The place was busy and the staff was frazzled and not all that welcoming...our experience was that we annoyed them by arriving on a busy night. But the pizza was delicious. There is a nice upscale pizza vibe inside. read more

Otto is a fantastic pizza spot in Chester. The place is nice and cozy and have a great bar area where Lisa. We were able to watch them pizzas and make them fresh out of the oven. All the pizzas were so good but we decided on the pepperoni and the meatball white pizza. Both are equally good and I cannot decide which one I like better. The pepperoni had calabrian peppers and rosemary, which was unique to me not too spicy and the pepperoni for good. The meatball Peter came with the Parmesan sauce and cherry tomatoes which I don't like but I really enjoyed it on this pizza. Two small pizzas somewhere good size for two big men. I really enjoyed talking with all the crew there. Shout out to Connor, Noah and Matt. They have a nice local draft list but they were on the pricey side at $10. I can't wait to come back to try out the rest of the pizzas. read more

Otto - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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I was just there last Saturday for take-out and the pizza was ready on time and delicious. Otto never disappoints

Finally made it inside, last time I came they had been closed. It's warm and inviting and they have a very clean bathroom. My white pie was tasty, but there's def some red pepper flakes that will wake up your taste buds. Reminds me of naan a bit, actually. My polar espresso drink was good, loved the twist of lemon in it. My friends also enjoyed their pizzas so it was a great time here tonight for sure. read more

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We've been to Otto multiple times now and we have loved every experience. Lovely staff and space. Great Neapolitan-ish pizza. Has a good char and great chewy dough. We've loved the variety of toppings we've tried. In the warmer month they have a huge outside space under a tent. The indoor space is a little tighter for winter so be mindful, but it's one of our favorite stops in Chester. read more

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Best pizza in CT! Connor is the best manager, always welcoming, he's the best! Great atmosphere inside and outside, we absolutely love that place. It is truly a feel-good restaurant read more

Amazing! Great server whose name I should remember but didn't. Their recommendation of the meatball pizza was a home run. Sorry we don't snap a picture of that. Eggplant pizza (pictured) was very good, no shortcomings there at all but try e meatball took center stage. Roasted olives for an app were delish. Save room for tiramisu! Wine list is short and to the point, very well curated with plenty of esoteric but approachable wines from smaller producers that compliment the food menu well. Would definitely make time to visit again. read more

Otto - Small but well curated wine list. - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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So you've stopped by Little House to grab a beer but now you're hungry, where should you go? Otto of course! Hands down the best pizza in the area but even better when it's just steps away from great beer and ice cream. I'll warn you now - it is HOT in here. You could wear shorts and a t shirt in the middle of winter and still be comfortable by the oven. But I'm not mad about it, watching them make the pizzas adds to the ambiance and appeal of this small pizza shop. And even though it isn't fancy inside don't let that discourage you - the pizza here is anything but cheap! The dough and crust is amazing. The flavors they pack into each bite of the pie is top tier!! I've never tried a pizza here that I didn't like but pepperoni is definitely my go to. So much flavor! Service is great too, very attentive and everything is ready pretty quick - even on a busy Friday night. They give you large containers of water to serve yourself (you'll need it sitting by the fire lol). They have great local beer on tap, mixed drinks, and wine by the bottle. I literally couldn't ask for anything more. Any time I'm in the area I'm stopping at Otto! read more

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The outdoor view is great and the pizza is amazing, the service is also very good and fast.

Really good! Enjoyed their margarita and their pepperoni the most, and their Greek salad is also great. Really solid all around and a charming spot right in the heart of town. read more

Excellent pizza in a great setting, especially if the weather is good and they are serving outdoors. There is a recent trend in New England of pizzerias with well made high-hydration dough and quality toppings. This is a great example of that. Nobody will mistake it for pizza napoletana but it isn't that greasy standard pizza so many places get away with. I don't think there was a pizza on the menu I would not have ordered. Good service and decent prices. You *are* in Chester. It is not cheap. But Otto is worth the stop when you are in the CT River Valley along RT 9. read more

