In search of Verona's own version of aperitivo
A Guardian travel writer toured several wine bars and taverns in Verona to understand the city's distinctive aperitivo culture. She found that in Verona, the ritual isn't tied to a set time or specific drink, but to the habit of stopping for a glass of wine with a small bite.
Across Italy, aperitivo — a drink paired with a small snack before dinner — takes different forms depending on the city. In Milan it has become a polished after-work ritual; in Venice, it means moving from bar to bar with a glass of wine and a bite-sized snack. Verona, according to a recent Guardian travel piece, follows its own logic, centred on the osteria, the traditional tavern where social life unfolds at the counter over a glass of local wine.
The writer discovered that in Verona, aperitivo isn't bound to a specific hour — locals were ordering wine and spritzes as early as 9.30am, with nobody treating it as unusual. Rather than searching for one type of bar or drink, she decided to judge each place simply on whether she'd want to stop there for an aperitivo, whether alone, with friends, or while waiting for dinner.
The venues
At Caffè Monte Baldo, open since 1909, more than 30 wines by the glass were on offer alongside freshly made tartine (open sandwiches). Antica Bottega del Vino, one of the city's grand wine institutions, had a formal atmosphere with queues of tourists. Tor-Tor, tucked behind the Arena, offered a serious selection of natural wines and a mostly local crowd. Osteria Ai Preti, across the Adige river, felt like an unpretentious neighbourhood spot with a genuinely retro look.
Velvet, set in a 15th-century palazzo, served a negroni with complimentary snacks. The highest score — 10 out of 10 — went to Osteria da Morandin in Veronetta, which the writer visited twice and found to have the fullest spread of cicchetti, a warm atmosphere, and few tourists.
Her overall conclusion: in Verona, aperitivo hasn't replaced dinner — it has simply made staying on for it irresistible.
