OTTO Pizza Chef/Owners Anthony Allen and Mike Keon are excited to invite the public to share in their upcoming 10th anniversary celebration. These 10 years have been a long journey for Allen, a Nantucket native who opened his first pizza shop on the island at the age of 17, and then on Martha’s Vineyard soon-after. In 2009, the first OTTO opened in Portland, Maine. Now Allen and business partner Keon have thirteen locations, including one in Newburyport, MA, where Allen resides. OTTO’s pizza dough, for all locations, is made daily from scratch in Lynn, MA, making OTTO a true bi-state original.
THE OTTO STORY – OTTO is the brainchild of Anthony Allen and Mike Keon, who met each other a decade ago as chefs at neighboring restaurants north of Boston. Allen had opened his first pizzeria on Nantucket at the age of seventeen, later opening a second location on Martha’s Vineyard. Keon came to cooking after working on fishing boats off the coast of Alaska. Their complementary styles and shared “less is more” culinary philosophy have resulted in some of the best pizzas made today in New England.
“Mike and I are blown away by the fact that it’s been a decade,” said Allen. “Ten years and ten cities—I could never have dreamt it – well, maybe my 17-year-old self did back in-the-day on Nantucket when I opened my first pizza shop.”
“We are continuously working to make sure every pizza is perfect and every slice unforgettable,” says Mike Keon.
“Whether you grab a slice to go or eat in one of our full service dining rooms, every member of our team is motivated by this goal of consistently well-executed, uncomplicated food. Our staff has been absolutely monumental in our success – we are beyond grateful and would not be where we are today without them.”
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DOUGH — THANK YOU, LYNN, MA – All of OTTO’s dough is handmade at a facility in Lynn, MA, operated by longtime Boston Master Baker Alex Castiello and his sons. The dough — which is OTTO’s own recipe — is delivered fresh, never frozen, daily to all thirteen locations. The Lynn facility also bakes OTTO’s cookies and periodically tests other different desserts, including cheesecake and Maine blueberry pie.
While each OTTO location essentially operates as a scratch kitchen, this commissary approach ensures 100% control and consistency across the entire company. The dough facility also provides a gluten-free environment for OTTO’s gluten-free and vegan doughs.
ABOUT THE MENU & SPACES – OTTO is known for its “elevated” pizza approach, using high-quality ingredients – local when possible — and extremely creative toppings such as cranberries, butternut squash, spicy pulled pork, or (even) tortellini and seaweed. The 10th anniversary “Lobster Mash” is an extra special pizza to celebrate OTTO’s anniversary only, but they have also regular monthly pie specials – recently they had a Kimchi pizza, and a unique beer dough pizza topped with bratwurst, peppers, onions, and whole grain mustard. OTTO is also one of the few places in New England that offers Detroit-Style pizza—featuring an extra thick crust and a crispy bottom.
Each OTTO pizzeria is unique, individually customized for both the physical space and the neighborhood in which it’s located. OTTO locations vary from slice shops to pick-up and delivery to full service dining room restaurants.