This place has fantastic pizza. I always opt in for the mushroom or potato and egg. However, the meaty pizzas are also great. My one disclaimer, DO NOT get the salad unless you like 7 slices of lettuce, no dressing and some cheese. This is my second time being an idiot and paying $14 for a salad that barely even has lettuce, and definitely has 1/8 tsp of dressing. Save your $14 and drive to the store and buy all the ingredients for half that price. read more

Finally down to Chester to try Otto and some other nearby spots! We came down on a beautiful Saturday evening with our dog and was excited to see their tent area was open! Tons of outdoor seating and didn't have to wait very long for a table. They were pretty busy so the service was a bit slow, but we came with the expectation of hanging out so it wasn't a bother to us. We started with the fennel salad which I've never had something like this before and I loved it! You could tell the dressing was made fresh. I could have eaten this as a meal with a little bit if chicken! Definitely my highlight of the night! The pizzas were also so tasty and filling. We got (2) smalls which were 14" - coal fired, charred crust. Wish we got the Margherita after seeing all the pics on here! The Broccoli Rabe & Sausage was my favorite but almost had too many toppings to love it. You can grab some pizzas here and bring them over to Little House Brewery which is what we want to do next visit! read more

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I really enjoyed the pizza Otto makes. I had a small meat lovers and ate the whole thing! (Although I shouldn't have done that in one sitting--carb overload). The dough is really fresh and the ingredients were tasty. It was chock-full of pepperoni, sausage, and fatty bacon pieces. It was surprisingly not as greasy as it sounds. Pizza was thin in the base and a thick, airy crispy crust. We also got a small simple cheese pizza which was great in its own right. Service was friendly, speedy, and attentive. The pizza's came out quite quick at 5pm on a Friday. The place fills up pretty quick, but if you have to wait it is worth it. They serve some great local brews like Deep River's own High Nine, "Hop Glop" which was outstanding. read more

Otto - Small Meat Lovers pizza-delicious! - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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Stop by to grab a bite to eat and its hard to fine good pizza up in this area. We are pizza lovers. We'll it was so good. Good char, nice New haven syke pizza but better . Love the service ,very busy easy going great place. Now I will bring husband he loves a good pizza. That new haven pizza is so over rated. And you don't have to worry about getting mugged in Chester. We will be back even for a take out when passing through. Good fun beers on tap too. Also good salades. read more

Very friendly service, I love servers that come to the table with a smile every time. It was a small, cozy establishment that made you feel at home. We got the meat lover's, veggie lover's, and chorizo pizzas. The meat lover's pizza was voted the best unanimously at our table. I would visit again, just make sure to bring some sort of antacid. read more

Otto - Meat lover's pizza - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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Pizza is great as takeout but simply AMAZING at the restaurants eaten fresh out of the over. Farm to table seasonal ingredients, excellent crust and just right sweetness on the red sauce. Our absolute go-to. read more

Options were minimal on a Sunday evening with a few restaurants already closed for Labor day weekend. After a brief walk we decide to try Ottos. However we felt unwelcome with each second our reservation being pushed back by 30 mins. The hostess first said, we would have a 30 min wait, then was told they could get us a table on a rainy day with no shelter and were discouraged you do it, as we refused that, our 30 min wait time is now 90 mins. We felt discouraged and felt unwelcome and we still took the 90 min wait so we could go explore Chester more. We finally made it back to the restaurant and we ordered a salad and vegetable pizza. Salad was decent while the pizza was disappointing. The crust was soft and tasted more like a Naan (pita bread) from an Indian restaurant. The place may be overrated and is no comparison to the Otto in Boston and Portland. If you like Naan go for it and I like my Naan with chicken Tikka masala not with Veggie toppings....it's a personal choice and this wasn't one of mine. read more

Otto - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

The food and the staff here are amazing. The dining is a little bit puzzling. Last visit the inside dining was not an option. It was only outside, which was fine until we were hit with torrential downpours. read more

This once great pizza place has gone full blown avant garde. You are at the mercy of the guy manning the oven to get the cook right. My last two pies were way under cooked. Then add to that globs of cold runny cheese with some unpronouncavle cheese, abd you will go running to Pepes, Sallys ora host of gre at pizza spots. I used to love this place but it is way different that ot used to be, and not in a good way. read more

honestly, the young lady at the front was unnecessarily hostile and rude when I came to pick up my order. probably won't be going back.

