Segafredo L'Originale, located inside the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road, has been keeping a secret.
Well, not a secret exactly, but it hasn't been boasting its complimentary happy hour aperitivo buffet, suspecting that word of mouth would eventually out it.
Weekdays from 6 to 8 p.m., South Beach locals find their way to Segafredo to enjoy not discounted drinks, but a plentiful spread of complimentary small bites that includes bruschetta, house-marinated olives, Russian salad, antipasti, caprese salad skewers, Italian omelets served cold, a watermelon and feta salad, and charcuterie such as salami. Of course, there's also regularly priced beer, wine, and house cocktails, including the lauded marshmallow martini, with a flambéed marshmallow crust.
In Italy, the word aperitivo typically refers to an hour between lunch and dinner when partakers sip cocktails and snack on small bites. Says Segafredo co-owner and general manager, Luca Voltarel: "If you take lunch around noon, you have a long way to go before dinner. Taking an aperitivo after a long day of working, sightseeing, or sunbathing takes the edge off your hunger and kickstarts your metabolism. Diners relax after work with a glass of wine, a cold beer, or some crisp Campari and snack on complimentary small bites as they enjoy the constant parade of people strutting, skating, rollerblading, biking, strolling, and walking their dogs up and down bustling Lincoln Road. Our late-afternoon aperitivo offers a great way to experience local culture, people-watch, and unwind with a drink after a long day."
Voltarel suggests sticking around after aperitivo on Wednesday nights for Segafredo's video jukebox night, when diners can tweet their music video selections to the resident VJ, who then plays the selection on a large projection screen from 9 p.m. till closing.
"Guests love our VJ Night. People get excited about tweeting their selections and then seeing them appear on the big screen. People often start singing along with their friends, couples start dancing, and South Beach residents walking by on Lincoln Road stop and reminisce," Voltarel says. "It's great. Expect anything from Barry White to Nirvana."
VJ Juan Carlos says he enjoys the interactive aspect of the evening: "It's cool to get all these tweets and requests from people sitting just feet away from me, knowing that I can play something for them to jam to while they enjoy Segafredo's awesome drinks or maybe dessert, after munching on free eats."
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