking place at OTTO’s locations in Boston, Portland, and beyond.

Fundraiser for Tourette’s Syndrome: Featuring Wally the Green Monster (OTTO 888 Comm Ave)
On Monday, May 5, from 5-9pm, while Slugger is busy trekking from Fenway Park towards Portland, we will be holding a fundraiser at our BU location (888 Commonwealth Avenue) to help Slugger reach his goal of raising $20,000 to benefit The National Tourette Syndrome Association and Camp Twitch and Shout, a camp for children and teens with Tourette Syndrome. Since Slugger can’t be there himself, he’s asked his good pal Wally the Green Monster to come by. Wally will be on hand, cheering on his pal, posing for photos, and certainly scarfing down some pizza.

The Slugger Special: A One-of-a-Kind Pizza To Benefit Two Great Organizations (All Locations)
In honor of Slugger’s heroic walk, we will also be serving a very special pizza creation, The Slugger Special, from Monday May 5 through Sunday May 11. We’re pretty sure you’re gonna love it. (We happen to know sea dogs and green monsters do!) This grand slam of a pie features house-made meatballs paired with herbed ricotta, bacon, and fresh herbs. Right?

A portion of every sale (slices and whole pies) will be donated to Slugger’s cause.

The Slugger Special will be available at all locations.

For more information on Slugger’s walk, or to donate today, click here.

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