Good Neapolitan. Bravo. Need to go back for the basic Margherita but their meat lovers was great. I I read more

10 percent gratuity added on before you even know if the service is good or bad. Turned me off to going there before I even tried the food. Tipping culture is out of control these days. read more

It seems strange to me that an area of the country where the best pizza already exists a business tries to do California/Artisan thin crust pizza. It was good (not fair), but all the pizza places around it are so far better. If you're from the area then it makes some sense that you might be bored with the same great pizza places and want to try something new. But, if you grew up here and live in Phoenix (New LA), flooded with California/Artisan thin crust pizza, it was as expensive as the great Artisan pizza in Downtown Phoenix at CIBO's, the most expensive pizza I had in four months in Connecticut, the service was slow for the price, and the patrons were loud and quite obnoxious. The place is too small and crowded so you are forced to hear their very private, not-for-public ears conversations. Connecticut has the best pizza in the world, a blend of Boston and New York. I go home just to eat pizza and seafood. Otto's will not last unless the obnoxious patrons of the New Yorker Renaissance that are invigorating the shoreline take a fancy to it. Maybe that will be their niche, but as a native it's a place you go to when you get bored of great pizza or are not originally from the area. Californians will be disappointed. read more

Food was good, not over the top. Excellent variety of flavors and toppings making unique pizzas. Sat outdoors, cute area with flowers. Service was a bit slow. Our waitress disappeared but another noticed and helped us out... read more

Otto is always our go to for pizza. The best in the area for sure. I love their simple but perfect margarita pie! And I love the buffalo chicken when it's on menu. During the warmer months the outside patio/tent is a blast to have a cocktail! read more

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Otto is an artisanal pizzeria that opened in Chester, Connecticut in late 2013. It was founded by chef Jonathan Rapp and Michelle Paulson. Rapp previously had success in the cozy Connecticut town when he opened the River Tavern in 2001. While that restaurant continues to do well, Rapp decided to get into the pizza business. With a menu that changes daily, Otto churns out wood-fired artisanal pizza with gourmet ingredients that range from roasted pears to scamorza. In addition to their delicious pies, Otto also serves up calzones, salads, and house-made tiramisu. I first visited Otto in July 2019. I had cycled to Chester to try out the beer at Little House Brewing Company, but first I wanted to grab some lunch to bring along to the brewery. Main Street in Chester has no shortage of eateries. My nose caught a whiff of pizza and it wasn't long before I found myself at Otto's front door. I walked inside the cozy pizzeria and looked over the menu. I decided to order a classic with a modern twist: a Margherita with fresh basil, mozzarella and stracciatella. Both of the cheeses were made by Liuzzi Cheese in North Haven, who are well known for their artisanal Italian cheeses. I had the pizza boxed, I fastened it on top of my saddle bags, and I cycled down the street to the brewery. I ordered a beer flight and enjoyed it with my pizza. The sauce was a little sweet, the basil tasted really fresh, and the cheeses were so creamy. Excellent pizza! Otto's pizza is a lot like the artisanal pies that they are making in Italy today. I'll definitely go back if I find myself on Main Street in Chester. read more

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Great atmosphere in a small, quaint town. Our pizza was incredible - we got 2 white pies, the mushroom and the four cheese/apple. The fresh herbs, flavor combos, and perfectly cooked crust make it. Would like to go back to sit in the outdoor section. read more

Just a favorite. We went down today to enjoy the Chester Farmer's market and then headed over to Otto's. Sitting at the counter we get to watch the food being prepared. I like to time the pizza going into this amazing wood fire stove. We shared a caeser salad, fresh, tart sharp and amazing cheese but nothing over powering. We shared the pizza and my half had a bit of the spicy pepperoni and we both enjoyed he the fresh basil. Don't get me wrong - we like the tables by the windows to - and watch the world go by! Every time we come hear, we remark on how friendly and welcoming the staff is. They help you with the wine choices, talk with great caring about the menu and make you feel most welcome. I have two favorite restaurants - they are both in Chester and it turns out - same owners - No surprise to me this is so good. read more

Otto - You can feel the heat from here! - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

