Midwesterners are known for creative pickle recipes – whether it’s adding them to beer, rolling them up with cream cheese and meat, making dill soup, or deep-frying them. Right here in Sartell, you can find them on top of Pickleroni Pizza at the Upper Deck. And yes, it’s DILL-icious.
Andy & Amanda Scott purchased the Upper Deck Bar & Grill in the fall of 2015 and spent time updating and remodeling; they opened for business in May of 2016. “We used to play ball at the Upper Deck when we were first dating and owning a restaurant/bar had always been an ambition of ours. It’s unique because of the various events we can host and because of all of the outdoor space we have available.”
But the Upper Deck isn’t Andy & Amanda’s only job! Andy works full time as a Sales Manager for RTG Holdings and Amanda owns her own accounting business. Amanda grew up in the area, and Andy – originally from Red Wing – graduated from SCSU. They met while both working at Vilo’s Lanes & Lounge – the old Waite Park bowling alley. ‘Parent’ is also listed on their resume; they have a 10-year-old daughter, too. “The staff has become family. We went from having an only child to now considering all of our staff to be our children. We hope that what they learn at The Deck can help them grow as they continue on with their careers and education.”
Like many local bars + restaurant establishments, COVID threw a curveball at business. “Our customers and staff really stepped up and helped us get through this past year … the best way the community can support us is word of mouth.” Not only is The Deck open again, they’re also hosting a big event in July!
“Upper Deck puts on an annual event yearly to help Pediatric Cancer. This event was originally created to help support our staff person Lulu who recently lost her battle with cancer. In the past, the annual event was a kickball tournament, but this year we have decided to start a new tradition. On July 30, 2021 Upper Deck will be hosting Mason Dixon Line to provide an evening of music while raising awareness for Pediatric Cancer. We’ve teamed up with the NPK HERO Foundation and 100% of ticket sales from the event will be donated to the NPK HERO Foundation – a local nonprofit “shining a light of hope on families affected by pediatric cancer, with support of health-related research, education, and care.” Tickets for this must be purchased prior to the event. Information can be found on the Upper Deck Facebook page.
There’s always excitement at The Deck. “We have leagues throughout the summer and bingo every Thursday evening. In the fall and winter, we also offer a Wednesday night trivia league.” While the Pickleroni Pizza is a personal favorite of ours, there’s a lot of great menu items that Upper Deck is known for, including their wing sauces, pizza menu, and gourmet hot dogs. Next time you’re looking for some fun and great food, check out The Upper Deck!
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