The Best Aperitivo Hours In Brisbane

Don’t get brainwashed into thinking that aperitivo hour should only be enjoyed on weekends and holidays — after all, we don’t live in sunny Queensland for nothing. Make the most of Brisbane’s balmy nights at Bucci on James Street. Its aperitivo “hour” runs from 5 to 7pm daily — the restaurant serves up classic Italian aperitifs with free snacks — so there’s ample time to escape the urban grind and sneak in some post-work sunshine.

Spuntino translates to snack, which makes this Creek Street bar the perfect pick for afternoon noshing. Food and drink specials change daily, but head down any evening from 4pm to 6pm for complimentary spuntinos with drink purchases. Or, drop by on a Wednesday, when you can grab a dish from their snack menu and an Aperol spritz for $20. The team at Coppa Spuntino knows how to execute Italian classics with an Australian flair. Our bar pick? The Padrino cocktail featuring the slightly bitter and smoky liqueur Amaro Nonino.

This European-style restaurant-cum-bar is the baby of nearby Scout owners Susannah Whitehouse and Candy Smith, who gallantly accepted the task of turning a formerly dark, cramped café, into a bright and bustling eatery. With a neon-lit sign perched over the entryway and a rooftop fringed with vines, Jessie’s Girl is the perfect refuge after an arduous day. Aperitivo hour runs from 4-6pm, with cheap Italian cocktails every day— such as vermouth and tonic, and spritzes — and complimentary bar snacks on Friday.

Hidden away in a historic, inner-city laneway, Marchetti is a tiny Italian cafe and wine bar. With classic leather booths, glossy black bar stools and a checkerboard floor, these guys started doing aperitivo hour well before it was trending on Instagram. If you’ve been there, you’re a fan. If you haven’t, consider it a new (old) discovery. Its famed rose latte — in the sweetest shade — is a highlight when it’s on the menu. But if you need a little boost that requires more than caffeine, head in after 5pm on Friday for lots of Aperol and free snacks.

There’s no denying that Bar Pacino has an absolutely cracking view, but the Sicilian-style food menu is also worthy of a second look. These guys do it all — breakfast, lunch, dinner, share plates and pizzas. For the ultimate in fuss-free dining, climb the stairs to this Eagle Street hotspot for generous grazing platters and plenty of prosecco. After all, what self-respecting Brisbanite would turn down the opportunity to gaze at our beloved Story Bridge?

As much as we would love to be sunning ourselves along the Cinque Terre on any given afternoon, sometimes those pesky life commitments get in our way. From 4pm on Thursdays and Fridays, Bar Otto (located opposite Otto Ristorante) is helping soothe our longing for the Italian coastline. As well as its long list of Italian aperitifs — grapefruit spritzes, bellinis and Sicilian Daiquiris to name a few — Bar Otto has bar food that is both delicious and light enough to be enjoyed without running the risk of ruining your appetite for dinner afterwards.

The long-awaited Gasworks Newstead restaurant comes with gelato cocktails. Order a bellini, Espresso Freddo or Kaffirinha at SMC’s new digs, and you’ll find peach sorbet, Baileys gelato and kaffir lime sorbet among the ingredients. Of course, they’re just the frosty, boozy treats that accompany the store’s extensive array of hearty Italian eats, which spans everything from antipasto to pasta to pizza. It also has a super affordable aperitivo hour that runs from 4 to 6pm every day. Head in during these two hours for $5 glasses of pinot grigio and sangiovese, $10 Aperol spritzes and complimentary snacks.