Living La Dolce Vita: Five Places to Enjoy Aperitivo in Beijing
Despite a last bit of cold weather – forecast to come to an end on Mar 22 – it looks like spring is slowly making its way into Beijing. And, as the weather warms up more and more, we couldn’t think of a better way to appreciate it than out in the sun enjoying aperitivo.
Often referred to as the Italian equivalent of happy hour, aperitivo goes a little bit deeper than that. It’s not so much a time to enjoy drink deals as it is to unwind after work while preparing the palate for dinner – aperitivo in Italian means “to open”, hence bitter drinks and salty snacks aimed at preparing for a larger meal to come.
And, while the practice of aperitivo did originate in Northern Italy, in recent years it’s spread throughout the entire peninsula and beyond.
Here in Beijing, we’re blessed with a number of Italian bars and restaurants – some of which specialize solely in aperitivo. Here’s a few for your consideration.
Buona Bocca
This cozy space, situated north of Sanlitun Taikooli just off Xindong Road, opened in 2017 and has been going strong ever since. The bar offers up classics like spritzes, negronis, and a number of wines alongside a variety of snacks within a red light-lit space. Think mini pizzas, meat platters, seafood, and more.
Nina
Born out of the Great Brickening, Nina was founded by three individuals behind a bar called Jiao and kitchen space Cartoccio which had originally taken up shop along Fangjia Hutong. Located along Beiluoguxiang, just north of the busier Nanluo, Nina is a welcome retreat from the crowds of the latter street.
Along with what’s perhaps the most extensive spritz and negroni menu in Beijing – definitely try their Nina Spritz (RMB 60) Nina also offers up bites, snacks, and pasta dishes right in the restaurant, giving it a decidedly homely feel.
VinVino
This spot, operating up in Maizidian, is more of a wine bar than a proper aperitivo bar, but they’ve got the means for guests to have a DIY aperitivo. Along with wine – which you can choose from their cellar – there are a number of tapas and small bites available from brie and dried figs to way-out-of-left-field options like Sicilian octopus carpaccio (RMB 78) and Sichuan chorizo and tomato salad (RMB 43). Should you choose to imbibe in something more than wine, there’s also a small cocktail and digestif selection – homemade lemoncello (RMB 40) included.
Forno
With two locations – one in Taikooli and the other up by Liangmaqiao – Forno may be known more for their award-winning Roman-style pizzas, they also have small bites, dishes, and aperitivo cocktails.
Their house negroni is the star here, made with two different kinds of white vermouth that allows the gin to shine. They also have a great negroni sour as well. Pair it with their fried artichokes (RMB 68) or bruschetta (RMB 58) for a perfect small meal.
La Platea
Situated in The Place smack dab in the center of the CBD, La Platea is the café/bar that’s perfect for sunny weather. It’s got bar-style window seating that opens into an ample outdoor seating area, with the large windows letting in plenty of natural light.
Along with aperitivo classics like Aperol spritz, they’ve also got something called a trapizzino, a cross between a sandwich and pizza pocket filled with options like meatballs, tomato pesto and cheese, porchetta and mozzarella and more (RMB 42 each; RMB 98 for a combo of three). They’ve also got food and drink specials for every day of the week, so it could just become your next go-to.
READ: Papà Danilo Brings Decent Pasta to a Humble Space in Gulou
Images: Dennis Schmidt (via Unsplash), Margeaux Schreurs, Vincent R. Vinci, courtesy of the venues
