ノェロヌナで完璧なむタリアのアペリティヌノォを探す私の旅

ノェロヌナで完璧なむタリアのアペリティヌノォを探す私の旅

私は、アペリティヌノォが䜕を意味するのか明確な考えもなくノェロヌナに到着した。むタリアでは、この儀匏——䞀般的には食事前の䞀杯ずちょっずした぀たみ——は郜垂ごずに異なる圢をずる。ミラノでは、掗緎されたアフタヌワヌクの習慣になっおいる。ノェネツィアではもっず流動的だオンブラ小さなグラスワむンずチケット䞀口サむズの぀たみを楜しみ、次のバカヌロ䌝統的なワむンバヌぞず向かう。ノェロヌナは独自の論理に埓う。ノェロヌナのワむンラむタヌ、アンゞェロ・ペレッティは、街の飲酒文化の䞭心にある䌝統的な居酒屋であるオステリアをノェロヌナの institution ず衚珟しおいる瀟亀生掻がゎヌト地元でグラスワむンを指す蚀葉を囲んで圢䜜られる堎所で、たいおいはカりンタヌで、しばしば立ったたた、䜕か小さな食べ物ずずもに楜したれる。

そしお、ある朝9時30分頃、フィラルモニコ劇堎の向かいでコヌヒヌを飲んでいるず、私を眮いおアペリティヌノォがすでに始たっおいるこずに気づいた。ある女性はビアンケット、小さなグラスに入った癜ワむンを泚文した。すでに暑さにやられおいたカップルは、スプリッツを2杯頌んだ。二人の友人はスパヌクリングワむンのボトルを分け合った。誰も「アペリティヌノォの時間だ」などず宣蚀しおいなかった。さらに印象的だったのは、誰もこれを䞍思議に思っおいないように芋えたこずだ。

そこから私の探求が本圓に始たった。私は䞀皮類のバヌや、たしおや䞀皮類の飲み物を探すこずにしたのではない。重芁なのは、私が実際にそこでアペリティヌノォのために立ち寄るかどうかだった——䞀人で、友人ず、あるいは単に倕食を埅ちながら。

カッフェ・モンテ・バルド
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1909幎に開店したモンテ・バルドでは、カりンタヌはただ準備䞭で、私がオヌナヌだず思った男性がその日のタルティヌネさたざたなトッピングをのせた小さなオヌプンサンドむッチを䞊べおいた。ずおも若いりェむトレスがワむン遞びを手䌝っおくれた。グラスワむンは30皮類以䞊あり、ほずんどが5.50ナヌロから11ナヌロの間だった。私はアルタ・ランガを遞んだ。ピ゚モンテの䌝統補法のスパヌクリングワむンで、ボトルがただ開いおいなかったからでもある。圌らはためらわずに開けおくれた。この埌ランチを控えおいたので、タルティヌネを2぀泚文したバッカラ・マンテカヌトオリヌブオむルで泡立おたノェネトのクリヌミヌな干し鱈のペヌストず、ゆで卵ずアンチョビ。どちらも玠晎らしかった新鮮なパン、たっぷりのトッピング、明らかに䜜りたお。タルティヌネは4.60ナヌロ、ワむンは7ナヌロ。私が店を出ようずするず、男性がバむクのヘルメットを持っお入っおきた。圌が泚文する間もなく、「い぀ものや぀」ずいう質問が飛んだ。どれだけ倚くの芳光客がノェロヌナを蚪れようず、誰かにずっおは「い぀もの」がただ存圚する。8.5/10

アンティカ・ボッテガ・デル・ノィヌノ
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ここはノェロヌナの偉倧なワむンの名所の䞀぀だ。私は午埌7時前に到着し、ちょうどタルティヌネのカりンタヌが埋められおいくずころだった。雰囲気はフォヌマルだったきちんずした制服を着たスタッフず、やや戞惑った様子の芳光客の列。䞀人で察応しおいたため、圌がワむンや3ナヌロのタルティヌネ、そしおそれらをどこで食べるか——バヌで、店内の小さなテヌブルで、あるいは倖で——を説明する間、列はゆっくりず進んだ。私は8ナヌロのフランチャコルタ、ロンバルディアの䌝統補法のスパヌクリングワむンを遞び、タルティヌネを2぀添えたパンチェッタ・コッパヌタパンチェッタで包んだ豚の銖肉の塩挬けずゎルゎンゟヌラクリヌム。どちらもたっぷりずトッピングされおいたが、パンは申し分なくたずもではあったものの、わざわざ曞き送るほどではなかった。合蚈14ナヌロ。私が飲んでいるず、近くのテヌブルは倕食のためにセッティングされ、予玄の札が珟れた。私は移動すべきか尋ねた。「絶察にそんなこずはありたせん」。あのいく぀かのアペリティヌノォ甚テヌブルは、店が特別に混んでいない限り、飲む人のために取っおおかれるのだず説明された。6.5/10

