The story
The spritz began in the 1800s, when Habsburg soldiers and officials posted to the Veneto asked tavern keepers to splash water into the strong local wine. The orange bitter came much later. Brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri spent seven years perfecting Aperol at their family firm in Padua and launched it at the city's trade fair in 1919. Between the wars, bars in Padua and nearby Venice began adding local bitters to the spritz, and Venetian bartenders are often credited with the first Aperol version. Prosecco became standard in the 1970s, and from the 2000s the bright orange glass spread across Europe and beyond.
Rival claims
Venice bartenders are often credited with first adding Aperol to the spritz (about 40 km away); the spritz itself dates to 1800s Habsburg soldiers across the region.
Also known as spritz, spritz veneziano, Aperol spritzer.
On the Meridish menu
Aperol spritz was the aperitif course on menu No. 31 on October 31, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Orange bitter, prosecco and a splash of soda over ice. Two brothers launched the bitter at a trade fair in this university city in 1919.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
