New York City is known for being a hotspot for Happy Hour specials, and those centered around Italian drinks and snacks are no exception. There are a number of eateries offering New Yorkers a taste of aperitivo, the time when Italians get together with friends or family in the evening to share a drink and some nibbles before dinner.
America Domani has compiled a list of four New York City spots for an Italian Happy Hour. On some days and between certain hours, these restaurants offer discounted Italian-inspired cocktails, snacks, meals, and above all, a chance to indulge in la dolce vita. Buon divertimento!
Ainslie Bowery
(Photo Credit: ainsliebowery.com)
Located in Bowery, Ainslie Bowery is a large multi-level restaurant with a wine bar, wood-fired pizza oven, 70-seat beer garden, and roof deck bar. Happy Hour takes place between Wednesday and Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Their menu features $7 wines, $6 draft beers, and $11 spritzes, including the classic Aperol Spritz and additional variations such as the Botanical Spritz, made with Ketel One Peach & Orange Blossom, lemon, soda, and bubbles. For snacks, Ainslie Bowery offers $5 truffle fries, $8 10-inch, wood-fired pizzas, $5 arancini, and more.
Take a look at their full Happy Hour menu here.
Crispiano
(Photo Credit: crispiano.com)
Crispiano is a fairly new addition to St. Mark’s Place, having just opened in the spring of 2022. The quaint pizzeria offers Happy Hour from Tuesday to Sunday until 7 p.m. Choose from $6 beers, $9 spritzes, $8 wines, and pastas and pizzas ranging anywhere from $11 to $15.
Penne all'Arrabbiata and alla Vodka, as well as Margherita and pesto pizzas are fan favorites.
Take a look at their full Happy Hour menu here.
Trapizzino
(Photo Credit: Tapizzino via Facebook)
Located on the corner of Orchard and Rivington Streets on the Lower East Side is Trapizzino, a Roman-style street food eatery. Their Happy Hour runs Monday through Friday between 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and features rotating cocktail and wine specials. Popular cocktails include the Fig Negroni, made with gin, Campari, and a house infused fig vermouth; Espresso Martini, made with vodka, coffee liquor, espresso, vanilla, and cinnamon; and the Bicicleta Spritz, house-canned with Martini Fiero, San Pellegrino grapefruit, and prosecco.
Take a look at their drink menu here.
Dante
(Photo credit: cntraveler.com)
Dante, an iconic 1915-era cafe serving upscale small plates and cocktails, is known for their extensive Negroni cocktail list, referred to as “Negroni sessions.” The Macdougal Street institution offers Negroni Happy Hours between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. All Negroni cocktails, unless otherwise specified, are $10 during this time. Choose from a wide range of classic and revisited Negroni specials such as the Americano 2.0, made with Martini bitters, Mancino Vermouth Rosso, Maldon salt, and Baladin ginger soda; the Chocolate Negroni, made with Fords gin, Punt e Mes, creme de cacao, and chocolate bitters; and the Unlikely Negroni, made with Altos Tequila, Campari, Cocchi Torino, Kalani, pineapple vinegar, and banana.
Take a look at their full Negroni Happy Hour menu here.
Asia London Palomba
Asia London Palomba is a trilingual freelance journalist from Rome, Italy. In the past, her work on culture, travel, and history has been published in The Boston Globe, Atlas Obscura, The Christian Science Monitor, and Grub Street, New York Magazine's food section. In her free time, Asia enjoys traveling home to Italy to spend time with family and friends, drinking Hugo Spritzes, and making her nonna's homemade cavatelli.