Even though I don’t consider myself a big casual drinker, I will absolutely never turn down a good aperol spritz. I couldn’t tell you the first time I tried one, but the light, refreshing drink is the perfect cocktail to pair with a meal that will get you feeling good – and, of course, it’s the ultimate summer drink. As my quest for the best aperol spritz in Atlanta continues, I wanted to share some of my favorite spots thus far.
Bazati
Located on the Beltline, Bazati is a Mediterranean-inspired eatery that just recently reopened their Atlanta location after a pandemic shutdown. As it is an extremely nice restaurant, I had high expectations about their drinks – and I was not disappointed. Hands down, if I had to choose one place in Atlanta thus far to only drink aperols from, you’d find me at Bazati. Not only do they serve absolutely fire spritzes, but this restaurant blew me away with their cuisine, so I thought I’d share some of the dishes that my fellow Spoon friend Grant and I ordered on our culinary excursion.
We started off with the white truffle arancini. The minute I bit into that delicious little rice ball, I knew this place was going to exceed my expectations. With the perfect balance between cheesy goodness and truffle delicacy, the arancini was the perfect amuse bouche to give you a first dip into what Bazati brings to the table. After the arancini, we felt obliged to order the octopus: it was so worth it. Cooked to such a precise tenderness and drizzled with lemon on top, the octopus was perfectly seared, and you could taste the great balance between that seafood taste and that firey grill char. While I went for the carnivorous option and inhaled some steak frites with chimichurri drizzle, Grant ordered the sea bass to keep going with the seafood theme. Our overall experience was definitely a solid 10.
Le Bilboquet
An all time favorite French restaurant of mine located in the Shops of Buckhead, Le Bilboquet is the perfect place to fine dine for special occasions or romantic dates. Aside from the fact that their food is absolutely amazing and brings a fusion of flavors to the table, their aperol spritz is definitely one of the best in Atlanta. Bringing an excellent balance between the sweetness of the aperol and the bubbly taste of the prosecco, the high price is definitely worth it. Make sure you ask for light ice, and pair it with either of my favorite dishes there: the seared scallops (seasonal) or the mushroom risotto. I also highly recommend ordering the steak tartare or the cajun chicken – honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of their dishes. For those who have a sweet tooth, the berries and whipped cream sounds extremely simple but is my go-to dessert every time I dine.
The White Bull
Craving an aperol spritz with my friend on a random weeknight, my friend and I stumbled upon The White Bull – a farm-forward Italian restaurant in Decatur Square with a beautiful side bar upon entrance. Despite not having aperol – only campari, a similar liquor but with a slightly different taste – I ranked their campari spritz a solid 6/10. A 6 might seem low, but considering how picky I am with my aperol spritz, this is a great rating. I have not gotten the chance to eat there yet, but one of my fellow Spoon friends highly recommends the yellowfin tuna (seared with buttermilk, yu-zu truffle aioli, green tomato and urfa), the cavatelli pasta (seasoned with black garlic, guanciale, shrimp, tomato passata and mint) and the lamb arancini (stuffed with zhoug, carrot, red onion, and cilantro).
Although I understand that the way drinks taste highly depend on the bartender, my experiences thus far with Atlanta’s aperol spritzes has been quite the rollercoaster. While some places fully satisfy my craving for this drink and others highly disappoint me with an undrinkable option, I’ve always said that the best way to discover a city is to eat and drink your way through it. As graduation approaches rapidly, I regret not taking more time to explore even more than I have, but I take my love for food – and a great spritz – everywhere I go.