Those drinks you enjoy before dinner actually serve a purpose. Trust us. An apéritif or aperitivo cocktail cleanses the palate and prepares the stomach for some delicious incoming food. From something light and fizzy to a classic martini, we've got the perfect apéritif beverage.
Aperol Spritz
There's a reason you see tables across Italy filled with this iconic neon-colored spritz before meals.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a wine glass, add ice, prosecco, Aperol, and club soda.
- Stir briefly to mix.
- Garnish with an orange wedge.
Negroni Sbagliato
If you're for something a little bitterer from your aperitvo, the Sbagliato is a stunning choice.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce prosecco
- Ice
- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, sweet vermouth, and Campari.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Add prosecco.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
@hbomax I'll take one of each. #houseofthedragon ♬ a negroni sbagliato w prosecco l hbo max - hbomax
Martini
We see your raised eyebrows, but it's the vermouth that makes the martini the perfect high-brow apéritif.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, vermouth, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into the chilled glass.
- Garnish with a lemon peel.
Hugo Spritz
If a mojito was a floral, sparkling apéritif cocktail, well, you'd have the hugo spritz.
Ingredients
- ½ ounce elderflower liqueur
- 1-2 fresh mint sprigs
- 4 ounces prosecco
- 1½ ounces soda water
- Lemon wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, briefly muddle the elderflower liqueur with mint sprig.
- Pour into a wine glass.
- Add ice, prosecco, and soda water.
- Stir briefly to mix.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and mint sprig.
Bicicletta
Grab your bicycle and head to the bar to sip this as you work up an appetite.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces sauvignon blanc
- 2 ounces Campari
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or stemmed wine glass, add ice, white wine, and Campari.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with club soda.
- Stir briefly to mix.
- Garnish with orange wedge.
Vermouth Spritz
Vermouth doesn't get enough love as the star in cocktails. And as an apéritif? It deserves all the awards.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces sweet vermouth
- Ice
- Soda water to top off
- Blood orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice and sweet vermouth.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with a blood orange slice.
Porto Tonico
You may think of port as an after-dinner drink, and that's fair, but with a bit of tonic, you can have port anytime.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces white port
- Ice
- Tonic water to top off
- Mint sprig and orange ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball, rocks, or wine glass, add ice and white port.
- Top off with tonic water.
- Stir briefly to mix.
- Garnish with an orange ribbon and mint sprig.
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Americano
Many think of this drink as the precursor to the Negroni. That doesn't matter. What does matter is this is an excellent precursor to dinner.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces sweet vermouth
- 1½ ounces Campari
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, sweet vermouth, and Campari.
- Top off with club soda.
- Stir briefly to mix.
- Garnish with an orange slice.
Before Dinner Drinks Worth a Cheer
Sip on something that'll get your stomach rumbling and ready for dinner. Kick your dinner off with a martini, keep it easy going with an Aperol spritz, or have yourself a little vermouth spritz. If you're looking for somethign smaller to wake up your palate, try an amuse bouche cocktail. Cocktails aren't just for after dinner anymore.
