Aperitivo in the Alps: Food Traditions from the Dolomites and Milan

The 2026 Winter Olympics and Northern Italy’s Culinary Rituals

There’s something quietly wonderful about how food anchors us to place.

As the 2026 Winter Olympics open across northern Italy, my thoughts keep drifting to the Dolomites and Milan. Not just the snow and spectacle, but of course the rituals that happen around a table, or more often, around a bar just before dinner. Aperitivo in the Alps quietly brings people together over food and drink.

The 2026 Games are spread across multiple sites in the region, including the Italian Alps around Cortina as well as Milan itself, officially branding the Winter Olympics as Milano Cortina 2026. And while the athletes will always take centre stage, it’s the shared bites and raised glasses, that capture the heart of the region.

Cortina d’Ampezzo — home to the 2026 Winter Olympics

Dolomites (South Tyrol / Alto Adige) — Rustic Alpine Aperitivo

In the Dolomites, aperitivo is rustic and unpretentious. Classic bar snacks and small bites reflect the mountains themselves: hearty, flavoursome, and perfect with a glass of local white wine, beer, or a Hugo Spritz.

A Hugo Spritz is the kind of cocktail that feels like a breath of Alpine air in a glass. Made with Prosecco, elderflower liqueur or syrup, a splash of soda water, fresh mint, and a squeeze of lime, it’s floral, lightly sweet, and utterly refreshing. Created in 2005 by Roland Gruber in South Tyrol, this Northern Italian classic has become a favourite low-alcohol aperitivo around the world. It is the perfect way to sip slowly and linger over good food and company.

The Hugo Spritz — a light, floral, and refreshing aperitivo from the Dolomites, perfect for lingering over good food and company.

A crisp, mineral-rich Alto Adige / South Tyrol white, from aromatic Gewürztraminer to zesty Sauvignon Blanc, along with distinctive local specialties such as Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau, and Moscato Giallo, is the perfect foil to smoky speck, mountain cheeses, and small pickled bites. Lighter snacks or a sweet Apfelstrudel pair beautifully with these wines, while a lightly oaked Chardonnay adds elegance to richer alpine bites.

A rustic Dolomites aperitivo: smoky speck, mountain cheeses, Schüttelbrot, and pickled bites — the perfect pause before dinner in the Alpine Alps.

Classic Bar Snacks & Small Bites

• Speck Alto Adige: Lightly smoked, air-cured ham, often served thick with bread.
• Schüttelbrot: Thin, crunchy rye flatbread with caraway or fennel.
• Mountain cheeses: Graukäse, Bergkäse, or young alpine cow’s milk cheeses.
• Speck & cheese boards: Simple, rustic, no fuss, sometimes with bread, butter, and pickles.
• Pickled vegetables: Gherkins, pearl onions, or cabbage.

Hearty Alpine Specialties

• Canederli (Knödel): Bread dumplings with speck, cheese, or spinach, often skewered or in small bites.
• Sausages (Würstel): Served with mustard and bread.

Sweet Nibbles

• Apfelstrudel 🍎: Apple, raisins, cinnamon; perfect with afternoon drinks.
• Zelten: Fruit-and-nut loaf, seasonal but iconic.

Milan (Lombardy) — Stylish and Generous Aperitivo

Milanese aperitivo is generous, stylish, and meant to be shared. Bars and cafés offer small plates designed to be enjoyed alongside cocktails: a Negroni or Campari spritz, prosecco, or even a glass of champagne.

Milan — the stylish heart of Lombardy, where aperitivo culture turns an early evening into a shared moment of food, drinks, and conversation.

Classic Milanese Aperitivo Snacks

• Olives & nuts
• Grissini: sometimes wrapped in prosciutto
• Cheese cubes: Taleggio, Grana Padano, or robiola
• Salumi: prosciutto crudo, mortadella, bresaola

Iconic Milanese Bites

• Risotto alla Milanese: saffron risotto, small spoonfuls or arancini-style bites
• Cotoletta-style bites: mini breaded veal or chicken cutlets
• Polenta: fried or grilled squares with cheese or mushrooms
• Panzerotti or focaccia pieces: warm and comforting

Sweet Aperitivo Touches

• Mini pastries or biscotti
• Panettone-style brioche

Mini risotto balls — a Milanese aperitivo classic, perfect for sharing alongside a Negroni, prosecco, or a Hugo Spritz.

Dolomites-meets-Milan: Olympic Aperitivo Chic

Blend rustic alpine with polished Milanese touches for a Milano-Cortina 2026-inspired aperitivo:

• Speck + alpine cheese board
• Schüttelbrot & grissini
• Fried polenta bites
• Olives + nuts
• Mini risotto balls
• Apple slices or mini strudel bites

Create Your Own Home Aperitivo Menu

Bring the Dolomites-Milan vibe home with this easy, elegant menu:

Starters / Nibbles

• Speck slices & mountain cheeses
• Schüttelbrot & grissini
• Olives & mixed nuts
• Pickled vegetables

Small Bites

• Mini canederli or skewered bread dumplings
• Fried polenta squares
• Mini risotto balls or saffron risotto spoons

Sweet Touches

• Mini apple strudel bites
• Seasonal fruit-and-nut loaf pieces
• Biscotti or panettone-style brioche

Drinks

• White wine from Alto Adige / South Tyrol
• Hugo Spritz
• Classic Milanese cocktails: Negroni or Campari Spritz
• Champagne for a touch of celebration 🥂

Sipping a Spritz with a view — the perfect Dolomites aperitivo, where crisp mountain air meets good company and simple pleasures.

Aperitivo in the Alps: The Quiet Pause

What I love most about both places is how aperitivo is more than snacks and drinks. It’s the pause before dinner, a moment to gather, sip and savour company before the evening properly begins. Whether you’re in the snowy Dolomites or a sleek Milanese bar, the ritual is the same: simple food, good drinks, and company that matters.

Evening falls over Cortina d’Ampezzo, the alpine heart of the 2026 Winter Olympics and home to cozy Dolomites aperitivo moments.