With a Grain of Salt: Otto Pizza

For With a Grain of Salt‘s inaugural entry,  food critic Nate O. Suri visited Otto Pizza in Coolidge Corner – completely unaware that another Otto Pizza recently opened on Comm Ave, in the space Upper Crust once occupied. Here’s his review.

Two weeks ago, I went to Coolidge Corner Theatre to see Robot and Frank with my girlfriend. But beforehand, we decided to lunch in the area. When we happened upon Otto, I thought I had stumbled upon a little known pizzeria across the street from the movie theatre. Only later did I find out that Otto is a chain pizzeria and I have to say, I was impressed.

A slice of Otto’s white pizza with brisket and arugula

Otto has four common pizza slices that it serves each day, and a rotation of three other slices from the remainder of its menu. There is also a special slice each day. The special during my visit was a white pizza with brisket and arugula. We ordered a pie of the special, and as we waited I took in the scenery of a very rustic-looking restaurant – an old wheel sat somewhere in the banisters above.

The service was good too. Our waitress knew the menu by heart and explained the rotating pizza menu more eloquently than I ever could.

When the pizza arrived I was bothered by the amount of brisket on our slices. My preoccupation was proven right when I lifted a slice and the weight of the brisket folded the pizza faster than a hold ‘em player folds an off-suit 2 and 7. But after I took my first bite of the sloppy pizza, I was more than glad to finish it off with a fork and knife.

Overall, Otto is decently priced (with a specialty pizza costing a little over $10), and provides fresh pizza without ever feeling like a chain. Although my first slice at Otto wasn’t reminiscent of New York pizza, I’m excited to go back and try another slice, loaded with what I think is quality flavor.

CLOSEST T STOP:
COOLIDGE CORNER – Coolidge Corner location
SAINT PAUL ST. – BU location
HARVARD SQUARE – Cambridge location

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