A taste of the Windy City is just around the corner at Fat Dan's Chicago-style Deli, located at 815 Broad Ripple Avenue. Owner Dan Jarman described some of his delicatessen's menu items.

"We are a Chicago-style Beef Stand and Deli that sells Chicago Italian Beef, Polish Sausage, Italian-style Sausage, in addition to hand-cut fries and hand-patty burgers. Customers can also choose individual items in customizing their sandwich. We also smoke ribs, brisket and pulled pork in-house and sell craft beers as well," he explained.

Fat Dan's is the exclusive place in Broad Ripple where customers can order items from the smoker. In addition to fountain pop and canned pop, they serve Delirium Tremens, a Belgian ale made by Trappist Monks, which has become a favorite among patrons. They also have Old Style on tap and rotate some local beers on their three guest taps.

Jarman selected the Broad Ripple location because "I grew up here most of my adult life and love the culture and locality of the area. I wanted to bring something new and local to Broad Ripple where family and friends can meet and enjoy great food," he said. His restaurant background includes working at Waffle House and as a corporate trainer at Sullivan Steakhouse. He formerly worked in real estate and politics, but prefers pulled pork to public policy.

Originally from Indianapolis, his family moved to Chicago when he was very young. "I'm a lifelong Cubs fan and grew up in Arlington Heights, a northwest Chicago suburb," he said. "We also lived in the Old Town area of North Avenue and Wells Streets, about two miles south of Wrigley Field. I attended Cubs games with my Dad. There was a lounge area at Wrigley Field where we got to meet announcer Harry Caray, Bill Buckner, Dave Kingman and Bruce Sutter. Bill Buckner was one of my favorite players," he recalled. Buckner won the National League batting title in 1980 with a .324 batting average while playing first base with the Cubs. He accumulated over 2,700 hits and scored 1,077 runs during his 20-year major league career.

Jarman's family later moved to Maryland where their residence was near the Baltimore Colts training complex. He soon became a fan. After the Colts infamous midnight crossing to Indianapolis in 1984, Jarman's family returned to Hoosier state in 1987. "I've lived in the Broad Ripple area the rest of that time. Ever since I was a teenager, I always wanted to have a restaurant with a Cubs theme. I love food and cooking, having family and friends sitting around a table enjoying each other's company in a laid back place. I couldn't have done this without the support of my family," he noted. Jarman's sister (Erin, who makes chocolate chip cookies for the deli), his brother and Mom reside in Indianapolis while two other sisters live in Colorado.

Fat Dan's deli items include pastrami & corn beef, smoked reuben, and The Ethan, (roast beef, cheddar, lettuce, onion, tomato, rye, spicy mustard and mayonnaise that is named for his nephew). Peyton's Grilled Cheesy and Griffin's Hot Ham N' Cheezy (named for his niece and other nephew, respectively) are available from their Beef Stand. Some of Fat Dan's sandwiches are named after famous Chicago streets, like the North Avenue Fat Burger and Wells Street Fat Burger from their grill and the Maxwell Street Polish from the Chicago Beef Stand portion of their menu. Their accoutrements include slaw, Kosher Chicago Pickles and hand-cut fries that are a customer favorite.

A replica of Chicago's Wrigley Field scoreboard can be seen in the deli with vintage Cubs merchandise and various sports mementos that celebrate the boys of summer, in addition to Colts and Pacers items. "A couple brought in memorabilia which they traded for lunch," he said. The deli is a popular place not only for lunch and dinner, but also during major athletic events like March Madness and the World Cup. Cubs' games can be watched here throughout the season.

He is working with Riley Children's Hospital and other charities to sponsor some events that will give back to the Broad Ripple community. This may involve an inaugural hot dog eating contest to commemorate their first anniversary that could include a street fair or block party as an end of summer event. More details about this will be announced.

Fat Dan's opened in September of 2009. They have a full catering service, take-out and limited local delivery. Fat Dan's may be rented out for parties, birthdays or special occasions. They are a kid-friendly, smoke-free environment ideal for get-togethers with family and friends.

Satisfying the hearty appetites of hungry Hoosiers and sports fans alike as they celebrate their first anniversary, Fat Dan's Chicago-style Deli has a family-friendly atmosphere in the heart of Broad Ripple.