If you’ve ever been to Italy, you’ve surely encountered the tradition of aperitivo, typically a time before dinner to drink a bit, eat a bit, and socialize with friends. But did you know that you could go have an aperitivo for your aperitivo during aperitivo? What does that even mean? Aperitivo is actually three things at once. It can mean anything you drink before a meal.

It can act as a time of day. And it’s also a category of alcohol. People often label aperitivo as the Italian version of happy hour, but this time-honored tradition, time of day, and liqueur is a lot more complicated and nuanced. The word aperitivo itself is rooted in the Latin word aperitivus, which means "something that opens," specifically the stomach to get ready for a meal.