Italians know how to enjoy the good life. Take the tradition of the aperitivo, which goes back to ancient Roman times. It’s the time in the day marking the end of work and the beginning of leisure. You spend it with friends and family, having drinks and light bites before diving into your dinner plans. That daily ritual is a treasured part of the culture, one Chef Angelo Auriana, of the newly opened Brera Osteria at the Grand Canal Shoppes, wants to bring to America.

“I came into the United States when I was 23 years old, and the first thing that I realized was that there was no aperitivo. It’s been missing for me ever since I lived here,” he says. “And now with the Venetian, with the beautiful St. Mark’s Square, we are able to implement something that we really love that is part of our culture.”