A new pizzeria with a distinctively Chicago touch has landed in north Fort Worth. Called Bartoli’s Pizza & Bakery, it just opened at 2700 Western Center Blvd., where it specializes in Chicago tavern-style pizza — the cracker-thin-crust pie long popular in Windy City watering holes that's nothing like its deep-dish cousin.

The restaurant comes from Chicago-area native Danish Mohammed, a financial planner who worked in restaurants more than 15 years ago, and decided to rekindle his passion for pies when the opportunity arose to open Bartoli’s in Fort Worth.

“It’s something that made sense,” says Mohammed, an affable, friendly fellow with a quick sense of humor. “I’ve got three little kids who love pizza, and all my money goes into pizza either way.”

Bartoli's is now doing pick-up and delivery only in a former i Fratelli’s Pizza space (Fred’s Texas Café is a neighbor, for geographical reference) which has been given a fresh remodel with white subway tile and black countertops. Shelves displaying commercial-sized cans of premium plum tomatoes prove authenticity.

“A lot of the ingredients are not available in Texas,” Mohammed says. “We brought all the ingredients from Chicago and went through a practice run for a month or two to get things right."

"We make our dough in-house and everything is from scratch, including the marinara," he says. "I think that’s what will set us apart because it does take a good amount of labor to get those things ready on a daily basis.”

All of his pizzas are currently on Chicago tavern-style thin crust (although he's threatening to introduce a deep-dish style sometime down the road). Pizzas can be cut round or else square, just like the corner bars do in Chicago.

The most basic pizza is the tomato pie: no mozzarella, doused only with Bartoli’s house-made marinara sauce and a little grated pecorino Romano, olive oil, and basil. This is a pizza that's hard to find elsewhere in Fort Worth. It starts at $4.95 for an 8-inch, maxing out at $15.95 for an 18-inch.

A basic cheese pizza is $6.95.

You can add toppings to either, ranging from pepperoni to spinach to olives to sausage to hot giardiniera, very Chicago, for $1 to $1.25 each. Or else order one of their composed "specialty" pizzas in varieties such as pepperoni deluxe with mushrooms, onions, and green peppers; or a white pizza with ricotta, olive oil, tomato, and garlic. Prices start at $13 for a 10-inch.

In addition to pizza, there's spagetti, calzones, four kinds of garlic bread, and even an Italian beef sandwich with au jus on French bread ($8.49).

Right now, Bartoli’s is offering several BOGO specials when ordering online, including classic tomato pies, mostaccioli, spaghetti, and garlic cheese bread.

“A couple businesses have failed out of this location,” says Mohammed. “So I’m trying to come in and be a hero.”

Bartoli’s open from 9 am–9 pm daily for pickup (except Wednesdays when it opens at 10:30 am) and 11 am–8 pm daily for delivery.