The aperitif is almost the opposite of New York City. Italian art of pre-dinner drinks is to take time to relax and stimulate your taste buds and appetite, then sit for a long and leisurely dinner. In Italy, Aperitivo comes from Latin, meaning “open” and usually involves drinking Aperol Spritz or other aperitif-based beverages (such as Negroni), as well as snacks in snacks like pickled olives and pickled meat.
While New Yorkers rarely spend time absorbing in this laid-back Italian style, dozens of bars and restaurants across the city are embracing the tradition of this happy hour. The heat and the accumulation of PTO in the summer can explain this newly discovered desire to slow down. Many New Yorkers fled the city, embracing the heat, putting the Spanish archipelago and French beaches in trouble. But these New York City bars offer some European summer flavors in the city, and after just a few bites you feel like you escape to your beachfront destination. When you sit on the sidewalk from the Italian cafe, you can switch from coffee to the rooftop bar and cozy lounge, slow down and enjoy the aperitif bar in New York City, enjoy the low-end sippers and some snacks that will ship you to Italy.
