Happy Friday, Grit & Glammers! 🍋
Last night I carried a tray out to the patio just as the light was going gold — Ollie trailing behind me — and I thought, this is what early summer evenings are for. Warm but not yet sweltering, nowhere in particular to be. So today Kelly and I are sharing the easiest limoncello spritz recipe we know, plus a grown-up tomato-olive bruschetta to go with it. The Italian coast, no passport required.
A limoncello spritz is an Italian aperitivo cocktail made with limoncello, Prosecco, and club soda — think of it as an Aperol Spritz’s sunnier, more citrus-forward cousin, sweet-tart instead of bitter. And the bruschetta? Ripe tomatoes, briny olives, sweet shallots, and just a touch of anchovy paste that you won’t be able to name but won’t be able to stop eating either.
Pull up a chair, friends. Aperitivo hour is officially in session.
Table of contents
🍋 Aperitivo Hour at a Glance
- The drink: Limoncello spritz — 3 parts limoncello, 4 parts Prosecco, 2 parts club soda, over ice with lemon and mint
- The bite: Tomato-olive bruschetta with shallot, basil, and a whisper of anchovy on garlic-rubbed toasts
- Total time: About 30 minutes, start to sip
- The vibe: Golden hour on the patio, zero fuss
Limoncello Spritz Recipe
If you love an Aperol Spritz, this one’s for you. The limoncello spritz ratio is simple: 3 parts limoncello, 4 parts Prosecco, and 2 parts club soda. It’s bubbly, refreshing, and comes together in about a minute — which makes it dangerously easy to pour a second round.
A sunny, bubbly Italian aperitivo with bright sweet-tart lemon, crisp Prosecco, and a splash of soda — patio happy hour in a glass.
Limoncello Spritz
Tips/Notes
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 3 oz limoncello, chilled
- 4 oz Prosecco, chilled
- 2 oz club soda or sparkling water
- Ice
- Lemon wheels, for garnish
- Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill two large wine glasses generously with ice.
- To each glass, add 1½ oz limoncello.
- Top with 2 oz Prosecco and 1 oz club soda.
- Give it a gentle stir to combine — you don’t want to knock out all the bubbles.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of fresh mint. Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
We’d love to see! Tag us @styleatacertainage
🍋 Beth’s Tip
Keep everything cold. Chill your limoncello in the fridge (or even the freezer — it won’t freeze solid), and make sure your Prosecco and club soda are ice-cold straight from the refrigerator. A well-chilled spritz means you can use less ice, so your drink stays bright and bubbly instead of getting watered down as it sits.
Limoncello Spritz FAQs
What’s the best Prosecco for a limoncello spritz? A dry Prosecco labeled “Brut” or “Extra Dry” is best for a limoncello spritz. Since the limoncello brings plenty of sweetness, you want the bubbles to stay crisp and dry to keep the drink balanced. No need to splurge — a good, affordable bottle is perfect for spritzes.
Can I make this limoncello spritz recipe as a pitcher for a crowd? Yes — combine 3 parts limoncello, 4 parts Prosecco, and 2 parts club soda in a pitcher, adding the club soda last to preserve the fizz. Pour over ice-filled glasses and garnish each. It’s a wonderful self-serve option for a party.
Can I make my own limoncello? You can, and it’s lovely if you plan ahead — homemade limoncello steeps for a couple of weeks. But for a last-minute happy hour, a good store-bought bottle works beautifully. We won’t tell.
How do I make a limoncello spritz less sweet? Add a little more club soda and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The extra citrus brightens everything up and tempers the sweetness without watering down the flavor.
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Tomato-Olive Bruschetta
This is bruschetta with a little more going on. The classic tomato-and-basil version is wonderful, but stirring in Trader Joe’s olive tapenade and a touch of anchovy paste transforms this tomato olive bruschetta into something with real savory depth — the kind of bite that keeps everyone reaching for more. The tapenade brings briny olives and capers in one easy scoop, and the anchovy melts right in, so even skeptics won’t pick it out; they’ll just notice everything tastes richer and more interesting.
A grown-up bruschetta with ripe tomatoes, briny olive tapenade, sweet shallot, and a whisper of anchovy on garlic-rubbed toasts — savory, fresh, and made for grazing.
Tomato-Olive Bruschetta
Tips/Notes
Ingredients (Serves 4–6 as an appetizer)
- 1 baguette, sliced on the diagonal into ½-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1 clove garlic, halved
- 1½ cups ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, diced (or 3–4 vine tomatoes, seeded and diced)
- ⅓ cup Trader Joe’s olive tapenade
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional — see Kelly’s Tip)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Toast the bread: Heat oven to 400°F. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush both sides lightly with olive oil, and toast for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. While still warm, rub one side of each slice with the cut side of the garlic clove.
