Traveling to Italy has culinary rewards that include pizza and pasta as well as many more Italian foods and desserts. But, make no mistake – some of these edible rewards are best imbibed from a glass.
In Italy, people fill sidewalk cafes every day of the week. While munching on a range of snacks, from salumi to cheese, their hands clutch glasses of wine as well as flutes filled with sparkling Prosecco and a variety of classic Italian cocktails.
Fun Fact Italians don’t say cheers when they make toasts. They say salute or cin cin instead.
Italians have been sipping Aperol Spritzes and Negronis for more than a century. It just took some time for Italy’s sophisticated sippers to jump the pond in a serious way.
The popularity of those two particular Italian cocktails has skyrocketed in recent years to the point that it’s practically impossible to find a bar in the United States that doesn’t serve one or both. However, while we sip the occasional Negroni and Aperol Spritz, they’re not the only Italian cocktails we craft at home.
We drink a variety of Italian drinks at home when we enjoy aperitivo sessions filled with olives, cheese and assorted cured meats. It’s a custom we learned about in Bologna and one that we’re happy to recreate when we have company as well as when we don’t.
These are our favorites Italian cocktail recipes to craft at home:
9 Of The Best Italian Cocktails
Negroni
Follow our classic Negroni recipe and learn how to make the sophisticated Italian sipper with just five ingredients including ice. Unique for its deep red color and acerbic flavor, a Campari Negroni packs a punch with equal parts of bitter Campari, dry gin and sweet vermouth.
The Aperol Spritz is the quintessential aperitivo cocktail in Italy. (Sorry Negroni fans!) Discover the story behind the classic Italian cocktail and learn how to craft one at home.
The Limoncello Spritz hails from Italy but you don't have to hop on a plane to sip the sweet lemony aperitivo. Instead, follow our step-by-step Limoncello Spritz recipe and sip the Italian lemon spritz at home.
The Bellini cocktail may be the most delightful cocktail of them all. With just two ingredients (peach purée and Prosecco), it's easy to craft. It's also bubbly, sweet and peachy. Plus, it's pleasantly pink. And who doesn't like pink cocktails?
The Garibaldi Cocktail, one of summer's hottest drinks, is a sophisticated Italian tipple. Follow our super simple recipe and craft a refreshing Garibaldi at home.
Crafting an Amaretto Sour is easy. The challenge is deciding which ingredients to add. Since we add both Disaronno Amaretto and Bourbon, our Amaretto Sour recipe is technically a Disaronno Sour recipe and it's delicious.
The Negroni Sbagliato was allegedly invented by mistake. Fast forward 50 years and this mistaken 'Negroni with Prosecco' has become a worldwide sensation. Join the hype and craft one at home.
Italian cocktails are cocktails invented in Italy. They’re typically crafted with Italian liqueurs like Amaretto, Aperol and Campari.
What’s the most popular Italian cocktail?
The Negroni is the most popular Italian cocktail both in Italy and beyond with the Aperol Spritz a close second.
When is the best time to drink Italian cocktails?
While it’s always a good time to drink Italian cocktails, the best time is during the Italian pre-dinner ritual known as aperitivo.
Where is the best place to drink Italian cocktails?
Italy is the best place to drink Italian cocktails but it’s also easy and fun to craft them at home.
Video Recap
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About the Authors
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
Disclosures
Article Updates We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.
Funding We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.
