Where to Find a Laid-Back Aperitivo Hour in New York City
You don’t have to catch a flight to experience the Italian tradition of pre-dinner drinks thanks to these New York City aperitivo bars.
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Aperitivo is almost antithetical to New York City. The Italian art of the pre-dinner drink is all about taking time to relax and stimulate your taste buds and appetite before sitting down for a long, leisurely dinner. In Italy, aperitivo—which comes from a Latin word that means “to open”—typically involves drinking an Aperol spritz or another aperitif-based drink like a Negroni and snacking on bites like marinated olives and cured meats.
Despite the fact that New Yorkers rarely take the time to imbibe in that laid-back Italian style, dozens of bars and restaurants across the city are embracing this happy hour tradition. Summer heat and stacked-up PTO can explain this newfound desire to slow down. Many New Yorkers flee the city and embrace the heat, decamping to Spanish islands and French beaches. But these NYC bars offer a little taste of European summer right in the city, and you’ll feel like you’ve escaped to a seaside destination after just a few sips. From Italian cafes where you can switch from coffee to spritzes while sitting on the sidewalk to rooftop bars and cozy lounges, slow down and enjoy low-ABV sippers and a few snacks at these aperitivo bars in New York City that will transport you to Italy.
Best Laid-Back Aperitivo Hours in New York City
Bar Madonna
- 367 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
This Italian-American spot in Williamsburg recently introduced a brand new early-evening aperitivo ritual. Every day during the first two hours of service (5 to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 3 to 5 p.m. on weekends), guests can get a 2.5-ounce mini martini, a seasonal Negroni, or a refreshing Garibaldi for just $7 during the cocktail bar’s aperitivo hour. The menu also offers a chance to explore the extensive amaro selection behind the bar with a deal on a rotating selection of amaro with soda. Every order is paired with complimentary small bites like crostini with marinated eggplant, ricotta and Calabrian honey to really make you feel like you’ve swapped Metropolitan Avenue for Milan.
Dante West Village
- 551 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
Dante has been serving spritzes, Negronis and other Italian beverages since 1915. The iconic Greenwich Village location is still open, but the New York City bar’s newer outpost in the West Village was surely designed with aperitivo in mind, with big bright windows to let in the afternoon sun and lots of outdoor seating around its prime corner location. During the bar’s daily martini hour from 3 to 5 p.m., select martini riffs are just $10. But no matter what time you visit, expect a signature cocktail list with options like a Hugo Spritz and several Negronis that are perfect for easing into a nearby dinner reservation.
Bar Bianchi
- 5 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Bar Bianchi is a newcomer to the aperitivo scene in New York City, but the team behind French-inspired bars like Elvis and The Nines has proven it can also create a laid-back venue that would be at home in Italy. This Milanese-style aperitivo spot in the East Village is reminiscent of Art Deco-era cafes in Italy with lots of al fresco seating, a checkerboard floor and vintage Italian posters adorning the walls. On the menu, guests will find a slate of antipasti like marinated olives, prosciutto with melon and tuna tonnato—all great aperitivo snacks. On the drinks side, the menu is brief, but each section is dedicated to an aperitivo favorite: spritzes (available in regular and gigante sizes), Negronis, and classics like martinis and sgroppinos, a dessert-like vodka cocktail with prosecco and sorbet.
Cafe Spaghetti
- 126 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Tucked away in Carroll Gardens is a little slice of Italy courtesy of chef Sal Lamboglia (Swoony’s, Sal Tang’s). Walk past the small front room bar and through the pint-sized dining room, and you’ll find a sprawling back patio with dozens of tables that are perfect for a leisurely drink. With ivy covering the walls and bistro lights twinkling overhead, it’ll make you feel like you’re wasting the afternoon away in Italy while drinking the house spaghetti spritz or an olive oil martini and snacking on ricotta crostini and arancini. There’s even a Vespa parked in the center of the patio to add to the effect.
Good Guys
- 134 Eldridge St, New York, NY 10002
From the team behind the beloved menu-free cocktail bar Attaboy, Good Guys is a spot that’s heavily dedicated to serving up spritzes. This Lower East Side aperitivo haven offers about six variations on the spritz, from bitter Campari spritz with sweet vermouth, absinthe, chocolate bitters and Lambrusco to a version that employs espresso and orange for a zippy start to the night. Wine and beer are also on offer, plus a couple non-alcoholic options like the St. Agrestis Phony Negroni and Casamara Club’s amaro-style soda, so you can get in on the fun without catching a buzz.
Bar Pisellino
- 52 Grove Street, 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
Nothing says aperitivo like sitting streetside on bustling Grove Street in the West Village—and you can do just that at Bar Pisellino. This all-day cafe from acclaimed chefs Rita Sodi and Jody Williams (Via Carota, I Sodi) has all the Italian charm of their beloved restaurants baked into a pint-sized corner bar. With coffee offering a break from the bustling workday and Aperol spritzes garnished with olives and orange peel as the sun starts to set, the genuine Italian vibe lasts all day. Just remember: They don’t take reservations, so get there early or adopt the relaxed Italian style and expect to wait a bit.
Leonessa
- 102 N End Ave, New York, NY 10282
Perched atop the Conrad New York Downtown, this Amalfi Coast-inspired spot is a welcome addition to lower Manhattan for a leisurely post-work aperitivo. During aperitivo hour Monday through Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m., all spritzes and bitter cocktails are just $14. The full drink lineup, curated by Ariel Arce (Tokyo Record Bar, Heroes), features classics like sbagliatos, Negronis and martinis, plus special spritzes like the Lei Sai with tequila, passionfruit and vanilla topped with bubbly prosecco. A couple small bowls of snacks like olives and taralli crackers are served with every drink. Adding to the aperitivo vibe, tables are surrounded by a trickling fountain, lemon trees and sunset views over the Hudson River.
Little Fino
- 111 N 12th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Andrew Carmellini is known for his Italian-inspired restaurants like Carne Mare and Cafe Carmellini. Now he’s getting in on the pre-dinner game with Little Fino. Tucked inside The William Vale hotel, Little Fino is an ideal hideaway for early-evening drinks. As the sun starts to go down, the ground-floor, all-day cafe transitions from serving espresso and cornetti to cocktails from bar director Darryl Chan (The Portrait Bar, Café Carmellini). A section of the menu is labeled “Snacks for Martinis,” making your pairing easy with options like marcona-stuffed olives, crispy polenta tots and Grana Padano cheese topped with truffle wildflower honey. If you’re really hungry, a two-foot sandwich called The Long Sando should get the job done.
