Little Arthur’s Hoagies, a popup sub shop that has been routinely selling out of its face-sized sandwiches since former Bar Dough sous chef Arthur John (AJ) Shreffler started the business in 2019, has officially opened inside the Out of The Barrel Taproom in central Denver.
The restaurant, at 205 E. 7th Ave., serves huge hoagies, like the Italian, made with layers and layers of ham, salami, capocollo and provolone, along with tomatoes, pepperoncini slathered in red wine vinegar, olive oil and oregano; and the Cheesesteak, which is shaved ribeye, fried onions and American cheese. The menu also has pizzas, salads, smothered fresh-cut fries and deserts.
Out of the Barrel, which opened in November 2023, taking a space formerly occupied by Counter Culture Brewery & Grille, serves 30 taps of Colorado craft beer.
“The vibe/vision is like a … Philly-style Italian diner,” Shreffler wrote in an Instagram post. “Family style dining is my favorite, and I always wanted to bring these feels to Little Arthur’s.
“I can’t wait to serve everyone on my mom-mom plates and bring giant dessert boards to tables,” he continued. “Nothing beats the look of someone with 12 cookies and a giant piece of cake placed in front of them. Nothing. A simple moment in time where concern is out the window, and chocolate cake is all that matters. Pure bliss amongst chaos.”
Shreffler grew up near Philadelphia and got his start in restaurants there after high school. Over the past four years in Denver, he’s built a huge following for his hoagies and other dishes at pop-ups at Bar Dough, King of Wings and Sunny’s. He also operates a smaller version of Little Arthur’s, called Arty Express, which has been appearing at breweries in Denver.
As for the prices, Shreffler has been unapologeticsince each sandwich is built like a truck and comes with primo ingredients, many sourced locally. “People don’t realize that they’re basically getting like a $50 steak they would get from a steakhouse in their cheesesteak,” he told The Denver Post in an interview in August 2023. “We break down a full rib roast, and essentially serve a 12-ounce steak, sliced by hand, in each sandwich.”
The opening menu included three sandwiches for $22-24 each, while the three pizzas on the menu — two reds and a white — are $40 each.
“Our pizza will be the most expensive in town most likely,” Schreffler wrote on Instagram. “So please, if you can’t handle things that cost more than the ‘norm,’ just go to Reddit and talk s*** now and save your time … Whatever ya need to do hun.”
Each pie is 20 inches and made with “my personal favorite imported Italian products that I am fortunate to get my hands on,” he wrote. “They’re big pies meant to share with some of your people and experience some of the OG flavors that pizza was founded upon.”
“I think they’re special — maybe you will too,” he added.
Originally Published: August 14, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.
