AM/03 Aperitivo5 min readBy Amami Italia
What aperitivo really means
The hour Italy keeps for itself, somewhere between the day and dinner.
It happens around seven. Work is done, dinner has not begun, and a glass arrives with something small and salty beside it. Nobody is in a hurry. That is rather the point.
Aperitivo is Italy’s pre-dinner ritual: a light, bittersweet drink and a few bites, taken slowly. The word comes from the Latin aperire, to open. It opens the appetite, and the evening with it.
A ritual, not a rush
Aperitivo is about pace. It is the handover from the day to the table, an hour for conversation rather than consumption.
A drink, something to eat, and good company.
In Milan, they will tell you that is all aperitivo needs. The glass and the plate belong together.
Where it began
Turin, 1786A shop near the royal palace began selling a wine infused with herbs and spices. It was called vermouth, and it became so popular the shop stayed open day and night.
MilanThe city answered with its bitter red aperitifs. Mix the two cities’ favourites, equal parts bitter and vermouth, and you have the Milano-Torino. Add soda and it becomes the Americano.
FlorenceThe story goes that a count asked for his Americano to be made stronger, with gin in place of soda. The Negroni was born.
The VenetoThe spritz began with a splash. In the 1800s, Habsburg soldiers found the local wine strong and asked for a little water in it (spritzen is German for “to splash”). Venice’s own bitter, Select, gave it its orange-red glow in 1920, and Prosecco joined in the 1970s.
Milan had one more twist. In 1972, a bartender reached for Prosecco instead of gin, and the Negroni Sbagliato, the “mistaken” Negroni, was born.
| If you like | Order | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Something light and bubbly | Spritz | Bittersweet, low in alcohol, made for lingering |
| Something serious | Negroni | Gin, vermouth and bitter in equal parts |
| A Negroni, with bubbles | Negroni Sbagliato | Prosecco in place of gin |
| A Negroni, only gentler | Americano | Soda in place of gin |
| Just the bubbles | Prosecco | Crisp, bright, a classic start |
| The original | Vermouth on ice, with orange | The Turin way |
What to eat
Aperitivo food is small, salty and made to be shared: bruschetta, golden arancini, burrata with a little prosciutto. There should be enough to keep the glass company, with room left for dinner.
Three things to remember
- Keep it light. Bittersweet and bubbly wakes the appetite.
- Bring a bite. The glass always comes with company.
- Take your time. Order one drink, share the plates and put the phones away.
At Amami
Aperitivo at Amami
At Amami Italia in Brampton, the room is at its best in the early evening, when the light drops and the first glasses go out. Ask the bar for a Negroni, a spritz or a glass of Prosecco. Order bruschetta or arancini for the table, and let the hour turn into dinner.
It is also the easiest date night there is: an hour at the bar, then dinner if the conversation is good. It usually is.
And later in the evening, something new is coming for the hours after dinner. Find us at Airport Road and Mayfield Road in Brampton, near Castlemore and a short drive from Caledon, Bolton and Vaughan.
Reserve a tablemangia · senti · ammiraeat, feel, admire
Asked at the table
What does aperitivo mean?
It comes from the Latin aperire, to open. It is a light drink and a few bites, taken before dinner to open the appetite.
What time is aperitivo?
It happens in the early evening, in the hour or two before dinner.
What is a good aperitivo drink?
Try a spritz, a Negroni, a Negroni Sbagliato, an Americano or a glass of Prosecco. Each is light, bittersweet and made to open the appetite.
What comes after dinner?
That is the digestivo: a small glass of amaro or grappa, or a caffè, to close the evening. Our after-dinner menu has forty-three pours of port, amaro, grappa and caffè.
Where can I go for aperitivo in Brampton?
At Amami Italia, at Airport Road and Mayfield Road, near Castlemore and Caledon. Come in the early evening for a Negroni or a spritz at the bar, with bruschetta or arancini, before dinner.
Read next: How to pair wine with Bistecca alla Fiorentina · A guide to Italian wine regions, from Tuscany to Piedmont
Sources: Europeana · Wikipedia: Spritz · Wikipedia: Negroni · YesMilano · Punch