On Saturday night in the East Village, tables along Avenue B saw clusters of green-stemmed glasses, each holding something pale and bubbly. The drink is the Hugo spritz, a mix of elderflower liqueur, prosecco, soda, and mint. Its popularity has grown as temperatures have climbed.
At Santina in the Meatpacking District, bartenders report that requests for Hugo spritzes now rival those for the still-ubiquitous Aperol spritz. Prices tend to fall between $14 and $18, depending on the bar. Most versions use St-Germain and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Some add a slice of lime.
Last Thursday, a bartender at Dante West Village said they began seeing more Hugo orders after Memorial Day. The drink’s lighter profile, with less bitterness than Aperol-based spritzes, seems better suited to late afternoon. At sidewalk tables, diners pair it with plates of olives or crudo.
The Hugo spritz’s rise has not displaced the Aperol spritz entirely. At Bar Pisellino in the West Village, orange-tinted glasses still dominate on Friday evenings. But bartenders note that the demand for Hugo spritzes is highest on weekends between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., especially as the city’s heat persists.