The Rise of Aperitivo Culture in Italy: From Turin’s Vermouth to a Global Ritual

Across Italy, as the sun dips and dinner still feels far away, cafés and bars hum with life. Glasses clink, small plates of olives and cheese arrive, and conversations spill onto terraces. This is aperitivo—the cherished pre-dinner ritual that turns a simple drink into a social pause, bridging the day’s work and the evening meal.

Today, aperitivo is a global phenomenon, from spritz hours in New York to negroni nights in Tokyo. But its origins lie not in Milan’s sleek bars or Rome’s trattorie, but in 18th-century Turin, with a fortified, herb-laced wine that sparked an appetite—and a cultural movement.

Turin, 1786: How Vermouth “Opened” the Appetite

The word aperitivo comes from the Latin aperire, meaning “to open,” and in its earliest form, the ritual was designed to do just that: open the appetite before dinner.

In 1786, Antonio Benedetto Carpano, a distiller and herbalist in Turin, created a new kind of drink—an aromatised wine infused with botanicals, which he called vermouth. Slightly bitter, fragrant, and lower in alcohol than spirits, vermouth quickly gained popularity as a pre-meal tonic. Locals believed that sipping a small glass of it before dining helped stimulate digestion, preparing the stomach for the evening feast.

Turin’s cafés soon became hubs for this new custom. Patrons gathered after work to sip vermouth, nibble on a few nuts or olives, and ease into the evening. At first, aperitivo was practical—a small indulgence with a functional purpose. But as the habit grew, it evolved into something more: a social and cultural anchor, marking the shift from the day’s labour to the night’s leisure.

From Digestive Tonic to Social Ritual

By the late 19th century, aperitivo had spread beyond Turin, finding its place in cities across northern Italy. The ritual expanded, both in flavour and in meaning. Other low-alcohol drinks—like bitters, amari, and eventually sparkling wine spritzes—joined the roster. Food, too, grew more elaborate, moving from a handful of olives or almonds to small plates of cheeses, cured meats, and eventually full buffets.

This shift marked aperitivo’s transformation from a quick appetite stimulant to a communal event. It wasn’t just about digestion anymore—it was about connection, conversation, and claiming a transitional space between work and dinner. For many Italians, this hour became as important as the meal itself: a chance to see friends, relax, and enjoy a slower pace without committing to a full evening out.

The industrial boom and rise of café culture in the early 20th century accelerated this change. In Milan, especially, bars began turning aperitivo into a more indulgent affair, offering generous spreads of food alongside cocktails, making it a social institution in its own right.

Aperol Spritz and the Global Explosion

Although aperitivo was firmly rooted in Italian life by the mid-20th century, its global rise came much later. The catalyst? The Aperol Spritz, now a staple on summer terraces worldwide.

Aperol itself was invented in Padua in 1919, but for most of the 20th century, it was a modest, regional drink, far less popular than classics like Campari. It wasn’t until the 1990s and 2000s, thanks to targeted marketing campaigns and a wave of interest in Italian cocktail culture, that the Aperol Spritz exploded in popularity. Its low alcohol content, vibrant orange hue, and refreshing, slightly bitter taste made it the perfect ambassador for the aperitivo lifestyle.

From there, aperitivo culture took off globally. Rooftop bars in New York and London began offering Italian-style spritz hours. Tokyo’s cocktail scene adopted the ritual, while cities from Melbourne to Mexico City reinterpreted it, blending Italian tradition with local flavours.

What began as a single glass of vermouth in an 18th-century Turin café has become a worldwide shorthand for slowing down, sipping something light, and savouring the in-between moments of the day.

Fun Fact: Aperitivo Was Once Health-Driven

Though today we associate aperitivo with indulgence, its early popularity was partly due to its perceived health benefits.Many botanicals in vermouth and bitters—like gentian, cinchona, and citrus peel—were traditionally used as digestive aids. 18th- and 19th-century drinkers genuinely believed that a small, bitter drink before dinner wasn’t just enjoyable but good for the stomach. That functional origin still lingers, even if most of us now raise a spritz more for pleasure than for digestion.

Why Aperitivo Still Resonates

Part of aperitivo’s enduring appeal is its balance. Unlike happy hour, with its heavier pours and rushed pace, aperitivo has always been about moderation and connection. Drinks are lighter, food is plentiful but not overwhelming, and the focus is as much on company as consumption.

For Italians, it remains a cultural touchstone: a time to pause, socialise, and enjoy life’s quieter luxuries. For the rest of the world, it offers a taste of that rhythm, a reminder to slow down and savour the transition between day and night.

The next time you sip a spritz or vermouth before dinner, remember that you’re participating in a ritual born centuries ago, when a herbal wine in Turin first promised to “open” the appetite. What began as a functional tonic is now a global invitation: take a seat, take a sip, and let the evening unfold.