A magical thing happens in Italy around 5-6 PM. The piazzas and cafés fill up, and a little glass of something bubbly appears before you, alongside a few little snacks you didn’t order.
The last time I visited Italy, we mostly hung around the Lake Como area. We spent most evenings visiting little restaurants on the water for an aperol spritz before heading to dinner, and that’s when I discovered the magic of the aperitivo snack.
Potato chips, olives, maybe a nut of some kind? Maybe a hard cheese? Pair this gang with a sweet, barely bitter, bubbly spritz, and you’ve basically peaked in life.
Coincidentally, this is all I want to eat all summer. Just salty, crunchy bits of things to graze on and pair with a well-earned glass of something. So, despite knowing that it’ll all be downhill from here, I decided to turn this Italian concept into a full-on party mode.
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Here’s what what’s going on with this aperitivo grazing board:
Lots of potato chips. Lots. Want to make them cute? Roll down a brown paper lunch bag, and you’re giving rustic charm. Looks like you tried. You didn’t try.
We’re adding burrata. WE ARE ALWAYS ADDING BURRATA. I won’t be taking questions at this time.
OK, we’re also including veggies because crisp, cool, crunch, and we are healthy and glowing from the inside out.
Any and all fun marinated things make the board—artichokes, mozzarella, giardinera, whatever. If it’s pickled or soaked in an herb-spiked olive oil, it makes the grade.
Also tinned fish would be so fun?! Let’s do some tinned fish, preferably with a bright flavor addition, like preserved lemon.
Some cured meats for a lil’ protein moment to ease the spritz on down.
We finish everything with the sauces and garnishes we all love—hot honey, olive oil, flaky salt…
Alongside the aperitivo board, I love serving a spritz bar. I’d like to say it’s because I’m lazy and prefer not to play bartender all night, but I don’t one single cell of chill in my body and cannot reliably make that claim. However, I love my guests getting just what they want, getting to play around with different flavors and garnishes, and getting to hang, instead of pouring and refilling all night.
Here’s what goes on the spritz bar:
Prosecco, of course
A variety of liqueurs, like Aperol, Campari, Chambord, elderflower liqueur, etc.
A variety of garnishes, like orange and lemon peels; sprigs of fresh rosemary and mint; fresh fruit like orange or grapefruit slices, berries, etc.
All of this can come together in about 20 minutes, which is what really makes it the hero of your summer entertaining, non?
What we are not doing, though, is putting everything from this list on a board. No, friend, we are picking a couple things from each category and calling it perfect.
Go on and make girl dinner the entire theme of the get-together!
The Aperitivo Board
The Chips & Crispy Things
Ruffles or kettle-cut potato chips - non-negotiable
Parmigiano crisps, store-bought or baked
Grissini breadsticks
Taralli (Italian ring crackers — find them at any Italian market or on Amazon)
The Loaded Chip Toppings
Whipped ricotta with lemon zest and olive oil
Burrata, torn open and spooned
Hot honey
Truffle oil
Fresh basil
Microgreens
Flaky Maldon salt
Calabrian chili oil
Black pepper
The Cured Meats
Prosciutto di Parma, loosely draped in folds
Mortadella, thin-sliced and ruffled
Genoa or Calabrese salami
Coppa or speck if you want to go full Italian deli
The Cheese
Parmigiano Reggiano, broken into irregular chunks — never sliced
Fresh burrata or whipped ricotta in a small bowl
Marinated mozzarella balls
Grana Padano shavings
Provolone piccante cubes
The Briny Things
Castelvetrano olives (non-negotiable — they’re buttery and mild and perfect)
Kalamata olives
Pepperoncini
Giardiniera
Marinated artichoke hearts
Sun-dried tomatoes in oil
Caperberries
The Snacky Things
Marcona almonds in olive oil and salt
Roasted chickpeas
Candied walnuts
The Fresh Things
Cherry tomatoes with sea salt and basil
Sliced fennel with fronds
Radishes with flaky salt
Cucumber spears
Endive leaves (they scoop like chips)
The Little Extras
Fig jam or hot honey in small dishes
Dijon for the meats
Good olive oil with torn bread for dipping
Lemon wedges
The Spritz Bar
Choose Your Base (set out 2–3)
Aperol — bitter orange, low ABV, the classic
Campari — deeper and more bitter, very grown-up
St-Germain elderflower liqueur — floral and light, the base of a Hugo Spritz
Limoncello — sweet and citrusy
Lillet Blanc — delicate, wine-forward
The Bubbles
Prosecco
Club soda or sparkling water for topping off
The Garnish Spread
Orange slices and wheels
Blood orange if you can find it
Grapefruit wedges
Lemon wheels
Fresh mint
Fresh basil
Rosemary sprigs
Frozen grapes (keeps drinks cold and doubles as garnish)
Luxardo cherries
Cucumber ribbons
Edible flowers
The Add-Ins
Simple syrup
Elderflower syrup
Lavender syrup
Fresh-squeezed citrus in a small pitcher