Spritz Veneziano
Photo: Daniel 13:47, 21. Jul. 2008 (CEST) · CC BY-SA 2.0 de

History

The Venetian spritz traces to the early 19th century, when Austrian soldiers in Habsburg-ruled Veneto spritzed local whites with sparkling water (the German verb spritzen, to spray). The bitter-aperitif version arrived in the 1920s with Select (1920, Pilla family of Padua) and Aperol (1919, Barbieri brothers, Padua); the modern Aperol-Prosecco-soda formula was codified at Venetian bacari postwar. Aperol Spritz became a global drink after Campari Group acquired Aperol in 2003; Select, the less-sweet original, is what Venetians actually drink. The 18:00 spritz at a campo bacaro is the canonical aperitivo move.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes that match this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 5 minTotal 5 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 240ml Aperol (or Select for a less-sweet Venetian original; Campari for a more bitter version)
  • 360ml chilled Prosecco DOC (Glera grape; brut or extra-dry)
  • 120ml chilled soda water
  • 4 large strips of orange peel
  • 4 green olives (preferably Castelvetrano or Cerignola), with stones in
  • Ice cubes

Method

  1. Chill four large wine glasses or rocks tumblers in the freezer for 10 minutes.
  2. Fill each chilled glass with ice cubes to the rim. Do not skimp; the spritz lives on cold dilution.
  3. Pour 60ml Aperol over the ice in each glass.
  4. Pour 90ml chilled Prosecco over the Aperol; the colour layers from amber at the bottom to pale gold at the top.
  5. Add a 30ml splash of soda water; stir gently with a long bar spoon once to combine (do not stir hard or you kill the Prosecco bubbles).
  6. Garnish each glass with a green olive on a cocktail pick and a wedge or peel of orange.
  7. Serve immediately at 18:00 sharp; the Venetian spritz is a sundowner, not an evening cocktail.

Tip from the editors. Use Prosecco DOC (not DOCG, too dry); the palate wants the floral Glera note. Select is the original Venetian aperitif; graduate from Aperol when ready.

Where to eat spritz veneziano

Spritz Veneziano in Venice

Al Merca ★ 4.5

€ Italian

Al Merca on Campo Bella Vienna near Rialto is the tiny walk-up bar where the mini panini cost €1.50 and the spritz €3.50, the canonical campo aperitivo.

TrySpritz and mini panino

TipCloses 20:00. No interior space; the crowd stands on the campo. Cash and card accepted.

Directions Book a table

Cantina Do Mori ★ 4.6

€ Italian

Cantina Do Mori in Venice's San Polo near Rialto is the 1462-founded bacaro, with francobolli sandwiches at €1.50 to €3, the cheapest historic-bar meal.

TryFrancobolli sandwiches and ombre

TipCash only. Walk-in. Closed Sundays. The francobolli (postage-stamp-sized sandwiches) are the move; pair with ombre at €1.50.

Directions

Cantinone Gia Schiavi (Cantina Schiavi) ★ 4.6

€€€ Wine bar

Cantinone Gia Schiavi in Venice's Dorsoduro at the foot of Ponte San Trovaso is the De Rossi family bacaro since 1944, with house-made crostini and the canal.

PourSoave Classico and Recioto pours

WineVeneto whites, traditional ombre

FoodHouse-made crostini, polpette

TipEat your crostini standing on the bridge; the bar inside is tiny. Closed Sunday afternoons. Family-run since 1944.

Directions

Bacareto Da Lele ★ 4.6

€ Italian

Bacareto Da Lele on Campo dei Tolentini in Venice's Santa Croce is the canonical budget bacaro, with €1 panini and €0.80 ombre served from a window.

TryPanini and ombra

TipCash only. Walk-up window; sit on the Tolentini church steps with your panino and ombra. Closed Sundays.

Directions

All Venice signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want spritz veneziano covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →