Veneto: Where Aperitivo Became a Way of Life

A Drink Before Dinner (That Somehow Lasts Three Hours)

If you’ve ever sat down at Bar Corso for “just one drink” and found yourself ordering pasta two hours later, congratulations — you’ve accidentally embraced a very Venetian tradition.

In Veneto, aperitivo isn’t a quick stop before dinner. It’s a ritual. Friends gather in piazzas, a spritz appears, then maybe a few cicchetti. Then another round. Then a few more snacks. Before you know it, the sun is setting and nobody has any intention of leaving.

Sound familiar?

The Birthplace of the Spritz

Long before spritzes appeared on every patio in North America, they belonged to Veneto.

The original version was simple: local wine lengthened with sparkling water. Over time, bitter liqueurs joined the party and the modern spritz was born. Refreshing, slightly bitter, endlessly drinkable.

What we love about the tradition isn't just the drink itself. It's the pace. Nobody orders a spritz because they're in a hurry.

Small Plates, Big Conversations

Venice gave Italy one of its great food traditions: cicchetti.

Tiny bites enjoyed standing at a bar with a glass in hand. Not because anyone was counting calories, but because it allowed people to taste a little of everything while catching up with friends and neighbours.

It's a reminder that some of the best meals aren't really about the food at all. They're about the people gathered around it.

The Corso Version

We may be a long way from Venice, but the spirit feels familiar.

A spritz after work. A few plates shared across the table. One round becoming two. Someone saying, “Let's order one more thing.”

That's Veneto.

And if dinner happens to follow? Well, that's just good planning. Or very poor planning, depending on how many amari arrive at the end.

Salute.