The folks behind Otto Pizza will soon be wrapping burritos as well as slinging pies.

Otto Pizza owners Mike Keon and Anthony Allen expect to open a new take-out burrito restaurant called Ocho at 654 Congress St. before the end of the month. Keon and Anthony have been thinking about a “burrito concept” for some time now, according to Eric Shepherd, director of marketing and communications for Otto.

“They are both big fans of burritos,” Shepherd said, “and they saw an opportunity in Portland to put a creative spin on a beloved staple, much like their approach to pizza.”

The restaurant will be located next door to the nightclub Blue. It’s a tiny spot with just a kitchen and a counter – “very reminiscent of the original Otto slice shop” – and for that reason will be take-out only. Ocho will serve a handful of specialty burritos daily, and the selections will be rotated regularly. Its motto will be “a burrito for every day of the week.”

The name Ocho, which is Spanish for “eight,” seemed like a no-brainer to Keon and Allen because, like Otto, it has four letters and begins and ends with the letter O, making it easy to remember.

The business has recently been advertising for cooks and counter help on Craigslist, including through its Twitter account. The Ocho website and Instagram account were inactive as of Wednesday afternoon.

Keon and Allen have several Otto restaurants in Portland, South Portland and Massachusetts. In June, they opened a new Otto in Yarmouth.


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