Crisp and bubbly, spritzes have a way of instantly transporting you to an Italian vacation state of mind. After all, Italy is where Aperol spritzes flow like water and are enjoyed throughout the country (but best in Venetian bars) and limoncello spritzes are the coolers of choice along the sun-baked Amalfi coast where lemons grow as big as grapefruits.
Here in Denver, you’ll find no shortage of la dolce vita, with restaurants and bars serving the classics alongside some riffs on the effervescent cocktail, like a frozen Aperol spritz or a bubbly drink infused with butterfly pea flower as a nod to the Colorado Rockies. While plenty of places offer some sort of spritz, here’s 15 spots around the city where you can enjoy the summer spritz season really stands out.
Bottomless Spritzes at Bar Dough
It’s spritz o’clock all day at Bar Dough, but swing by this Highland neighborhood Italian spot for brunch and you can sip bottomless Aperol spritzes to your heart’s content, or at least until the 90-minute time limit runs out. The move? Pair your bubbly with something equally Italian such as the tiramisu pancakes topped with a cloud of mascarpone whip. 2227 W. 32nd Ave., Denver, bardoughdenver.com
Classics and Riffs at Coperta
In Uptown, Coperta channels Southern Italy with its wine list and food menu. Here, you just might find the best spritz this side of the Amalfi Coast to pair with Italian snacks like polenta fritters and marinated olives. Go with a classic Aperol spritz or try something seasonal like the Summer Spritz concocted with strawberry-infused vermouth. Coperta’s bartenders also make a non-alcoholic spritz with a zero-proof aperivo. 400 E 20th Ave. Denver, copertadenver.com
A Caribbean-Inspired Pop-Up Spritz at Punch Bowl Social
Punch Bowl Social rewrites the spritz script with its Coco Blanco rendition, which is made with tequila, coconut cream, fresh lime juice and topped with Fever Tree club soda. Part of a Summer Spritz pop-up, this tropical drink is available until Sept. 1, so rally your crew for a night of bowling, arcade games, high-tech darts, and good vibes while it’s still on the menu. 65 Broadway, Denver, punchbowlsocial.com
High-Altitude Bubbly Cocktails at Halo
Cheers your spritz glasses to the highest rooftop in the Denver area. Crowning the Kimpton Claret Hotel in the Denver Tech Center’s Belleview Station neighborhood, Halo’s elevation is 5,817 feet, making it the highest open-air rooftop in the Mile High City. Spritz at altitude with the Sunset Spritz, which comprises rum, Aperol, and pineapple shrub. On Thursdays, enjoy live music from 6 to 9 p.m. Every Friday and Saturday, DJs are spinning dance music from 8 p.m. to close. 6985 E. Chenango Ave., Denver, halobardenver.com
Spritzes and Girl Dinner at Olive & Finch
Kick off your meal or happy hour with Olive & Finch’s Barcelona Spritz, a $10 patio-perfect cocktail made with Bonanto Ultimate Aperitif (a white wine-based fave), bubbles, and a splash of lemon. It pairs nicely with bites like the grilled artichoke served alongside lemon-caper aioli or a Mediterranean board stacked with savory snacks and dips. The spritz is available at all four locations including Uptown, Cherry Creek, Union Station and the newly opened restaurant in the Denver Center of Performing Arts, which is perfect if you’re looking for a pre-theater drink. Skipping the booze? The Vitality Spritz brings the zing with lemon, turmeric, ginger, cayenne, and a refreshing soda spritz. Multiple locations, oliveandfinch.com
A Spritz With Team Spirit at Deviation Distilling
If pregaming before the Rockies play, swing by the nearby Dairy Block and grab a cocktail with team spirit at Deviation Distilling. On the summer seasonal menu, the Rockies Fizz knocks it out of the park with house-made blood orange gin, butterfly pea flower (for that signature purple hue), lavender, fresh lime juice, and a splash of soda. The tasting room has plenty more effervescent cocktails from gin and tonics to a crisp and bubbly cucumber-basil cocktail with gin. 1821 Blake St., # 130, Denver, deviationdistilling.com
The Perfect Happy Hour Spritz at Leven Deli Co.
