Aperitif Vs Digestif: What's The Difference?

If you've ever visited Europe (or more specifically, France and Italy), you may have noticed the practice of diners enjoying an alcoholic beverage and some lively chatter before dinner — and perhaps doing the same after. Europeans are known for slowing down and enjoying their meals intimately — and the art of an aperitif (pre-dinner drink) and a digestif (post-dinner drink) is an example of this.

Dating back over 1,500 years, aperitifs became a popular ritual during the 1800s in Italy. It's said that café culture is responsible for making this pre-drink custom stylish, with France following suit in the mid-19th century. During that time, a chemist named Joseph Dubonnet created concoctions masked with herbs and spices to fight off malaria. His wife loved them so much that she started enjoying them as pre-dinner cocktails.

Digestifs, on the other hand, are said to have originally been created for medicinal uses. Strong in nature, they were used for various ailments, like stomach aches. By the time the 1700s rolled around, they were used after meals to help aid digestion. 

Both of these drinks are commonly enjoyed when out on the town, but the social practice of aperitifs and digestifs is also customary at dinner parties in someone's home. Yet, despite being very similar, aperitifs and digestifs do have some differences. These include their sweetness level, flavor profile, preparation, and alcohol content. 

Known in France as an aperitif (or an aperitivo in Italy), it comes from the Latin word aperire, which means "to open." In this case, it's referring to opening the stomach — or your appetite — to the delicious meal you're about you enjoy. But how does this work, exactly?  

In general, an aperitif is typically low in alcohol content and on the drier side — two attributes that help stimulate the appetite and jumpstart your metabolism. They're commonly served cold and are a component of mixed drinks (but not always).

These pre-dinner drinks come in a variety of styles, including dry white wines, Aperol (used to make the beloved Aperol Spritz), champagne, dry sherries, vermouth, and Campari, which is commonly used to create the popular aperitif cocktail Negroni. If you don't love a classic Negroni due to the bitterness of Campari, a white Negroni swaps out Campari for gin and can still be considered an aperitif. 

An aperitif is also commonly accompanied by small snacks. This includes meats (like salami and salumi — which are, in fact, different), crackers, cheeses, and olives.

Called a digestif in France — and a digestivo in Italy — it comes from the Latin word digestivus, which translates directly to "digestive." Meant to be enjoyed after the meal is fully complete, a digestif aids in internally breaking down a meal and is the perfect finale to a delicious evening of food and conversation. 

A digestif's signature bitter taste is said to aid in this way because it kicks the body's digestive system into overdrive. This helps to begin to break down food faster and settle the stomach. A digestif is higher in alcohol than an aperitif and tends to have a deep flavor with an often bitter and/or herbaceous profile (although sometimes they can be a little sweet). They're typically served at room temperature and without mixers. 

Digestifs can fall into a variety of styles, including brandy (like similar but different brandies, Armagnac or Cognac), Amaro (like Fernet), fortified wines (like sweet sherry or port), limoncello, mezcal, sambuca, and amaretto. Although some may consider dessert drinks (like Espresso martinis or White Russians) digestifs, those really fall into their own category of sweet and creamy after-dinner cocktails. While digestifs are meant to be enjoyed solo, without accompanying food, there may be social occasions where people consume them alongside dessert, too.