Venetian Spritz in Sofia: the real one with Select (and other variants)
Venetian Spritz by the traditional recipe, with Select: nothing like it in Sofia. At Pesto Store we do it 100% right.
Maurizio Pigliacampi
In Venice the aperitivo is not a trend: it is a habit. And the real Venetian Spritz is not only the orange drink everyone knows from Instagram. It starts with Select – bitter born in Venice in 1920 – plus Prosecco, soda, ice, and an olive or orange.
What a Venetian Spritz really is
Classic build: bitter, Prosecco, a splash of soda. Wine glass, plenty of ice. Soft, drinkable, made for talking – not for shots. That is bar culture, the same world as tramezzini and cicchetti.
Why we insist on the traditional recipe
We care because shortcuts taste like shortcuts. The traditional Venice recipe starts with Select (1920), Prosecco and soda – the right proportions, the right glass, the right ice. Aperol is the famous sweeter variant; Campari-style is for those who want more bitter. But when we say Venetian Spritz at Pesto Store Sofia, we mean the real cut – done 100%, not “almost Italian”.
In Sofia you almost never find anything equal: too often it is just something orange without Select, without respect for the recipe. We brought the bar ritual here the same way we do pizza and tramezzini – product and method, no compromises.
Other spirits we use around the Spritz
- Select – the Venetian heart
- Prosecco – by the glass, for bubbles and freshness
- Soda / seltz – the splash that opens the drink
- Aperol – for those who want the classic orange spritz
- Campari style – for a more bitter, intense aperitivo
- Spritz Special – our richer take on the ritual
Aperitivo culture – not just a cocktail
Spritz belongs with food and conversation: olives, focaccia, tramezzini, a wooden board of bites. Same honesty as our pizza and sandwiches – Italian product, Italian timing, takeaway or at the table.
At Pesto Store Sofia – 100%
On the menu: Spritz and Spritz Special, next to Prosecco by the glass. We do not improvise the tradition: we serve it properly. Come for the Venetian Select ritual – stay for pizza, tramezzini and the deli.
Domande frequenti
What is a Venetian spritz?
Venice's classic aperitivo: a bitter (traditionally Select), Prosecco and a splash of soda, ice, and a garnish (olive or orange). Served in a wine glass - not a nightclub cocktail glass.
Why Select, not only Aperol?
Because the traditional Venice recipe starts with Select (1920), not shortcuts. Select is the lagoon's historic bitter. Aperol is the famous sweeter variant. We stick to the real Venetian cut.
Can you find a spritz like this in Sofia?
Almost never. Too often it is just "something orange" without Select, without proportions, without respect for the recipe. At Pesto Store we do it properly: 100%, like a serious Italian bar.
Which spritz do you serve at Pesto Store?
Classic Spritz and Spritz Special, with Prosecco by the glass. Venetian base with Select; then variants people know (Aperol) and a more bitter Campari-style option - always with the right ingredients.
What does it pair with?
Italian aperitivo: tramezzini, focaccia, olives, small bites. At Pesto Store it is the perfect moment before pizza or a sandwich.
Where can I order it in Sofia?
On the Pesto Store / Pizzeria menu page, wines and cocktails section. Ekzarh Yosif 9A, Sofia.