Sugar Bowl

Posted By Michael Stern on July 16, 2009 11:40 AM

No sprawling urban metroplex has a restaurant scene more fluid than Phoenix, with great new places opening all the time, and some great new places closing almost as quickly. But since 1958, there has been at least one culinary institution that locals have learned to rely on: the Sugar Bowl in Scottsdale’s Old Town. With its pink-upholstered booths and counter stools and a swift young staff who look so cheerful carrying raspberry glaciers (Sprite and sherbet), golden nuggets (Sprite, sherbet, and ice cream), and Turkish coffee sodas, it is the quintessential ice cream parlor. In particular, we recommend the Camelback sodas, made with either vanilla or coffee ice cream, and “extra luscious malts,” for which the glass is lined with your choice of marshmallow, hot fudge, or caramel sauce.

In an age when nutritional nannies wag their fingers at sugar itself, we would love this place only for its name. But that is just a manifestation of the unrepentant classicism that makes the Sugar Bowl such a treasure. Jane, an ice cream soda aficionado, declares these to be among the nation's best. Where else do you have the opportunity to order such bygone faves as a Dusty Road, a Banana Royale Split, and the quintessential Tin Roof sundae? These soda fountain masterworks are all the better for the cheerful pink setting.

There are sandwiches, soups, and salads, too, which are really very good, made by pros using good ingredients and time-tested recipes. But in truth, when we walk into this happy place, we instantly become too obsessed with ice cream to consider anything else.

A while back, Roadfooder Charlene Kingston wrote to tell us, "The Sugar Bowl is the name of the ice cream counter that [cartoon character] Dennis the Menace visits, named after this restaurant. Hank Ketcham [Dennis's creator] used to come and visit Bil Keane (creator of Family Circus) who lived in Scottsdale near this famous local landmark, and he used the name in his strip as an inside joke with Keane." So not only is it a good place to eat ice cream: it is a cultural landmark, too!

extra luscious malt

Camelback soda

Tin Roof Sundae

Lemonade

Top Hat Sundae

Fruit Salad

Turkey Salad Sandwich

Jell-O

Posted By Nanci Schenkein on September 22, 2011 3:44 PM

I lived in Scottsdale for five months and the ONLY thing I can say I miss from that awful place is The Sugar Bowl! We still have family there so sometimes I am forced to visit Scottsdale and, believe me, I rush right down to Sugar Bowl to get my fix. The food is just ordinary but man, oh man, the ice cream in any form can hardly be beat. Enough said. And it's cute as a button. Do not miss Sugar Bowl if you have to go to the area!

extra luscious malt

Camelback soda

Top Hat Sundae