Spritz lovers should put Leven Deli Co.’s happy hour on their calendars. It runs 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends, with spritzes just costing $10 (regularly priced $12 to $14). The special summer spritz calls in mezcal, fresh lemon juice, a house-made ginger syrup, a butterfly pea tea to turn it a pretty purple plus cava. More spritz options include a house one with Negroni Aperitivo and a Greek-influenced drink with a ginger simple syrup. Pair your spritz with a tinned fish spread with whipped feta, charred lemon, pickled onions and grilled house-baked bread. 123 W. 12th Ave., Denver, eatleven.com
Summer Vibes at Kisbee on the Roof
In Cherry Creek, head up to Kisbee on the Roof at the Jacquard Hotel and enjoy a gorgeous Strawberry Tides spritz that’s made with strawberry-infused Botanist gin, lime, agave and fizzed up with Prosecco. The rooftop also slings spectacular frozen drinks like the peach and lychee frosé. On Friday and Saturday nights, enjoy sunsets with a little background beat as DJs set the mood. 222 Milwaukee St., Denver, thejacquard.com/rooftop
Beet the Heat with This Veggie Spritz at Mezcaleria Alma
Veggie cocktails are trending this summer, and Mezcaleria Alma is making its spritz slightly savory with fresh beets and dill. The Beet Spritz gets a nice mesquite backbone from a mezcal and Xila gives it a gentle herbal spice. The cocktail is tied together with a crisp pour of El Bajio Brut, a sparkling wine from Mexico with notes of apples. Enjoy the spritz on Mezcaleria Alma’s patio along with ceviche or aguachile. 2550 15th St., Denver, mezcaleriaalma.com
A Spritz Cart at Jovanina’s
At Jovanina’s, guests can summon the Amari cart to their table to enjoy a unique, tableside spritz experience. Featuring spirits from Casoni—one of Italy’s oldest continuously operating distilleries with recipes dating back over 200 years—spritz enthusiasts have a couple of choices. The Casoni 1814 L’Aperitivo Spritz delivers bright notes of citrus peel and lemon oil, balanced by a touch of bitterness, warm spice, hibiscus, and candied cherry. Or opt for the Casoni 1814 Bitter Spritz leans citrusy, layered with hints of licorice, cedar, and cozy baking spices. 1520 Blake St., Denver, jovanina.com
Frozen Aperol Spritzes at Apple Blossom
When the summer heat kicks in, nothing hits quite like a frozen cocktail. At Apple Blossom’s rooftop bar, Bloom, bartenders are giving the classic Aperol Spritz a frosty upgrade by turning it into a bubbly slushie. Blended, topped with Brut, this icy take shows there’s no rules when it comes to the art of summertime spritzing. Here’s 15 more Denver area spots serving frozen drinks this summer. 822 18th St., Denver, appleblossomdtdenver.com
Spritz Flights for Spritz Lovers at FlyteCo Tower
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a spritz, but the drink does get its own day on Aug. 10. Can’t decide which spritz to sip on? Now you don’t have to. FlyteCo Tower just launched a brand-new Spritz Flight for $18, featuring the classics including Aperol, Campari, Hugo, and Lillet Rosé. Enjoy the spritzes al fresco. Bonus, FlyteCo is among several patios in the Denver metro area where you can enjoy games in between rounds. 3120 Uinta St., Denver, flytecotower.com
A Juicy Watermelon Spritz at Atomic Cowboy
For a summery spin on the spritz, Atomic Cowboy serves a refreshing Watermelon Spritz that’s made with Tito’s, Mavi aperitivo, fresh lemon juice, and a watermelon syrup that then topped with, of course, bubbly. With a touch of sweetness, it’s a nice pairing for, say, a slab of veggie pizza. The strawberry spritzer jam is a non-alcoholic highlight with strawberry rhubarb jam made in house, lemon juice, basil syrup and a blast of soda. Multiple locations, theatomiccowboy.com
A Fancy Cousin to the Limoncello Spritz at Barolo Grill
If you had a limoncello spritz on vacation that you can’t stop thinking about, try the Spritz alla Limone at Barolo Grill next. It’s made with Nardini acqua di Cedro, which is a less sugary cousin of limoncello and made with the peel of the Cedro lemon. The cold and crisp garden party-like cocktail also has basil, lemon, prosecco and Strongwater Orange Blossom Tonic Water. 3030 E. 6th Ave., Denver, barologrilldenver.com
Zero-Proof Spritzes at Nocturne
A growing number of menus feature non-alcoholic spritzes this summer, but deserving a special nod is Nocturne, Denver’s modern jazz and supper club. The “Ain’t Misbehavin” menu includes two zero-proof summertime spritzes: The Finger Snap is made with a gin alternative, lemon ginger shrub and lavender simple syrup and the Shangri-La is a blend of Seedlip 108 (a non-alcoholic with notes of peas and garden herbs), as well as basil syrup, lemon, cinnamon, ginger, and tamarind. Each also gets splashed with soda. 1330 27th St., Denver, nocturnejazz.com
