Growing up in New England, I became used to a certain style of pizza. The “New York style,” as developed by Italian immigrants who settled in The City (as we called New York City), comes with a thin, crispy crust, with not a ton of sauce and sprinkled with delicious, fresh toppings. The crust is thin enough to fold in half, which is the accepted way of eating a slice as you walk through Times Square.

You don’t see that style much in the heartland. I’m happy to report that real New York-style pizza has come to Fort Wayne, housed in Big Apple Pizza on Wells Street. Co-owners Chad Castator and Patrick O’Sullivan have developed their pizzas to reflect the New York style, complete with foldability.

The pair met while working together at Club Soda, which bought Richard’s Bakery several years ago to provide a space for the restaurant to prepare food for catering as well as to provide breads for the restaurant. That venture didn’t work out, but Castator (who was running Club Soda’s catering side) saw the location’s potential. He and O’Sullivan, a New Hyde Park, N.Y., native, thought it was time to bring a taste of the Big Apple to the Summit City. They purchased Richard’s Bakery and decided to open what they’ve dubbed a “bakearizza” – a bakery that sells pizza.