Aperitivo, Bars, and Nightlife

So what exactly is Aperitivo?

Aperitivo, or Aperitif, is similar to happy hour for foreigners. It is a chance to meet up with friends after work to have an alcoholic (or non-alcoholic) drink along with some snacks before dinner. For many Italians, the night begins with aperitivo and flows into dinner or wherever the evening takes them. In Naples, an aperitivo drink is typically accompanied with olives, chips and nuts but some bars will go above and beyond providing chopped veggies, sandwiches, pasta or even a buffet. Some of the more popular areas for aperitivo are Chiaia, Centro Storico and Vomero, but aperitivo is enjoyed all over the city. See the bottom of the page for some recommended aperitivo spots to check out.

Popular cocktails

Italy’s cocktail influence has become a hit all over Europe and beyond largely due to the growing popularity of their bitters and vermouths. Arguably the most popular cocktail right now is the ‘Spritz’ which is enjoyed all over Italy and Europe. Made up of typically 3 ingredients a bitter, prosecco, and carbonated water, and garnished with an orange slice. Each region makes this popular cocktail slightly differently utilizing different bitters, (either ‘Aperol’: orange and sweet, ‘Campari’: red and bitter, or ‘Select’ a mix between the two).

Another international sensation derived in Italy, is the ‘Negroni’. The Negroni is a simple yet sophisticated cocktail including Campari, Vermouth, and Gin. Sometimes it includes a splash of bitters like Angostura and is typically garnished with an orange and lemon slice. It has a great blend of sweet, bitter and an aromatic bite from the gin. If you like the flavors but want something a little softer, try the ‘Americano.’ The ‘Americano’ follows the same format as the Negroni but without the gin making it a lighter choice with similar flavor profiles.

Wines from Campania

When we talk about Italian wine, most people’s minds go straight to Tuscany, however, each region of Italy produces world famous wines and the Campania region is no exception. Campania is famous for it’s extremely fertile land due to the presence of the active Volcanic area and the richness of soil it generates. The Campania region produces incredible reds and whites, however are more renowned for their variety of white wines. The powerhouse areas of Campania for wine are Avellino (Irpina), Benevento, and Cilento, however, great wine is being produced all across Campania including Paestum, Salerno, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast.

Red Wine

The powerhouse wines that characteristic of the Campania region are Taurasi and Aglianico, both derived from the Aglianico grape. The The Aglianico grape is the most recognized in Campania providing a full bodied profile great for aging, however, the region grows a variety of red grapes such as Barbera, Greco Nero, Piedirosso, Primitivo and Sangiovese. Taurasi is celebrated as one of the best red wines in all of Italy, deriving from the Aglianico grape and aged in oak barrels for 5 years. They also are strictly produced in the comune of Taurasi, a town in Avellino, which provides the buyer a guarantee of quality, location and strict procedures to processing the wine.

White Wine

There are 3 important white wines of the Campania region and they are Fiano, Greco di Tufo, and Falanghina. The Avellino area is home to the majority of the high quality wines of Campania both for red and white varieties, however, the Salerno and Cilento provinces are quickly growing in popularity. Fiano and Greco di Tufo are high regarded world wide for their complexities and elegance. Falanghina is a more acidic wine which is a great wine to accompany a meal and is most likely the house white at your local trattoria.

Natural Wines

Natural wines are a relatively new concept in the wine-making world and refer to the process of making wine from organic grapes that are picked by hand and fermented naturally without additives. This creates a sensation of what wine were like in the ancient past before things like yeast and pesticides were introduced. Natural wines have varying flavor profiles from sour to earthy and are recognized as “healthier” than traditional wines and easier on the gut. They may still contain sulfites to retain the flavor once bottled.

Below we will provide a list of some notable wineries in the Campania region.

Beer

Campania, and Italy for that matter, is not exactly famous for their beer, however, as the world flattens, the influences of neighboring Germany as well as the American micro-brewing culture are beginning to grow. In Naples, more birrerias, beer halls, are beginning to open up offering selections in cans and on tap. We’ll provide some places to check out below.

What about Nightlife??

The nightlife in Naples is an experience that is enjoyed mainly outdoors. Many of the bars are tiny and don’t have the hosting space indoors to accomodate more than 10 people. This means you’ll see crowds of people who have overflowed into the streets with their drinks. Napes has strict regulation regarding the ancient Neapolitan buildings for making alterations, so bars are restricted to the small size of their bars and often look to create space outside for their guests.

Dancing

Dance clubs are not plentiful in the historic area of Naples. This points back to the fact that these old buildings can’t be restructured to create a big dance area so very few locations exist that are large enough to host a dance floor where people can ‘let it out.’ With that said there are a few dance clubs in the city and some underground spots as well. Pop-up clubs are becoming increasingly popular, for example, out of commission churches are renting out their large space for specific events including dancing. In neighboring Pozzuoli, the volume of dance clubs is much larger and there is more space and newer construction. The summer crowds flock to Pozzuoli and the greater Pozzuoli area where there are many beach clubs for dancing until the wee hours. See below for a list of popular clubs in Naples and Pozzuoli.

Recommendations:

Aperitivo:

• Chiaia: Cantina Sociale, Barril, Magnolia,
• Posillipo: Pacu’, Miranapoli
• Centro-Storico: Spazio Nea, Enno, Oak
• Vomero: Barrio Botanico, Guyot

Cocktail Bars:

• Vomero: Fonoteca, Barrio Botanico, Monk, Flanagan’s
• Chiaia: Flanagan’s, Antiquario, Salotto Martucci
• Centro Storico: Ex-Salumeria, Pepi Vintage, Shanti, Nineteen19

Wineries:

• Avellino: Mastroberardino, Feudi di San Gregorio
• Benevento: Cantina del Taburno
• Cilento: San Salvatore

Natural wine Bars:

• Vomero: Vineria Bandita
• Centro-storico: Oak

Champagne Bars:

• Centro: Salvatore Cautero
• Vomero: Champagneria Popolare

Birrerie (brew pubs)

• Vomero: Loop, Bayern Haus
• Chiaia: Mosto
• Centro-storico: Mosto, Biarriuolo, Oak

Night-Club

• Naples: Arenile, Post, Alter-Ego
• Pozzuoli: Brusco, Deja Vu, Duel, Rama Beach, Don Pablo