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Johnny McGuire’s Deli

Tuesday, June 30, 2009 | 2:35 p.m.

A deli that has been a fixture in Aspen, Colo., for years is coming to Town Square. Johnny McGuire’s Deli, which will feature a full menu of sub sandwiches, salads and breakfast items, is expected to open this month.

Johnny McGuire’s will offer a casual dining experience and will be located above The Grape and adjacent to Blue Martini, in the restaurant-focused center of Town Square.

“Town Square and this concept are a great fit,” said Jason Baratta, the deli’s owner. “We have a great following among locals and visitors in Colorado, and Town Square draws from those groups as well.”

Parker Scaggiari, a local interior design and architecture firm with projects that include Globe Salon, the Elton’s shops at Mandalay Place and The Palazzo, and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, is designing the space, which is under construction.

The fare will include mostly deli items but will have a few surprises, such as steaks. Customers can order from the menu or create their own variation of a sandwich. Some of the more unusual menu offerings are the product of customer requests and are sometimes named after those customers.

In Aspen, for example, a sandwich that includes grilled ham, bacon, cheddar cheese, green Tabasco sauce, avocado and mayonnaise is called a Julian; and the turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese, sprouts and honey mustard is called an Emma.

Although people don’t have to be famous to get a sandwich named for them, Baratta hopes some local celebrities will become regulars and create sandwiches that can be added to the menu.

“We would love to have a sandwich called an Oscar Goodman or something like that,” Baratta said. (It should probably include a generous portion of ham).

Deviations from traditional offerings also are given creative names. In addition to a regular Reuben, there is the Reuben Carter, which includes a “hurricane” of roast beef in place of corned beef, honey mustard instead of Thousand Island dressing, onions and peppers.

The deli will offer soft drinks and beer but no Bombay Sapphire Gin or other hard liquor, which might make it a little tougher to get those regular visits from Goodman.

The expansion into Town Square might be just the beginning for Johnny McGuire’s, which is pursuing franchise agreements in Las Vegas and other markets.