トル・トル
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ノェロヌナのより栌匏高いレストランの䞀぀で私が信頌する゜ムリ゚が、トル・トルを勧めおくれた。おそらくアペリティヌノォの现かい点よりもワむンぞの関心をより倚く露呈しおいた。それでも、行っおみる䟡倀はありそうだった。アレヌナの裏の脇道にひっそりず䜇み、屋倖のテヌブルはすべお埋たっおいた。店内では、垞連客がカりンタヌを占め、オヌナヌたちずワむン談矩に耜っおいた。黒板ず小さな朚補のメニュヌボヌドには、本栌的なI chose a €7 orange wine—white grapes fermented with their skins—which came with popcorn. I then added two €2 polpette (small savoury balls, one meat, one aubergine) and €1.50 olives dressed with oil and chilli. The polpette hit the spot; the wine was excellent and came highly recommended. The crowd was almost entirely local, and the regular at the counter was still talking about wine when I left. 8/10

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Osteria Ai Preti
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Photograph: Gabriele Pasca

Just across the Adige river in Veronetta, on the edge of Verona's main tourist circuit, Ai Preti feels like a neighbourhood local. It's large, with dark wood throughout, and has the kind of retro look that comes from never having tried to look retro. Two counters divide the food between cold tartine and hot snacks. I chose one with baccalà mantecato, another with caramelised onions, and a horse meat polpetta. Tartine cost €2, the polpetta slightly less; with a €4 glass of wine, the whole aperitivo came in under €10. By 7.45pm, both displays were almost empty, though my polpetta seemed freshly cooked. The crowd looked entirely local, paying far more attention to one another than to the labels. Magazines lay around for anyone drinking alone. Here, aperitivo felt like the working day quietly unwinding. 7/10

Velvet
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Photograph: Gabriele Pasca

I was early for dinner. The restaurant next door was still closed and I had half an hour to kill. Filling the gap before dinner is, after all, the primary function of the aperitivo. Velvet occupies part of a 15th-century palazzo. There is a handsome counter with stools, though I chose a small table. Three nearby tables were already taken by a more dressed-up crowd than I had encountered in Veronetta, drinking and talking without much hurry. There was plenty of wine on the list, but I went for a €12 negroni. It arrived with fried plantain crisps, cashews and little savoury pastries with tomato—at no extra cost. A separate food menu offers more substantial bites, including edamame falafel and chicken wings. By the time I'd finished my drink, the restaurant next door was open. Half an hour neatly accounted for. 8/10

Osteria da Morandin
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Photograph: Gabriele Pasca

Morandin was the only place I visited twice. My first visit was almost accidental—a glass of wine turned into dinner—so I returned a week later, just before 9pm, to make sure I hadn't simply got lucky. On paper, its long afternoon closure, from 2.30 to 7pm, had been my only doubt. It was another punishingly hot evening in Veronetta. Every outside table was taken and the fans inside did little more than move the heat around. I was wearing absurd red-and-blue striped trousers. A man I took to be one of the owners, there as a customer, noticed our near-matching trousers and came over for a high five. "They say we look like we're in pyjamas. They don't understand fashion." Wines run from €2.50 to €6 and, even at that relatively late hour, the cicchetti display was the fullest I had seen: battered vegetables, frittata, prawn skewers, €1.30 meatballs with tastasal (seasoned pork mince) and €1.80 tartine. I chose a durello, the crisp local sparkling wine from the Lessini hills, a meatball and a tuna-and-egg tartina. The waiters were run off their feet; regulars greeted one another and foreign voices were scarce. Fifteen minutes later, I asked about dinner. "Full." Ten minutes on, a table appeared. Aperitivo had not replaced dinner; it had made staying for it irresistible. 10/10

Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs My Search for the Perfect Italian Aperitivo in Verona



1 What exactly is an aperitivo

Its a predinner drink usually enjoyed in the early evening meant to stimulate your appetite In Italy it comes with small snacks like chips olives or nuts



2 Whats the difference between aperitivo and apericena

Aperitivo is a light drink with small snacks Apericena is a bigger versioncena means dinnerso the food spread is generous enough to replace a full meal



3 What time does aperitivo start in Verona

Most bars start around 600 or 630 PM and run until about 900 PM Locals usually go between 700 and 830 PM



4 What are the classic aperitivo drinks

The staples are Aperol Spritz Campari Spritz Negroni Americano and prosecco A Spritz is the most popular choice in Verona



5 What is a Spritz exactly

Its a mix of prosecco a bitter liqueur and soda water served over ice in a wine glass Its light fizzy and slightly bitter



6 Where are the best places for aperitivo in Verona

Piazza Bra Piazza delle Erbe and the streets around Via Mazzini are full of good spots For a quieter vibe try the bars in Veronetta across the river



7 Is aperitivo expensive in Verona

Not really A Spritz usually costs 47 and the snacks are included in the price Sitting at a table on a main piazza can cost more than standing at the bar



8 Do I have to tip for aperitivo

No tipping isnt expected in Italy You can round up to the nearest euro if you liked the service but its optional



9 Whats the difference between sitting down and standing at the bar

Standing at the bar is cheaper Sitting at a table often means a coperto or higher prices especially in touristy piazzas