Aperitif

There is something special in that moment when the day fades into the evening, and Turin knows how to transform it into a ritual: the aperitif. It is not just a drink or some appetizers, but a pause for reflection, for meeting, for discovery. A bit like the city itself, which surprises you in the details when you stop looking at it in a hurry.

At Caffè Mulassano, in the 1920s, the tramezzino made its appearance on the counter, becoming the ideal accompaniment to a vermouth or a bitter. It was not a simple snack, but a revolutionary idea: eating something light before going to the theater or a concert. It was the prelude to our daily life.

Yet, the Turin aperitif has even older roots, rooted in the peasant tradition of the merenda sinoira. After a day in the fields, people would sit down for a snack, sharing food and wine, and preparing the body – and the spirit – for dinner. It was not a luxury, but a need to be together.

Turin has maintained this vocation: the aperitif is a moment that invites you to slow down, to share, to observe those around you. With a glass in your hand and a plate of appetizers, it is as if the city were saying to you: “Take your time”.

Today, this ritual is constantly evolving. A cocktail can tell you a story, a square at sunset becomes a theater, and a tasty bite takes you back to the simplicity of the past. It is not just an aperitif, it is a journey: into the city, into its flavors, and – why not – into yourself.

So, next time you go out before dinner or pass through Turin, don't just have a drink. Stop. Look. Taste. Discover what it really means to have an aperitivo here, where every glass is a door to something new.

Or stop by Eccetera and discover this and more in the great Vermouth Voyager.