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Pizza is outstanding. The wine is a total ripoff. The servers are pleasant and eager to please. On a warm day/evening the covered back outdoor area is lovely. Go... just don't order vino. 16 bucks a glass (plastic) for mediocre Chianti. read more

Excellent pizza and atmosphere. Outdoor tent was great and the wait staff was very attentive. We had a pre show dinner and then walked to the Terris Theatre. Wonderful (Just wish they used glass instead of wasteful plastic for water glasses ) read more

Such a great energy to this place. It is the right mix of everything - pizza, drinks, ambiance, friendly staff; a good "high-low" balance with high quality food but not too fussy. The outdoor area and indoor area are equally pretty. I'm local (Deep River) and Its my favorite place to bring people or meet fam/friends. Otto all the way! read more

I've been reluctant to post this because I don't want more people knowing about this great little spot. Pizza is as good as it gets around here (without heading to New Haven). Staff are all very friendly and it's fun to watch the pizzas get made in the months they allow indoor seating (don't understand why they don't allow it in summer?). read more

New news: I reviewed my credit card statement and I was grossly overcharged for my meal. Our ticket was $25.76, we left $5 and change to make it $31even. We were charged $46.76! Someone treated themselves to a $21 tip. Classy. Don't worry, management was notified via email and the lukewarm response didn't even include an apology although I was told it would be resolved tomorrow. read more

So we have LOVED this place before but Tonight was disappointing. We are chalking it up to being busy? The oven was too hot?? I'm not sure but the bottom was burnt and top not cooked. My Mozzerella was not melted. Our wine came in water glasses .. bummer and at eight dollars a glass .. sad. I know sounds snobby. The first pizza came out way ahead of other but we didn't get it until the other was done. We watched it on counter( wrong size too) for Far too long. They cooked us another at correct size. We will give it another try though because other times were so good we drove 45 minutes for it! read more

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We returned to OTTO, early winter 2024 . . . [although an early Mentor in my career advised: "If you experience a great restaurant, Never Go Back."] . . . but we returned, and OTTO was even more perfect (if that is possible) than our first experience. It was COLD outside (I mean, really cold, -0 degrees and high winds) and OTTO was crowded with Beautiful Customers, at the bar, at tables . . . kids, old people, new families, rednecks, college professors, police, illegals -- you get the idea: Everyone! . . . everyone whose blood is red and who acknowledges pizza as the Perfect Meal. But the pizza -- OMG I swear the crust was still on fire and bubbling as it arrived at out table (the table of honor -- 'The Crossroads' of the dining area), and the stracciatella (liquidy-creamy Italian mozzarella-like [but better] cheese) and Fresh (they must have a garden out back) basil and tomato was as if from The Garden Of Eden. My wife and I are left-handed. Our OTTO Waitperson was left-handed. Coincidence? I don't think so. Perfection? Yes -- that's it!! We also had the fantastic seasoned and roasted Castelvetrano olives while we waited (briefly, perfect timing) for the pizza. And a Negroni cocktail and Montepulciano d Abruzzo wine. Meanwhile, the acoustic ceiling panels kept the noise decibels to a pleasant level of social enthusiasm . . . and the beautiful customers flowed in and around and out. I love OTTO. read more

Otto - Brilliant branding design . . . the logo reads correctly from inside, or from outside. O's for tomatoes (or pepperoni?), T's for mushrooms! - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut

For gluten-free people, there's not too many options. They needed more help when it came for waitresses. It was very busy there. You sit outside it was very hot. That night. The food is on the higher end for expense. The food I ordered was very good. read more

