Ready, steady, spritz: How London is falling for Aperitivo hour this summer

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Ailis Brennan24 July 2020

Three weeks, three very different Sohos. From starting this month as a “ghost town”, to welcoming a few too many Londoners to rejoice in its streets on Super Saturday, the capital’s party central has now found a balance — and it looks a lot like a piazza in Capri.

“No seat, no service” is now the advised mantra for the West End district (thanks to a stern word or two from the council after July 4’s Super Saturday shenanigans), and the pedestrianised streets are newly paved with swathes of al fresco tables, reminiscent of the café cultures of our European neighbours. More importantly, post-lockdown London is now ripe for embracing the most hallowed of Mediterranean drinking habits — aperitivo hour.

Working from home has switched up the hours many Londoners dedicate to their job (no commute and fewer meetings), while routine has frankly gone out the window for furloughed folk. During lockdown, that mainly meant eyeing up that wine in the fridge a little earlier than was previously possible, but now it’s time to do it properly.

Putting your feet up for an Aperol spritz at 4pm is a fixture of the Italian day — it might sound luxurious, but for Londoners with no office to escape and no nightclub to fall into later in the evening, aperitivo hour is right on time this summer.

And it’s not just the West End that’s clocking off early. With restaurants and bars adopting the al fresco way of life across the capital, there’s sure to be an outdoor aperitivo and snack combination near you. Ready, steady, spritz.

Cecconi’s Pizza Bar

Soho House/Jamie Lau

A Soho House spin-off now spilling stylish vibes out into Old Compton Street, this buzzy Italian canteen offers Aperol spritz and negronis on tap (quite literally), as well as a dedicated — and very affordable — aperitivo menu. Between 3pm and 6pm, it runs a menu of spritzes and cocktails, beer and pasta dishes, with every item priced at just £5. Perfect for fashionistas on a budget.

19-21 Old Compton Street, W1D 5JJ, 020 7734 5656, cecconispizzabar.com

Lina Stores

A selection of the dishes on offer at the new branch of Lina Stores

The Instagrammers’ favourite, the Soho deli opened a King’s Cross restaurant last year — peerless pasta and pastel green furnishings in tow. Post-lockdown, it’s now a totally al fresco affair, boasting a 75-seat terrace and renamed Lina in Piazza. Antipasti bites are served alongside a healthy selection of aperitivo cocktails — including an oregano-infused limoncello spritz — served from its mobile bar mounted on a vintage-style Piaggio Ape cart.

20 Stable Street, N1C 4DR, 020 8103 4787, linastores.co.uk

Sabor

Michelin-starred dining in London never looked so relaxed as it does at this top tapas restaurant right now. Calling itself Sabor Al Fresco for the summer, the celebrated snackbar has taken over a chunk of its Mayfair boulevard home with outdoor dining. Rustic pleasures meet refined flavours, as croquetas and tortilla join Spanish-style aperitivo drinks (think sangria and a fino sherry negroni) in the central London sun.

35-37 Heddon Street, W1B 4BR, 020 3319 8130, saborrestaurants.co.uk

Elliot’s

Forget al fresco — it’s all about Ell Fresco in Borough Market. An under-the-radar, rough-around-the-edges favourite among foodies in the know, this natural wine bar and restaurant serves Italian-influenced drinks and snacks from noon and has launched a summer pop-up for the evenings just over the road. Here you’ll find Venetian-style cocktails and glasses of Vergano Americano, as well as snacks and pizzas, including a garlic butter calzone.

12 Stoney Street, SE1 9AD, 020 7403 7436, elliots.london

The Garden at The Berkeley

While many restaurants began to flirt with al fresco post-lockdown, The Berkeley hotel launched a whole restaurant dedicated to it. Barbecued Mediterranean light bites and similarly summery cocktails from the hotel’s legendary bar team constitute the luxury pickings — sip on an Amalfi made with Martini Ambrato, Tio Pepe sherry and prosecco. A pricier spot for those who’ll pay for impeccable service with their aperitivo.

Wilton Place, SW1X 7RL, 020 7107 8833, the-berkeley.co.uk

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