Fancy some free food with that cocktail?

It may be the home of Prada, Gucci and several overpaid soccer players but not everything about Milan is expensive. In fact, Milan is home to one of Italy’s most affordable phenomenon – aperitivi. Aperitivi are usually taken after work sometime between the hours of 6PM and 9PM and they are considered something like a pre-dinner snack. I know, I know, your mother told you never to snack before dinner because you’ll ruin your appetite but you’re in Italy so you might as well embrace Italian culture. And Italian food!

Where an aperitivo can save you a pretty penny is that free food is usually served with your drink. Friends show up in groups after work, buy a glass of wine or a cocktail (usually at an inflated price) and the restaurant provides the grub. Interpretations of what aperitivo is change from place to place. In some spots you will get a bowl of crisps or olives with your drink, in others a platter of finger food and in some restaurants for the price of a single drink you get free unlimited access to huge tables laden with pastas, pizzas, salads and tapas-style dishes.  Don’t be afraid to make a pig of yourself, that’s the whole point. You’ll soon notice that everyone else is doing the same thing while nursing the same drink for an hour.

It’s not unusual to find fresh mozzarella on aperitivo menus

While aperitivo started out as a way to attract students to struggling Milan bars it has developed a lot since. Today most of Italy’s biggest cities as well as a lot of its towns have incorporated the free food into their bar scene. It has become a much classier affair too, attracting a smart after-work crowd so try to dress accordingly if you are going along during your trip. Remember too that prices for your drink can range from €4 to €15 depending on the location and higher prices aren’t necessarily indicative of a better offering so be sure to ask what is included before you splash out.

Go on, spoil your appetite!

Favorite local Milan bars serving aperitivi include Living on Piazza Sempione 2, Le Biciclette at Via Torti and Trattoria Toscana at Corso di Porta Ticinese 58. Our Milan tour guides recommend Momo at Ripa di Porta Ticinese 23 and Alchimia on Via Brioschi 17. And one aperitivo bar worth checking out for its novelty is Pescheria da Claudio which offers free drinks with seafood platters during the aperitivo hours rather than the other way around.

Buon appetito!