Embrace the Italian Aperitivo Hour with an Aperol Spritz in Penang

It was a breath of fresh air, seeing the signature Orange Aperol Spritz pop-up cart along the streets of Penang. Yes, you seen it right, and we are no where near Milan, the birthplace of the Aperitivo Hour. In Italy, Aperitivo is a big thing in their culture and it is similar to cocktail hour where people have pre-meal drinks and small bites “cicchetti” in anticipation for dinner.

One of the most popular drinks during Aperitivo Hour is the Aperol Spritz, a wine-based cocktail made from Aperol, soda water and Prosecco. Aperol  is an infusion of herbs and roots with two of its most distinctive flavours being oranges and rhubarb (Alcohol content 11%). The Spritz is refreshing and slightly fizzy with a bitter-sweet after taste. Some people may not appreciate the taste and may feel like it has a medicinal note.

Head over to Hold Up by Back Door Bodega for a taste of the Aperol Spritz. If you remember the orange fridge from the hidden bar Out of Nowhere, that is where they are. You may also find them at the Hin Bus Depot on Sundays from 11am to 5pm. The current promotion is a Buy 2 Free 1 Aperol Spritz with complimentary tapas. Saluti!

Throwback to my Aperitivo Hour at Milan and Venice 2 years ago.