The Italian Hour

The spritz is Italy’s answer to the question of what to drink when the workday ends but the evening hasn’t decided what it is yet. Aperol — bitter orange, rhubarb, an amber glow you can see across a room — lengthened with prosecco and a breath of soda.

How we build it

The classic 3-2-1: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda, built over plenty of ice in a big wine glass with a fat orange slice. The order matters — prosecco first so the Aperol doesn’t sink and sulk at the bottom. Served immediately, because a spritz’s entire personality is its sparkle.

Why our way is best

Most bars freehand the ratio and end up with orange soda or bitter soup. We measure, we keep the prosecco properly cold, and we don’t skimp the ice — dilution is a feature here, not a flaw. It’s golden hour in a glass, and on our patio at 6 PM it does exactly what it was invented to do.