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 ...

Until fairly recently, digestifs were the types of beverages drunk by elderly Italian men alongside a cup of espresso. In bars from Milan to Naples, or outside delis in Brooklyn or London, you would ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. The opposite mealtime bookend of aperitivo hour, the word "digestif" comes from the French word for "digestive," or "digestivo" in Italian.

Digestifs are sort of mystery to Americans -- these spirits have weird labels, names we can’t really pronounce, and are typically relegated to a dusty shelf at the back of the bar. And yet, according ...

In the U.S., dining experiences are typically short and to the point. We eat to eat, and then move on. In Italy, it's quite the opposite. Lunch and dinner are hourslong celebrations with a seemingly ...

Just as a checkered flag signals the end of a race, the appearance of a digestif (or digestivo, as they’re known in Italy) at the table is an indication the meal ...

Have you ever made the mistake of downing a potent cocktail before dinner—for me it would be a bone-dry martini—and almost finding yourself on the floor before you sit down for appetizers? Experience ...

Cognac is among the digestifs popular in France. But its health benefits are pretty much non-existant. (Photo by GEORGES GOBET / AFP) Drinks like Cognac, Calvados and Armagnac are popular in France ...

As the workday winds down, many Europeans begin a nightly ritual. Evenings start with aperitivo, a pre-dinner custom involving light snacks and brightly-hued drinks like Campari and sodas, spritzes, ...

Aperitifs and digestifs are essential elements of a European-style meal, bookending the dining experience with tantalizing and satisfying beverages. Serving an aperitif is like ringing a dinner bell, ...