When Longtime closed up its Ann Street restaurant, it left a hole in Fortitude Valley's dining scene — but, post-pandemic lockdowns, something new sprouted in its old digs. That'd be Eterna, a fresh venture from Salt Meats Cheese's Stefano de Blasi. And yes, it has a big Italian focus.

Fans of cocktails will want to stop by between 5–7pm from Tuesday–Thursday, though, because that's when the venue is doing its aperitivo special. For $10, you'll get a drink and a snack — and a mighty fine way to end a weekday afternoon.

The aperitivo menu is called 'eter-mini', because its cocktails are made in half sizes. You can choose between a martini, a 'perfetto' (with gin, red vermouth, Amaro Braulio and clarified apple), a 'malt and myrtle' (with whisky, pineapple-infused vermouth and lemon myrtle tea) and a 'borghese' (with tequila, marsala, a hibiscus infusion and bitters).

Food-wise, each drink comes with a choice of three snacks. Fancy a red snapper croquette with roasted capsicum sauce? That's on the lineup, as are chickpea and lentil-stuffed and fried olives, plus marinated sardines served on crusty bread with herbed butter.

Lewis Lotherington