By our American definitions, an aperitivo is a pre-meal drink. In most recent years, the Aperol Spritz has swept the States as a summertime drink of choice, served in afternoon sun on patios like a midday treat.
However, the cultural practice of aperitivo is something much more rich and complex than a happy hour cocktail or summertime drink. “The experience of aperitivo is a cultural ritual,” Eataly Toronto shares. “Derived from the Latin aperire, the tradition is meant “to open” the stomach before dining.” And for Michael La Corte, the Salon food editor whose culinary upbringing was steeped in Italian and Italian-American tradition, we would all do well to embrace the full concept of aperitivo.
“The amalgamation of pandemic snacking, the second Italy-set season of ‘White Lotus’ and the rise of ‘girl dinner’ have actually catapulted the trend,” he writes.” At its core, though, aperitivo, Italian happy hour and snacking culture is so much more than a trending topic or how one eats on holiday — it’s a years-old, cherished custom that has been commonplace and the ‘default’ throughout Italy for generations.”
For Italians, aperitivo extends beyond a pretty orange cocktail to perfectly paired bites, sweet and savory, meant to awaken and tease the appetite in-between meals. The snack, while satisfying simply in practice, also serves its purpose as intentional eating.
As cookbook author Anna Francese Gass tells La Corte, “At dinner, overindulgence doesn’t happen because you don’t come to the table famished.” Gass’s cookbook, Italian Snacking, is centered around small bites for any time of day. La Corte also spoke with Stef Ferrari, creator of Stuzzichini: The Art of the Italian Snack, as he sees the rise of aperitivo culture trickling from menus on to shelves.
This is an indicator that its trend American diners are adopting in their lifestyles, not just indulging from special summertime menus. And because it’s a ritual that is here to stay, it’s worth considering for static menus. Our restaurant consultants see an opportunity for maximizing on happy hours, pre-dinner add-ons, and customers in-between the meal rushes, with snack-food items that are easy and affordable to curate.
Richard Weil, principal and owner of National Restaurant Consultants (NRC), further believes, “Operators have long realized that guests will indulge and often return more frequently when menu offerings incentivize guests to do so. It is not an overly complex set of menu offerings that need to be presented, and often during slow periods with minimal staff working simple and flavorful can be combined to increase customers and sales.”
Following diner trends is an important part of menu engineering. For assistance in studying and organizing your menu, as well as creating special aperitivo additions that complement your restaurant’s flavor, consider working with our restaurant consultants on a full menu optimization.