- Make the topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, and anchovy paste (if using) until smooth and emulsified.
- Add the diced tomatoes, olive tapenade, and minced shallot. Toss gently to combine.
- Stir in the sliced basil and season with a few grinds of black pepper. Taste before adding any salt — the tapenade and anchovy are already quite salty, so you may not need any.
- Let the mixture sit for 10–15 minutes at room temperature to let the flavors meld.
- Assemble: Using a slotted spoon (to leave excess liquid behind so the toast stays crisp), spoon the topping onto the garlic-rubbed toasts.
- Finish with a little more torn basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe?
We’d love to see! Tag us @styleatacertainage
💡 Kelly’s Tip
Trader Joe’s olive tapenade is the shortcut that makes this feel fancy with almost no effort — it’s got olives, capers, and a savory kick all in one jar. Check the label: if your tapenade already includes anchovies (many do), you can skip the extra anchovy paste entirely. If it’s a milder or all-olive blend, that teaspoon of anchovy paste is a great way to add back that deep, savory umami.
Tomato-Olive Bruschetta FAQs
I’m nervous about the anchovy — will it taste fishy? No — in the small amount called for, anchovy paste won’t taste fishy at all. It’s a classic Italian secret for adding umami and savory depth; once it melts into the olive oil and vinegar, it disappears into the background and simply makes everything taste richer. And since the tapenade does a lot of the savory work, the anchovy is entirely optional here.
Can I make this bruschetta vegetarian? Yes — just leave out the anchovy paste and double-check that your tapenade doesn’t contain anchovies (some brands do). The bruschetta will still be packed with briny, savory flavor from the olives and capers.
Can I use tapenade I already have on hand? Absolutely — any good store-bought or homemade olive tapenade works beautifully. Trader Joe’s is our go-to for this one, but use whatever you love; just taste as you go, since saltiness varies by brand.
What’s the best bread for bruschetta? A good crusty baguette is the classic choice — it crisps up beautifully and holds the topping well. A rustic Italian loaf or ciabatta, sliced and toasted, would also work nicely.
Ollie 🐾
Ollie supervised the parm situation from her usual perch, naturally, and we set out a little something in Oscar’s honor like always.
👗 What We’re Wearing for Aperitivo Hour
Of course, we dressed for the occasion — because around here, style has no expiration date, and that includes happy hour on the patio.
▶️ Watch my new Effortlessly Chic Coastal Grandmother Style video on YouTube for the full breezy-summer styling formula →
Beth’s Outfit: Linen Pants & Tee
I went full coastal ease in linen — breathable, polished, and exactly right for a golden-hour evening outside.
Kelly’s Outfit: White Kick Flares & Gingham
Kelly is in crisp white denim with the sweetest gingham espadrilles — proof that summer dressing can be easy and intentional at the same time.
Speaking of espadrilles — if you’re still hunting for that one pair of shoes that works from patio happy hour to dinner out to a weekend away, I made the case for the one shoe for every summer occasion, and I stand by every word.
And one more thing while we’re sitting in the golden hour: if you’ve noticed your makeup behaving differently once the heat and humidity arrive — sliding, settling, just not looking like it did in April — you’re not imagining it. I broke down why makeup looks worse in summer after 40, and the routine that fixes it. Required reading before your next patio party.
👗 Daily Looks is back! By popular demand — every look, every link, all in one place. Real outfits you can shop and wear right now. Browse the latest Daily Looks →
Cheers to Aperitivo Hour at Home!
Early summer evenings like these are the whole reason we do what we do — a little something bubbly, a little something savory, and people you love close by. You don’t need a grill going or a big production to make it feel special. Sometimes, a chilled spritz and a plate of really good bruschetta on the patio is the whole event, and honestly, those are some of our favorite nights.
These are also exactly the evenings I find myself hosting when the grandkids come through — aperitivo for the grown-ups, sidewalk chalk for the littles. If you’re a BeBe, a Mimi, a Grandma, or anything in between, and you want to look pulled-together without fussing, I rounded up my favorite grandmother outfit ideas that work for everything from playground duty to patio happy hour.
So pour yourself a limoncello spritz, set out the bruschetta, and let the evening stretch out as long as it wants to. Saluti! 🍋
Now it’s your turn: tell me in the comments — are you Team Aperol or Team Limoncello? And what’s your go-to patio nibble? I read every single one.
For daily outfit inspo between Fridays, come follow along on Instagram @styleatacertainage.
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Because style has no expiration date — and neither do you.
Cheers, Beth, Kelly, Ollie… 🐾
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