By Gretchen Pahia
Photos courtesy of 18 Degrees
Looking for a unique place to grab a bite to eat in Scottsdale? Look no further than 18 Degrees. This “cool” spot is not your typical sports bar, and they’re just fine with that. Sure, you can catch a game on one of their many TVs, but that isn’t their primary goal. They prefer to be thought of as more of a specialty spot that just happens to be located inside a hockey facility. Located inside the Ice Den Scottsdale, the restaurant, remodeled in 2023, overlooks the Coyotes rink – home to many Arizona High School Hockey Association games, practices, ice skating lessons, and open public skating sessions.
The restaurant is laid out in such a way that you can choose to watch what’s happening on the ice or enjoy time in the bar area with friends and family. The food alone is worth the trip, especially if you live nearby. The menu offers many options, from appetizers to desserts.
Want to start with a cocktail and appetizer? There’s a decent cocktail menu, as well as several beer and wine choices, and plenty of non-alcoholic selections. For starters, you’ll find options such as pretzel pillows, chips and dip, spicy teriyaki tempura cauliflower, and of course, a delicious charcuterie board.
When it comes to the main course, the menu caters to just about everyone. If you love Italian food, there are plenty of delights to be found. Ten-inch wood-fired, hand-crafted pizzas, including a cheese option pizza bianco, are available, and you can create your own. Pasta options include pasta alla vodka, pasta marinara, pasta alfredo with lemon and pesto cream sauce, and more.
Burgers, including a classic patty melt, maple bacon cheeseburger, build-your-own burger, and a build-your-own turkey burger, are also on the menu. There are few slider options including all-beef sliders, keto cheeseburgers, and homestyle chicken sliders too.
Don’t worry if you’re trying to be more health-conscious or eat a bit lighter; there are still options for you. For salads, they have an Arizona salad with spring mix, black beans, corn, pepper jack, avocado, candied jalapeno, pico de gallo, and a lime-cumin vinaigrette. Or check out their buffalo chicken salad with crispy or grilled chicken, romaine lettuce, cherry tomato, white cheddar, pickled carrot, hothouse cucumber, fresh corn, and ranch dressing. There are also teriyaki and ranchero protein bowls that come with chicken, shrimp, or steak.
A kid’s menu with options for younger diners is available. Options range from a cheeseburger and fries, sliced grilled chicken with fruit, mac-n-cheese, chicken nuggets with fries, cheese pizza, grilled cheese and fries, mini corn dogs and fries, and a couple of desserts including a root beer float and Nutella shake, a hot chocolate chunk cookie sundae, or vanilla or chocolate ice cream in a waffle cone.
18 Degrees is located at 9375 E. Bell Rd., Scottsdale. For more information, visit 18-degrees.com.
