Italian-style Happy Hour makes its way to Newport Beach
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (February 2020) – Bringing an authentic taste of Italy to Newport Beach, BELLO by Sandro Nardone has introduced a weekday Aperitivo, or Happy Hour, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“Italian ‘Aperitivo’ is similar to ‘Happy Hour’ here in the States. The term refers to a pre-dinner drink meant to open the palate, and it gives guests an opportunity to socialize, relax, and nibble on small plates at the bar,” commented BELLO Chef/Owner Sandro Nardone, who has become known for blending of traditional authentic and modern Italian food. “As we meet our neighbors and become a gathering place in the community, we look to serve as a place where guests can come relax after a long day, meet with old friends, and make new ones as well.”
Featured on BELLO’s Happy Hour menu will be cocktails and select wines, along with small plates such as Meatballs, Baccalau Fritters and Mortadella, and Fontina Grilled Cheese. Guests will be able to order off the restaurant’s dinner menu, which includes Chef Sandro’s noted Brick-Oven Pizzas (offered for dinner Sunday through Thursday).
“Our bar program is led by Italian-born and trained bartender Lorenzo Radicci,” added Chef Sandro. “He has literally been making cocktails since he was a child, as his family owned a bar in Italy. At BELLO, he has created a series of unique Italian cocktails, including the Cappuccino Negroni, which is one of my favorites and extremely popular with our guests.”
Bello’s signature Happy Hour cocktail is Radicci’s Mare Blu, a refreshing blend of vodka, grapefruit juice, lime, triple sec and blue curacao served in a glass that has been rimmed with dried chili and lime.
“When conceptualizing BELLO, it was important for me to have a large bar with great drinks, great service and terrific energy,” explained Nardone. “In Italy, bars are a critical part of the culture – your bar family is an extension of your regular family! People are in and out of bars all day – I wanted to capture a bit of that for Orange County to experience.”
BELLO offers Happy Hour in its bar area Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. More information, including menu and reservations can be found at https://bellobysandronardone.com.