Otto Yes, this is long, but I feel it's important. I don't like to do bad reviews; it's even more difficult as I like "sister" restaurant River Tavern (see my review). The difference is if River Taven service lacks or a dish went wrong, I will always go back I will NEVER go back to Otto. In the movie Animal House Otter sitting next to Mandy in a lunchroom booth tries to convince Mandy to repeat a secret "hookup." Realizing Otter won't go away Mandy says, "Otter don't flatter yourself; it wasn't that great" In disbelief Otter mouths the words "Not that Great?" Sitting in Otto for the last time, all I could see was Otter and Otto mouthing the words "Not That Great?" I know Otto's finds its way onto the top 20 pizza places in Connecticut, I know they have a following, and I know some of the staff believes it's a diner's "honor" to eat at Otto. For me, well OTTO "It's Not That Great." Living local provides the opportunity to dine at places before the Summer Crush. Arriving in the off-season without a reservation we were seated outside on a chilly night. Once seated we are told by the "Head Seater Person" "You have 45 minutes to order and eat" then left us with our mouths open in disbelief. So, we waited, in fact we waited so long we earnestly ask the late arriving waitress "When does our 45 minutes start." When we had to wait again to get our food cleared for dessert we asked again about the 45 minute "eat and leave" edict. The tiramisu was very good no one was waiting for a table What was to be my last visit I made a reservation for 7:45p. Arriving 5 minutes early, we were told they were getting our table ready. 7:45, 7:50, 7:55 and at 8p we were told (truth always truth) "We are getting your table ready (he was pointing to somewhere outside towards the back) but it's going to take a few minutes, or I can seat you now to start eating immediately." As you ponder this statement as I did, the decision was to sit "now, eat immediately" instead "waiting of a few minutes." We were ignored for 17 minutes-harsh? We successful flagged two employees in addition to some quick looks, but no one came to the table. The waitress finally arrived to just take our drink order - we ordered everything: guacamole, small Caesar salad, 2 small pizzas, an Asian shrimp salad. Not sure how long it took apps to come out but know I was able to walk up the street to fabulous Honeycombs Craft Ice Cream, with a line, order a drink and bring it back just after they served the apps. Eating the apps, we were told that Otto ran out of small pizza dough, so one of our pizza's would have to be a large. One pizza and the shrimp salad came out, the large pizza arrived as the first two dinners were almost gone. Trying to pay & leave we were charged for the large pizza; only after we pointed this out did they change the bill with another apology. The one bright spot at Otto is Cory- she is hardworking, attentive, polite, down-to-earth and gracious. Cory buses tables, runs (really) to get heaters from River Tavern, fills water - well just about everything. Cory is unpretentious and humble, which makes her stand out from the pretentious at Otto - maybe it's time to allow Cory to greet and seat, then we would be told the truth and we would feel welcome instead of honored. I gave Otto's 6 visits: The pizza is thin dough and each and every time the dough was limp and soggy (see pizza piece photo) so when you cut the pizza the "crust" pulls with the knife. Ordered the egg pizza 3x and it was bland and underwhelming (see Camille's outstanding Bacon and Egg pizza). My first visit I ordered their eggplant casserole, and it was very tasty, a solid dish; I ordered the same casserole on visit 4 and - no lie - it was horrible, not a little off, but so bad I lost my appetite - they were apologetic, training new chefs, took it off the bill and made me a new one to take home which no one eat. The apps are an afterthought as I'm not sure what "made to order" guacamole is (see picture). See the food here is ok but not great; and some staff - again, nothing like at The River Tavern - treat patrons like it's some kind of honor to be seated at Otto - guess what, it is not. read more

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I love coming in here - especially as the weather gets colder. It's a cozy restaurant with ambient lighting and warmth emanating from the wood fired oven. It's a cozy spot and expect to wait around dinnertime and on the weekends. Arrive early as even "bar" seating is part of their wait list. You really can't go wrong with their ginormous pizza options. I would recommend the veggie option as it's loaded up, flavorful, and has that perfect crispy element to it. The margherita is delicious as well - always think you can try out the worth of a pizza by having the most simple version and it definitely lives up to it. read more

I hadn't been back to Otto in the last five years so I was delighted to find myself in Chester a couple weeks back. Otto was a must-go for lunch! It was past peak lunchtime so the restaurant was pretty quiet and we were seated quickly. My husband and I started by sharing a classic caesar salad, which was excellent, and selected a medium pizza to split. Tough decision here, as all of their pies look phenomenal, but we settled on a red pie with eggplant, red onion, basil, scamorza, and garlic. The pizza was absolutely amazing - great flavor combination with a perfect balance of ingredients. If Otto wasn't nearly an hour away I'd find myself here much more often. Still, it was wonderful to stop in after such a long time! read more

Otto - Pizza Near Me - Chester, Connecticut