Now Open: Crazy Craft Sliders Are the Specialty of a New Drinkery in Scottsdale

A new concept in north Scottsdale lands with a first-class happy hour and craft sliders – 13 kinds of sliders, that is, with 10 dipping sauces and eight possible sides.

At the intersection of Scottsdale and Pinnacle Peak roads, a bit east of Desert Ridge Marketplace, is a new kind of high tea with shared plates and tiny sandwiches – PNPK. Except the tea is wine and the tiny sandwiches are flavor-punched sliders, rounded out with bruschetta, deviled eggs, and vegetables to make for a strong happy hour and a menu great for drinking.

PNPK was previously Grapes, a wine bar that owner Kellie Pruitt rebranded after the loss of her daughter. In January, when Pruitt was considering closing Grapes, she encountered Rebecca Golden, the founder of the bistro 32 Shea and a restaurant consultant.

The two reinvented Grapes. PNPK was born.

The wine list stayed. Arizona beer was added.

They devised a menu of their favorite things with one idea in mind: sharing. Pruitt wanted to create a dining experience that involved trying new things. And, yes, sliders can be new.

These sliders go way beyond beef and cheddar. There are sliders with blueberry barbecue sauce and New Mexico green chile. There are sliders featuring meatloaf, meatballs, fried chicken, and bangers and mash. These sliders come with toppings like slaws, glazes, candied bacon, wasabi mayo, and cheeses like gruyere, Brie, and white cheddar. There are more standard sliders, too.

In addition to sliders, there are other pickings. PNPK has eight kinds of bruschetta. These come in appetizing combos like roasted grape, burrata, and olive oil. Boards can be mixed and matched from cheeses, meats, charcuterie, and various jams and dips.

Sauces are housemade, loaded with flavor, and pull much of the weight for the sandwiches. The most popular slider is the Crispy Hot Fried Chicken, combining sweet and spicy sauces with breaded, flash-fried chicken. It’s everything there is to love about a great chicken sandwich: fresh, tender, and just spicy enough.

Ingredients are all locally sourced and vegan/vegetarian options are available (and on the menu).

“We’re focused on supporting all local Arizona companies,” Kellie Pruitt says. “We get our lighter buns, which are brioche, from the Arizona Bread Company and we source meat from French’s Meat Company and it’s a gourmet beef blend we use for our sliders.”

The bangers on the bangers and mash slider are from Schreiner’s Fine Sausages.

On any given day expect about 30 wines to be available by the glass or for a flight, six craft cocktail options, and eight rotating Arizona draft beers. There’s a flight for everyone (except cocktail drinkers). And, if that’s not enough, there are at least 150 wine bottles available at PNPK.

Currently, a majority of the wines on the flight list come from California, with a handful from New Zealand and France. Pruitt is currently working on an Arizona wine list and just purchased from LDV Winery and San Pillsbury. So locavores, relax – they’ll be on the menu soon.

And yes, if you were wondering, sliders pair well with wine. Pruitt recommends the spicy chicken sliders with a flight of sparkling wine. This flight includes sparkling rose, Prosecco, and a Faire la Fete Cremant de Limoux Brute, a sparkling wine from southern France. The lightness of the brut balances the spicy complexity of the chicken.

At happy hour (11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.), sliders run $4 a piece with no limit. (Make-your-own slider is also a choice if you’re feeling creative). The happy hour also includes $5 flights of beer, $5 flights of wine, and servings of bruschetta for $3.

If you’re looking for a new happy hour in Scottsdale, some sliders and booze, or finishing up a hike at Pinnacle Peak the right way, PNPK is worth a stop in.

PNPK. 23335 North Scottsdale Road, Suite D105, Scottsdale; 480-305-0907.
Daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.