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It’s 6:30 pm in Rome and the bars are already crowded. In Florence, they have been filling up for the last hour. Throughout Italy, Italians seek out the best spots for aperitivo, the before dinner drinks accompanied by food that is the finest of all Italian traditions.
Some claim aperitivo started during the glamour years of the 1950s and 60s when fashionistas, intellectuals and movie stars would sip cocktails and people-watch in Milan’s bars. Others say that the tradition began in the 18th century when monks concocted magical elixirs with claims of healing properties and has evolved over time.
Usually running from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., aperitivo is an important part of Italian life as a way of socializing and winding down after a day of work. Yet aperitivo is much more than the happy hour cocktails we know and love; bars throughout Italy display an array of foods with the hopes of attracting young drinkers who want to get an early start on the night. The best part, the food is entirely free and seemingly endless, that is, if you buy a drink.
Aroma on East 4th street has brought the grandest of Italian customs to New York in an intimate candlelit room complete with rustic brick walls and a stunning single-piece petrified wood bar from Sri Lanka. The owner/hosts Alexandra DeGiorgio, at the door and Vito Polosa, behind the bar are so friendly you’ll feel like you entered an Italian home.
Tuesday through Friday, from 5 to 7:00 p.m. $15 will buy a sampling of three wines and all the food you can eat. They don’t skimp on the vino; the changing selection is all-Italian and tends to stay away from the commercial and the familiar and lean towards the esoteric and delicious.
In Italy, food for aperitivo can range from simple fare such as crispy homemade chips, olives, nuts and bread to intricate assortments of cheese, meats, pastas, polentas, pizza and sandwiches. Aroma errs on the side of the latter; bruschetta on Sullivan St. Bakery bread with a variety of toppings, salads and polentas are scrumptious mainstays on the daily changing menu.
Although aperitivo is only served upstairs at the bar, if you go for the excellent dinner with an ambitious menu, reserve the secret downstairs room past the downstairs kitchen and lined with candles and wine bottles. Other great seats include the front table under the chandelier and the sidewalk tables when it is warm.
At Aroma as in Italy, aperitivo is much more than simply Italian for the French term aperitif.
Aroma Kitchen & Winebar
36 E 4th St
New York NY 10003
212-375-0100
www.aromanyc.com
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