Masterpiece Deli Moves In With Old Major

DoorDash, Postmates, GrubHub, and the like haven’t just changed the way we eat—they’ve altered the way restaurants operate. With to-go orders now accounting for 85 percent of his business at Masterpiece Delicatessen in LoHi, chef-owner Justin Brunson decided it is time to move the tiny Central Street deli in with Old Major, his bigger restaurant a half-mile up the road on Tejon Street.

“Masterpiece has been crammed into that space for so long. The cooking can’t keep up with the demand,” Brunson says. “Moving into Old Major, we’re gonna be able to crank sandwiches out.”

Masterpiece Deli, Brunson’s first solo restaurant in Denver, opened in 2008, before Postmates was ever a glimmer in anyone’s eye. There, Brunson elevated the humble sandwich, putting his fine-dining skills to work between two slices of bread. Denverites literally ate it up, lining up for 12-hour braised beef brisket and taleggio sandwiches, served with a side of pasta salad. When the food delivery apps came along, diners no longer had to wait in line, texting in their orders instead.

Apart from wanting more kitchen space to fulfill all those delivery orders, Brunson says parking is another factor that’s solved with the move. There are more street spots around Old Major, making it easier to access for both restaurant guests and delivery drivers.

The conceptual shacking-up of Masterpiece and Old Major means that the latter will serve breakfast daily, including a Monday Industry Brunch with $15 bottomless mimosas to kick off your week. Masterpiece’s cult-favorite morning sandwiches will be available from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, right alongside the Benedicts and grits from Old Major’s brunch menu. (Weekend brunch hours remain the same, from 9:30 a.m.–2 p.m.)

“I want to make sure everyone can get all their favorites, all the time,” Brunson says.

The menu merge also means more stellar lunch choices—and some tough questions. Will Old Major’s Royal Rooster fried chicken sandwiches hold their own against Masterpiece’s killer truffle egg salad? How will we choose between the gooey cheeseburger and the hot ham and swiss? We’ll find out the answers on January 6, 2020, when Masterpiece Deli debuts inside Old Major. Masterpiece’s last day on Central Street is December 31.

If you go: 3316 Tejon St., 720-420-0622