Matt Vecchio knows how to run 18 Degrees at the Ice Den Scottsdale hockey facility.
The general manager spoke directly to his best guests and was successful in convincing them that 18 Degrees in Ice Dens Scottsdale was not a sports bar.
“‘Sports bar’ is outdated,” said the Queens, New York native. “People have better TVs in their homes. They have computers in front of them. We think of it more as a special event restaurant inside a hockey facility. ”
The recently renovated restaurant overlooks the Coyotes Rink, which has the largest capacity for spectators and is primarily used for all Arizona High School Hockey Association games, Junior Coyotes games and practices, learn-to-skate, and public skates. A session will be held.
Just around the corner is a bar that fosters friendships.
“I love working in a sports atmosphere,” Vecchio said.
“We really have to do that. All of our employees are like that. It’s a sports atmosphere, but it’s centered around special events, and right now we’re trying to attract special events and outside customers. is.”
He thrives by offering dishes and sauces cooked from scratch, such as pomegranate guacamole, cauliflower teriyaki tempura, and wing sauce.
The menu includes patty melts, maple bacon cheeseburgers, keto cheeseburgers, homestyle chicken sliders, turkey burgers, and all-beef sliders.
For the health conscious, there are plenty of protein bowls and salads, including the Arizona Salad (spring mix, black beans, corn, pepper jack, avocado, candied jalapeños, pico de gallo, lime cumin vinaigrette). buffalo chicken salad; teriyaki bowls and ranchero protein bowls come with chicken, shrimp and steak;
But 18 Degrees has found a niche in Italian dishes such as word-baked pizzas and pastas (Pasta Marinara, Penne Alla Vodka, Pasta Alfredo with Lemon, Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce).
A smile slowly appears on Vecchio’s face as he orders three Italian meatballs as an appetizer. They are made using his grandmother’s recipes.
But Italy’s influence extends further. As the story goes, Vecchio was running a nightclub on Long Island when he fell in love with a coat check girl he hired.
“She still makes me the best pasta in the world,” he said of his wife, Doreen.
When he moved to Arizona in 1993, the self-proclaimed New York Rangers fan worked at what was then called Pizzeria Uno in downtown Phoenix.
“When they moved here in 1998, you looked in the bar at 2:30 in the afternoon and there were three coyotes sitting there, all former Rangers,” he said.
“I said hi to them. They had been skating earlier in the day and happened to find my restaurant. Chris King called me and told me he had Chicken Parmesan every time after skating. I said it’s not on the menu even though it’s on the menu.”
Vecchio asked King when he would return.
“He’s superstitious, so I said, ‘I’m going to make you chicken parmesan.’ They came back on Thursday and I made him chicken parm with homemade breading.”
King was so impressed that he encouraged his teammates to visit the restaurant as well.
Little did Vecchio know he would end up working for Rainey Partners, the management team that brought the Coyotes from Winnipeg to Arizona. 18 Degrees, located just off the lobby, opened in 1998 as Peter’s Piper Pizza and changed to its current theme around 2009.
Italian food is king, and chicken wings and chicken tenders are a hit at this family-friendly restaurant.
“The chicken tenders are phenomenal,” he said.
“I’ve never tasted anything better. Everything is made to order. We have special breads.”
Vecchio said there will also be a build-your-own charcuterie board to accompany the specialty wines in October.
You can choose 4 dishes from carefully selected high-quality ingredients from all over the world.
These include flavorful serrano ham (Spain), classic prosciutto (Italy), soppressata salami (USA), rich and flavorful mortadella (Italy), creamy fontina cheese (Italy), and tangy Crispy Montrachet goat cheese (USA), delicate fresh mozzarella balls (Italy), smooth brie (France), sharp and flavorful provolone (Italy) and silky mascarpone (Italy).
Each board is accompanied by a chef-selected side, including a mix of European olives, sweet and rich fig jam, and slices of locally sourced French baguette.
Vecchio hopes 18 Degrees can attract customers from the neighborhood, especially the homes being built nearby. He is preparing for an influx of neighbors, but insists nothing will change. He says everything is made to order and the sauces and dressings will continue to be made in-house.
“Frozen food is only on the children’s menu,” he said.
18 degrees
Ice Den Scottsdale
9375 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale
480-334-3653, 18-degrees.com