Totti’s pizza-by-the-slice and sandwich spin-off Oti’ opens on Wednesday, May 10, taking inspiration from Totti’s signature pairing of burrata and wood-fired bread.

“We had to find a way to get the classic Totti’s combo on the menu,” executive chef Mike Eggert says.

“We have a mix of cheeses with burrata as the base, stracchino, ricotta and parmesan. It melts and holds together better with a combo. We also have garlic and kombu on it.”

Oti’ swapped Totti’s whoopee-cushion of bread for a classic Roman pizza base cooked in a Moretti stone floor deck oven.

Eggert worked with the team who run Merivale’s pizza and bread production to master the dough.

What’s Eggert’s go-to sandwich filling on Oti’s hand-stretched schiacciata?

“I really like a salad roll and this one is loaded with sprouts, a coulee of cheeses and all the crunchy fresh veg you want.

“Oh, and [also] the chicken and semi-dried tomato with pesto. It’s a bit of a poke at the old chicken pesto penne pasta from bad times gone by.”

Oti’ slots into the former home of Lorraine’s Patisserie, the site vacated at the end of 2022 following the retirement of Sydney pastry guru Lorraine Godsmark.

Eggert says they kept her beautiful marble island bench, which is perfect for stretching the doughs and assembling sandwiches.

“This concept of a pizza-by-the-slice and Italian sandwich shop is a passion project that Justin [Hemmes] and I had been talking about for years,” Eggert says.

The Oti’ space is simple, and while it’s predominately takeaway, the chef says there’s some room to eat in.

“You can squeeze in around the window. There was always a ledge there but Lorraine’s cakes took pride of place,” he says.

“You might have to fight for space from all the assembled pizza boxes as they are taking over the shop at the moment.”

Eggert isn’t sure why pizza by-the-slice is on the rise in Sydney, but believes pizza has universal appeal. And he isn’t stopping with Roman-style slabs.

“Next I want to nail New York-[style] by-the-slice. It’s different cheese and different dough, but I think the red sauce we’ve created for this Roman by-the-slice would work equally as well.”

Sandwiches start at $15, with Roman-style pizza by-the-slice starting at $12.

Open Sun-Wed 11am-8pm; Thu-Sat 11am-midnight.

Shop 5, Palings Lane via 320 George Street, Sydney, merivale.com/venues/oti