The Surprising History Behind Italy’s Most Beloved Pre-dinner Drinks

In Italy, drinking before dinner isn’t just a way to start the evening. It’s a tradition.

The aperitivo, or pre-dinner drink, is a custom that has been deeply rooted in Italian culture for generations. The idea behind the practice, much like America’s happy hour, is to ease into the evening starting with a few snacks and a drink to awaken the palate. 

Today, the aperitivo is mostly associated with a chic cocktail sipped at a table in a bustling piazza. However, Aperitivo is no new trend. It is a rich, storied Italian tradition that many Americans are only now discovering.

For centuries Italians have been drinking aperitivi, fortified wines infused with herbs as well as botanical liqueurs, which were thought to have medicinal properties. Today this category includes some of Italy’s most iconic spirits, each one bringing a bit of its local tradition to the glass. 

Vermouth: The Turin Original

Vermouth is a core component of Italy’s aperitivo culture, not only as an elegant pour on its own but also as one of the quintessential cocktail modifiers. The vermouth we drink today originated in Turin, the capital of the Piemonte region in northern Italy.

In 1786, the first sweet red vermouth was created by mixing wine with sugar and adding its own blend of herbs and spices. Today’s versions resemble the original recipe, with fortified wine as a base that is then aromatized with a special combination of herbs, roots, and spices.

Today, sweet red vermouth continues its popularity, traditionally served neat or on the rocks with a slice of citrus. Vermouth is also an essential ingredient in some of the most famous cocktails in the world such as the Negroni, Manhattan, and the Americano.

Red Bitters: The Rise of Bittersweet Aperitivo

In the 1860s, red bitter liqueurs were introduced, which really cemented the tradition of bittersweet pre-dinner drinks. The bitter botanicals like gentian root, wormwood, cinchona bark, and bitter orange peel found in red bitter liqueur activate bitter taste receptors on the tongue. This immediately signals the salivary glands to produce more saliva, which moistens the mouth and prepares your taste buds to perceive food flavors more vividly.

Red bitter liqueurs are about 20–28% ABV, higher proof and more assertive, and act as the backbone of drinks like the Negroni and Americano, and of course, various spritzes.

Carciofo: The Unexpected Artichoke Aperitivo

Some of Italy’s most interesting liqueurs are made with ingredients you might never expect to find in a cocktail. Artichokes, for instance, are the star ingredient in a category of bittersweet herbal liqueurs known as carciofo.

While an artichoke-based liqueur might sound unusual, the vegetable has a long history in Italian food culture, particularly in regions where artichokes are widely cultivated.

Despite their unusual main ingredient, these liqueurs don’t necessarily taste like artichokes. Instead, artichoke leaves are combined with herbs, roots, and other botanicals to create complex flavors that tend to be earthy, herbal, and pleasantly bitter, often balanced by a touch of sweetness.

Artichoke-based amari gained wider popularity during the 20th century, particularly as Italy’s postwar café culture flourished. By the 1960s and 1970s, they had become a familiar part of the country’s aperitivo tradition, enjoyed as a way to unwind before dinner.

Today, carciofo liqueurs are commonly served over ice or topped with soda water for a simple aperitivo. Their distinctive bittersweet flavor also makes them a versatile cocktail ingredient. They can be used in a Negroni variation in place of the traditional red bitter aperitivo, adding a deeper, earthier character to the drink. They’re also well suited to a Spritz, mixed with prosecco and soda water, or a Little Italy, a Manhattan-inspired cocktail that combines rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and artichoke amaro.

Rosolio: A Historic Liqueur Returns

Long before red bitter spritzes became so popular, another Italian liqueur was offered to guests at parties and gatherings: rosolio.

Rosolio is on the sweeter and more delicate flavor spectrum of aperitivi. Locally, it’s a classic pour for guests at special occasions and family gatherings.

Made from a recipe that includes flowers, herbs, fruits and spices grown nearby, this traditional drink was, until recently, produced almost exclusively by families in the central and southern regions of Italy. It’s traditionally served with sparkling wine or tonic, though it has now found its way onto the menus of some of the most influential cocktail bars around the world.

An Italian Tradition That Continues to Evolve

From the historic vermouth houses of Piemonte to the bergamot groves of Calabria, Italy’s aperitivo culture is as varied as the regions that helped shape it.

Each category brings something different to the table. Vermouth adds herbal complexity to classic cocktails, while bitter liqueurs offer bartenders a way to balance sweetness and introduce new layers of flavor. Meanwhile, floral, citrus-forward rosolio brings a lighter touch to spritzes and other refreshing drinks.

While these spirits have deep roots in Italian tradition, their influence now extends well beyond Italy. Bartenders around the world are finding new ways to incorporate them into both classic and contemporary cocktails, introducing a new generation of drinkers to ingredients that have been enjoyed in Italy for centuries.

The core of aperitivo culture remains the same as when it began. At its heart, enjoying aperitivi is still about taking a little time before dinner to relax, share a drink, and perhaps catch up with friends and family.

This article is sponsored by the Italian Trade Agency.

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