Pizzeria Otto Foster — Restaurant in Portland

I want to start by saying that I’ve had good pizzas at Pizzeria Otto in the past, but the past few experiences have been abysmal. The last time we went to the location on Sandy we waited an hour & 20 minutes, and when I asked an employee how much longer the wait would be they pointed to a stack of tickets and said “probably a while”. That was after having two mediocre experiences previously, so my husband did not want to give them another chance. But last night I really wanted pizza, and I appreciate that they make their own dairy-free cheese. It’s usually pretty tasty. I’m also gluten-free, and have enjoyed their GF crust in the past. This time we decided to order from the Foster location for delivery through Postmates. Our pizza arrived late (wasn’t surprised at all), and since we’ve gotten take-out from them before I knew they recommend cooking your pizza a bit longer once it arrives, but I was still surprised when it arrived cold. I heated it in the oven for 5 minutes, then broiled the top for another minute or so. I thought the edges would get puffy like pizzas I’ve had from them in the past, but this one did not. It was incredibly thin, almost translucent—I could basically see through it—and so sticky/gummy/not pleasant to eat. The sauce was spread on very thin, and tasted just like cooked, canned tomatoes. It desperately needed some salt & spices. The cashew cheese had a lot of texture, and was not creamy at all like it has been in the past. It was also very, very bland. I grabbed some fresh basil and arugula from my garden, and we piled that on top with a drizzle of good olive oil and flake salt, trying to make the best of it. The pizza overall was just so uninspired and obviously made by someone who didn’t give a damn. This was the final straw for us. We will never be back. I paid the price of the pizza plus $5 extra for the GF crust and $2 extra for the vegan cheese....

These folks need to learn how to use their pizza oven, and how to make a basic sauce. The pizza I got was soupy, had both raw and burned spots, and the bottom was covered in ash. This is not a question of style; it's the result of apathy. All of these errors could easily be avoided with the application of some technique. An oven with high ambient temperature and glowing coals will cook the pizza evenly and produce a crisp crust. The oven that cooked the Otto's pizza was heated by candle-power: low ambient temperature with high flames that scorch the edge of the pizza and leave the dough soft and raw. The watery tomato sauce soaked through the bottom of the pizza, making it best served in a cup instead of a plate because all the toppings slid off the limp wet crust. There is also something wrong with the dough. It's rubbery, and doesn't produce a crust as much as it results in a wad of gum. Another basic pizza cook rule Otto overlooked: don't pile-up the toppings so everything slides to the center as the pizza cooks; it's yet another factor contributing to raw soggy pizza. Also, brush the ash off the bottom of the oven - then ask yourself why there is ash on your cooking surface in the first place. I worked a wood-fired brick pizza oven for over a year as a young adult and I was expected to overcome all this basic ineptitude in my first few days of training. Otto is still in training, and has been for...

As they mention, pizza is a soft crust neopalatin. Not my favorite. I like it a bit more crispy crust, but it's their style. Ordered at the counter. Good beer, limited but variety. Ipa, lager and such on draft and Rainer cans and others in bottles. Snagged the beers and went back to the table to look over the menu. Super pizza heavy, as it should be, couple salads, seasonal specials. Ended up with a pizza each and split the salad special. Salad was spot on. Dressed nice, blu cheese crumbles, and a nice crunch from some nuts. Checked all the palate boxes. Then the pizza came right on time as the salad was gone. Now for the main event. I had the diavola, toppings were plenty, possiblely too much in my opinion. The pizza was a little heavy and as they said " soft crust" which was slightly undercooked for my taste. Left a lot of moisture on the pizza, leading to droopy slices. The quality of the ingredients are very good, and they didn't chince out on them either. All and all great experience, they held true to what they advertise and it's clearly developed by someone who has a nice palate, and created by people who care. To round out this lengthy review. Great spot, good atmosphere and I love that oven is in the middle of the dining room like the star...