A Bike, A Box, and A Pizza

Welcome to New York City! From the historical French gift of the Statue of Liberty to the classic yellow taxis, the Big Apple has it all. And in addition to all this, people love New York City for its classic take on the Italian-styled pizza. But with so much to see and eat in New York City, why take a seat and grab a bite of pizza? I'll tell you why piece by piece.

But first, the history.

There is no question as to whether or not the pizza served up fresh in New York City even compares to its competitors on the west coast. It is beyond a shadow of a doubt an east coast necessity. The classic New York-style pizza is characteristically a large hand-tossed thin crust, made ready go. The crust is crisp only along its edges, yet soft, thin, and pliable enough beneath its toppings to be folded in half to eat. This style evolved in the U.S. from the pizza in New York City in the early 1900s, derived from the Neapolitan-style pizza made in Italy. Today it is the dominant pizza style often eaten in the New York metropolitan area states of New York and New Jersey and is variously famous throughout the United States. This is where Neapolitan Express comes into play.

Eat local.

Have you ever wanted to feel like a local in New York City but haven't made the 5 to 6 year residential requirement yet? Well, it's not too early to start establishing yourself with New York's finest at Neopolitan Express! In the city that never sleeps, Neapolitan Express is open into the late hours of the night, ranging from 12am to 4am. With their glowing neon sign facing oncoming traffic, you can't miss the #PizzaNeverSleeps. And while you are in there, you might as well introduce yourself and get comfy because now you are a part of the Neapolitan Express friends and family experience. From ingredients made fresh and imported dough, every step in the pizza process is handcrafted and delivered with care. Put simply, one employee of the company said, "Here we have a customer base, and we want to feed them and deliver honestly."

Meet Jesus.

It's here that you will meet pizza delivery man Jesus Reyes, 50, a true New York City native. You order, he delivers. Whether it be rain, snow, or hurricane, his bike has seen worse in its seven years in the business. But, fueled by undeterred determination and passion for his career, your pizza will arrive within minutes of your order and with the steam of the pizza oven still lingering inside the perfectly folded box. To Reyes, it's personal. "The other delivery guys don't care; in fact, they want you to cancel your order," Reyes said.

A bike.

Jesus Reyes flashes past pedestrians and weaves in and out of traffic, focused and steady. And only occasionally does Reyes stop to fix his lagging bike chain, but even that will not slow him down, "Even with my chain jammed right now, I would be going fast."

*Knock, knock* "Pizzaaa!"

- Jesus Reyes

A box.

After a quick bike ride through the Financial District, Jesus Reyes greets every New York City doorman by name before proceeding to knock twice on the customers' door then shouting the well-accustomed phrase "Pizzaaaa!" Following this, apartment doors are flung open with giddy excitement.

A pizza.

Reyes is known by many for his fun and outgoing Instagram page. On it, you can see smiles, pizzas, and selfies plastered across the profile page. Reyes wants his customers to know that he sees and values them. And so, after a successful pizza delivery, customers are always smiling and often gladly accepting of a selfie with Reyes. His customers are the heart and soul of the job. "At the end of the day, I feel that I did a good job," Reyes said.

On the road again.

So the next time you are in New York City and craving a classic slice of pizza, Neapolitan Express is the hot spot! If you want to find out more information about their company, check out their website. And to follow Jesus's adventures, click here to connect with him via Instagram. Who knows, maybe you'll be in his next selfie?