Otto Pizza expands, but keeps things simple
Photo/Rebeca Goldfine
Otto Pizza is planning to open another pizzeria at the former North Star Cafe location in the East End
The two owners of Otto Pizza in Portland have put a lot of thought into keeping things basic: their pizzeria's palindromic name, the $3 they charge for one slice, tax included, and their menu, which offers a lot of pizza and not much else.
And this formula -- which co-owner Anthony Allen describes as simple and highly efficient -- helped Otto hit its annual sales goal in just five months after it opened in July 2009, he says, though he didn't reveal specific figures.
His and partner Mike Keon's pizzeria at 576 Congress St. is tiny, though, with chefs throwing pies in the air mere feet away from the counter where customers pick out slices. Next door, they have a very small sit-down area they call Enzo Pizzeria where customers can order wine and beer.
Allen and Keon, both 48, are opening a bigger pizza place at the base of Munjoy Hill, in the former North Star Cafe location and next to The Snug, a small bar. But not much will change, Allen says, especially not the $3 they charge per slice, no matter if it's mango-chicken-basil or plain cheese. "We have a huge commitment to the $3 model," he says, giving this economical pricing scheme a fair amount of credit for their success. Allen says he and Keon hope to increase their revenue by 40% to 50% at the new restaurant. He expects to open the first week of December.
Allen says they will continue operating their original Congress Street location as well. In the meantime, they are also in the middle of opening a small pizzeria in Harvard Square in Cambridge, which Allen says could double the business's total revenues.
Both men have been in the restaurant business for many years. Allen has owned between nine and 10 eateries in Massachusetts, half of which served pizza, he says. He learned the art of pizza making while backpacking around Italy after college, and says that he makes everything in-house, from the roasted tomatoes to the mashed potatoes. Keon owned the former Crab Louie restaurant on Commercial Street.
The new Otto Pizza at 225 Congress St. will have a bar and a sit-down dining room with 95 to 100 seats. Allen says they'll hire up to eight additional staff. They already have a crew of 17 employees at the other Otto location.
The menu will also expand, slightly, with a salad and a dessert, and they'll serve beer and wine. "It's a little more of a grown-up place," Allen says. "There's more elbow room."
Read more
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments