This is a great little bistro/wine bar/neighborhood spot. It's definitely upscale in feel, but still reasonably priced. Most of the seating is on a second-floor covered terrace, though there are tables inside as well. It has interesting city views of the University Hill area over South Square towards the "hypodermic building." There are parking options on all sides. The wine list is nice, but I like trying their specialty cocktails. These tend to have interesting additions such as tea-infused syrups and other creative ingredients. I've always had great sandwiches here at lunchtime, particularly the Santorini (a take on a gyro) and the Yacht Club, which is similar to a club sandwich but brightened up and made scrumptious by apricot jam. Their side of Caesar salad is always nice and crisp, with just the right amount of dressing and flavorful cheese shavings. The staff is engaged and attentive without going overboard. There's really no better lunch experience in the area on a nice warm day when you can just hang out and relax with a varied, delightful menu. read more

Located in University Hill, this bar offers a host of daily drink specials, charcuterie and sandwiches. We visited on a weekend evening and seating was plentiful. We sat outside since the weather was nice - they have comfy lounge chairs and an aesthetic setup with string lights which really add to the ambiance. We ordered a couple of sandwiches - mine came with chicken, bacon, and plenty of cheese. The food was tasty but average. The service was a bit slow and we unfortunately ended up having to go inside the restaurant to request the check to get to our next destination in time - however, staff were super friendly. Overall, the vibes outside were amazing and I would consider returning for drinks on a warm evening. read more

Aperitif - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great food and drinks- and a fabulous mocktail menu! A bit pricey for the area but the food was delicious, if I came back would probably skip the charcuterie and just get entrees and drinks. However very tasty overall read more

Aperitif - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Laid back and open feeling. Nice when one can actually sit outside. Good place to hang out with friends. read more

Aperitif is the perfect spot for either a girls's night out or a swanky date night featuring fancy cocktails. The atmosphere is upscale, but inviting. They have a classic selection of drinks and a rotating menu of fun cocktails. I have nothing bad to say about the food, service, or the ambiance. Definitely worth a visit! read more

This is the cutest bar with the cutest drinks! Not only are they aesthetically appealing, they also taste incredible. The paninis with soup were great too with a good mix of choices. Would love to stop by here again. read more

Super cute ambience - both indoors and outdoor seating is vibey! Their drinks are yummy. The snacks / small bites are fun but some are delicious and some are just okay. The desserts are okay but small portions and expensive. read more

Normally I love this place. However, there are very limited N/A options. There are only 2 mocktails on their list and one has egg whites so if you are pregnant there is literally only one option. I expect more from a specialty cocktail and wine place. read more

I came to Apertif repeatedly on Thursday nights for trivia night (you had to go to certain locations to qualify for a tournament). First, I want to highlight the things that I liked: *The food is really good. The Mt. Stowe was my favorite but everything I tried was good and the desserts look amazing. *The drinks are also great! I really like that they have weekly specials so that going out for cocktails doesn't have to break the bank (like at some places in Durham). *The shop itself is very cute with nice views and a good patio. However, the inside of the shop itself is fairly small. This would not be a good place for a large group, but it works well for intimate conversation or reading a book. However, at least on trivia nights when there was an influx of people, the service was repeatedly poor. It was as if each staff member had one task that they stayed on even if the bartender fell behind or the waitress couldn't take care of all the tables at once. I would say that I cannot recommend going on a Thursday night, but I learned that they are no longer going to be hosting trivia. I plan to return on another night to see what it's like when its not as crowded. read more

This place popped up in Yelp, so I came here to try their desserts. I got the pumpkin cheesecake - they have a rotating seasonal selection. Texture was good (lightly fluffy) but it had a strange candle-y aroma and I got a headache later. They also had the indoor seating reserved for a party, so we sat outside in what became a wind corridor. I'm sure there are other better desserts on the menu and it's more pleasant in warmer weather, but it's not for me. Service was great though. read more

Aperitif - Pumpkin cheesecake - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

It's a very positive vibe in the outdoor area and close proximity to a lot of other things. The drink was just sweet enough and the vegan dessert that we had was very good. read more

I was really looking forward to checking out this dessert bar after reading all the great recommendations on Yelp and hearing good things from our friends. I really wasn't blown away, though. We ordered the Seasonal Crème Brûlée and the Boozy not Bougie Tiramisu for dessert. The Crème Brûlée was orange flavored and good but not anywhere close to the best crème brûlée I've ever had. The Tiramisu was good and had a nice kick of rum without being overwhelmingly boozy but also just ok for a Tiramisu. In terms of dessert cocktails, I ordered an espresso martini. The espresso martini was a major let down. It was totally watered down. Luckily, I informed the server and my drink was quickly replaced with the S'moresgasmic cocktail and that one was very delicious! Not as sweet as I was expecting which was great since that is the reason I hesitated to order it in the first place. It was very creamy and beautiful with the marshmallow decoration on top. Overall, the place is a great spot to grab a drink and dessert with a friend or a group but the desserts and drinks themselves probably won't blow you away. read more

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Delicious drinks. Go for spritz Saturdays ($7 spritz drinks). Food is also good. We had the south slope, portsmouth canapé, and deviled eggs. Chill atmosphere with comfy chairs and couches. Good service, but a little slow at times. Recommended. read more

Aperitif - Melon spritz - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I've wanted to come here for so long and yesterday I finally did! There was a good amount of indoor and outdoor seating, and my friend and I decided to sit inside since it was pretty busy outside. Our waitress/bartender was very nice and attentive. She informed us that the Saturday special was $7 Spritzes, so naturally my friend and I each chose a different one to try. I got the Goodbye Earl which had gin, blackberries, and lemon, and my friend got one of their seasonal options (can't remember the name - but it had cider, vodka, and vanilla). Both drinks were good, but I ended up liking my friends better since mine was kind of sour and had a pretty strong lemon flavor. I think if it had been a tad sweeter and tasted more like blackberries then it would've been a 5/5! There were a bunch of other drink options on the menu that looked delicious, so I will for sure be back sometime to try them out! read more

Aperitif - Spritz - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Found this place on Yelp when waiting for a flight to come in. It did not disappoint! The cocktail and wine menu is extensive. The inside is eclectic and beautiful, like stepping into an Instagram story. We only had cocktails and desserts, which were amazing. The Incide Out, which is a seasonal spritz made with apple cider and cava, even came topped with tiny pumpkins! Everything was absolutely delicious, and our server/bartender was excellent. I wish we lived here so that we could return to try the other food on the menu. read more

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This is a really cute dessert and cocktail bar in Durham. They're located on the second story, so you can enjoy your food sitting on the covered balcony. Don't worry, there is also plenty of indoor tables and cozy chairs to sit at. The overall atmosphere is refined but relaxed. This is the perfect place for a girls night or a date. The menu has cocktails, sandwiches, canapes, charcuterie, oh and the best desserts! The prices are very reasonable for what you get, and everything was very tasty. The only bad part is that a good section of the menu is seasonal, so if you find something that you like, it might not be there the next time. read more

Aperitif - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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What a cute spot! My friend and I wandered over after a hot yoga class next door and were pleasantly surprised by the $5 wine special on Mondays. We were also intrigued by their seasonal cocktail menu, so we started with those, which were delicious! Jason, the owner, happened to be working that night, so he was super helpful with food suggestions for us. We tried the deviled eggs (the Baja with tajin were our favorite!) and they were so good that I forgot to snap a picture. Whoops. We were having a great time, so we decided to have a glass of wine, split a sandwich, and upgraded the side to a house salad (pictured). Jason was so kind in splitting everything onto two plates for us and making it look cute. We had a wonderful time, stayed for a few drinks, and can't wait to come back! read more

Aperitif - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Food and drinks were good but they are severely understaffed. For a Saturday night there were two people. One was making all the food, the other was serving and both were making drinks. We ordered the s'mores cocktail and were told that it was a "whole production" and I felt bad, knowing they were understaffed. We waited but at a certain point walked in for the check. Staff was friendly and I don't blame them, but also just say it is unavailable if you do not have the time to make it. read more

Beautiful location in University Hill (3105 Shannon Road) is perfect for ladies lunch or uptown eats with the fellows in tow. Lovely drinks, eats, and desserts. Plan to stay awhile and spend time winding down. read more

Go! Awesome cocktails, food, and ambiance! So glad I finally made it over to Aperitif! We picked one of the hottest days to go, but still opted to sit outside on the patio. Outside seating was seat yourself, and it was nice to not even have to step foot inside for anyone that's still being very covid cautious. Drinks were beautiful and delicious! The Post Melon was garnished with a giant watermelon slice! My friend had the Violet, you're turning violet and it had a butterfly in it. Both drinks were tasty and refreshing on the hot day! The waitress also brought us multiple bottles of cold water which was much appreciated! For food we split the B.L.A.T.A. sandwich and voodoo chips. The sandwich was yummy - I loved the candied bacon and the sandwich had a bit of a spicy kick to it that I enjoyed! Dessert was so hard to choose - just so many choices I wanted to try them all! I had Mango #5, it was really good but kinda tiny (I probably wouldn't get that one again). My friend had the Boozy not Bougie Tiramisu. I can't wait to return to try different drinks and foods! read more

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Food was good. Setting was very nice. We held an event there and we were allowed to block off the inside for our guests. The service was excellent. The only points of concern were with the event planning. We set the date a month ahead then when we went the week before the event it wasn't on the calendar! Fortunately no one else booked it from under us. Communication regarding menu offerings and options could have been better. Afterwards it wasn't a success and everyone was happy with the food and service at the event. read more

This is our second time here, and we love the atmosphere, drinks, and food. Highly recommend. read more

Aperitif - Lavender cocktail & capri toast. White dove cocktail in background. - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I had an offline coupon for this spot, so met a friend there one evening for drinks and snacks. The place is very modern, very open, and yet very welcoming. We sat mostly at the bar but moved to the deck and some more comfortable seating as the evening progressed. For food, we split the charcuterie board, with several cheeses and meats. Each item was a good size for sharing, not just a small dab on the board. There was prosciutto, drunken goat cheese (one of my faves!), and a softer cheese, along with loads of crackers, chips, mustard, and pickles (maybe house-made?). Drinks included a Last Word (do you even know how rare it is to find a bar that still has Chartreuse?), and a house specialty called "I Can Buy My Own Flowers." This has an ice cube molded into the shape of a flower blossom. According to my friend, it was very tasty. The staff were very friendly, even though we were there late into the evening. I will be going back there again as the summer progresses. read more

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Best place to go for a Ladies night out in Durham! Beautiful atmosphere, sunset is a prime time to be there. Stunning drinks and delish small plates, just overall super impressive with great service! read more

Cute place for a drink and a bite. We tried the White Dove and Espresso Martini, both delicious. Also had a 5 item charcuterie board that included soppressata, wagyu, a soft and hard cheese, and tapenade. Servers were attentive and friendly but not over the top. Would definitely return here. read more

We've been here twice now and enjoyed sitting on the patio and ordering drinks and some light bites. They have savory and sweet offerings and if you're looking for something more substantial, they have paninis and salads. We've enjoyed cocktails, wines, and light bites like hummus and canapes. It's also reasonably priced. They definitely have a good thing going. read more

This place has such a great vibe with the large windows, inside and outside seating, the balcony, and decor. They are so friendly and helped explain the menu. Brian was great and shared that the pastry chef is amazing so it was a no brainer to try the cheesecake. We will be back!!! read more

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My wife and I had heard about this place from a few friends who knew that we enjoyed bittersweet in Raleigh (which is a very similar concept). Overall our experience was fine and was very hit and miss. My wife ordered the espresso martini, which was very watered down and just not great. Our waitress was very nice about it and replaced the drink with a s'mores martini, which was actually pretty good. I had a beer and would say that they have a decent selection that ranges a good variety of styles. We also ordered two desserts (tiramisu and the seasonal crepe brûlée) - both were ok and nothing special. Given that we went after dinner elsewhere, I probably would have preferred to just have dessert at the restaurant we were at, but if you just want a dessert and cocktail and don't have dinner plans it's not a bad place to stop. Given that we are essentially equidistant between this location and bittersweet, we would choose the latter. read more

Aperitif - Tiramisu - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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My husband and I went here for a midweek date night and it was absolutely perfect! As a gluten free person who doesn't drink alcohol, I was super pleased with the fun offerings. The food, desserts, and drinks all had cute options! The salad was one of the best I have ever had. My husband loved his jamon sandwich and our desserts were both beautiful and delicious! The mock tail was also perfection and you could tell had been thought through! Also, the airy atmosphere was nice and we were able to watch the sunset. This was the perfect date night spot to just hang out and relax! read more

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I brought my partner here for his birthday dessert because we had heard a lot about it. However, the cocktails were pretty hard to get through. They looked pretty but were heavy on the liquor flavor and not so much the cocktail flavor. The desserts themselves are not pictured but were only okay. I could've definitely made something of the same quality if not better. Overall, I was pretty disappointed in my experience. read more

Aperitif - S'mores cocktail - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Great atmosphere and drinks. They have different deals throughout the week, and everything is awesome. Their limincello is fantastic if you want a refreshing, lighter dessert read more

Really cute spot for lunch, cocktails, or small / bites appetizers (open for dinner hours, but menu isn't super dinner-y). Located in a newly finished really cute shopping center, Aperitif's on the second level with nice and bright decor. They have a nice amount of tables, and were happy to reconfigure them to accommodate larger groups. Staff were very friendly - on the night we were there, the bartenders were also the main servers which was fine since there weren't a ton of people there. Everyone at our table loved our cocktails - the mocktails in particular were great and felt like a real cocktail without alcohol (not just a soda poured over ice with a garnish like many places do). We had sandwiches which were all delicious, though we would have loved to have some more dinner-y options since we were there in the evening. We tried a variety of desserts which were all beautiful but looked slightly better than they tasted - still delicious, but not "out of this world." Overall a really fun spot to catch up with friends or enjoy a date night (especially if you are in search of a great mocktail)! read more

oh my god!! i LOVE this hidden gem!! it's got enough parking spots as it's in the middle of a shopping center & apartment complex. it's above the bulbox, just take the stairs up & it's like you're walking up to a whole new world! my friend was waiting for me on a sofa outside & it was so aesthetically pleasing & minimalistic! the inside was so peaceful looking but almost everyone was outside because the weather was so perfect & the best view of the sunset. once i sat down, our server holly came right away to ask if i wanted anything to start. my friend had ordered a white dove cocktail while waiting for me so she helped me decide what i should drink & settled on the blue pama dee da ba di seasonal cocktail, which was SO amazing!! we also asked her which canapé she recommended, which she said the capri was most popular! my drink came shortly afterwards, maybe five minutes into our conversation & holly was always checking in on us which was appreciated! the capri canapé was not only delicious, it leaves you wanting MORE. we talked for most of the time, which we spent almost two hours there because the atmosphere was so welcoming yet electrifying from the great music taste! we also decided to share the figs in a blanket panini, Y'ALL IT WAS A PARTY IN MY MOUTH!!! It was so crisp, flavors all mixed well with the sweetness of the fig & saltiness of the prosciutto! we'll definitely coming back & trying much more items on the menu & some dessert next time! 10/10 experience! read more

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This is a cute and dainty restaurant to work remotely, dine for girls night, or have a business meeting. The dress can be casual depending on the occasion. The views from the second floor are beautiful, with inside and outside dining options. There is plenty of seating on the patio as well. There's not much on the menu besides sandwiches, salads, and small bites, but that's there vibe...so don't go there expecting a heavy meal. My meal was a little underwhelming, I had the BLATA with chicken instead of bacon, but it was served cold and I want expecting that since I added chicken, but it was decent. The side pesto pasta salad was really good. My friend ordered the uncle Dave panini with a side of the cucumber salad and that was tasty. They serve desserts and have a full bar with an extensive drink menu, so I would return for that. I also like that they have weekly events so I plan to return for trivia on Wednesdays. There is plenty of parking in the lot as well as extra seating downstairs on the turf. The only thing that made me uneasy with this visit was that our glasses still had lipstick prints on them, but our waiter was really friendly and accommodating the whole time. read more

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Came here for the first time yesterday for lunch. First - this place is adorable. Second - super good menu. It was hard to pick but I got the BLATA sandwich (essentially a BLT with avocado sauce and arugula) and the bacon was candied which made us perfectly sweet and crunchy. I also got the Apple Bottom Jeans as a dessert to go and that was suuuper tasty. read more

Aperitif - Apple Bottom Jeans dessert - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Best new dessert & drink spot! They are open late, have a variety of options (with plenty of vegan and GF options) and the drink selection is huge. Very clean and modern ambiance. I was also impressed with the prices, very reasonable for everything you get. The taste & quality far surpassed my expectations, I can't wait to go back! read more

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Overall, I would be back!! Super cute location that is up and coming. The great: our server was phenomenal. We were there a long time and didn't even order food for probably an hour or two into being there but checked on us at a good frequency. At times the bar was slow and she'd stop in to make sure we knew she knew and she was still checking. The food was pretty good, we split some small plates and a charcuterie board. Next time I might try a sandwich but I was overall happy. The good: the drinks tasted good, but weren't particularly strong. I had five drinks (over about four hours, but still a lot for me) and didn't feel like I'd drank anything. Not a huge deal, as they all tasted great but for 10-14 dollar drinks, just be aware. My not so favorite: I did some liquor substitutions for two drinks (e.g., in the campfire dessert cocktail I asked for all vodka no mezcal) and I didn't look at the receipt but the upcharge had to be close to 6-10 dollars for each drink based on my total. Which isn't totally unexpected but would have been nice to know and given I'm not asking for additional liquor, just substituting, I was kind of surprised it was that much because it made my drinks close to 16-20 dollars. Again, I didn't look at my receipt, but my friend and I split the food evenly and I only had one more drink than her and my total was more than 20 dollars more than hers. Not a huge deal and wouldn't deter me from coming back, but just something to be aware of! read more

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This is such a great restaurant option for midtown Durham - excellent service, wide drink selection, and such a delicious menu. This is perfect for a lunch, light dinner, or dinner and drinks. They also rotate their menu based upon the season. Highly recommend! read more

I had a wonderful experience at Aperitif! I came by myself for a little after work, pre-dinner bite, and was very pleased. The space is bright, airy and beautifully decorated with options for indoor and outdoor (covered) seating. I loved that they have various seating options- tables as well as upholstered armchairs and loveseats inside, with outdoor tables and benches with cushions. Very easy to get comfy and hang out for a while with friends! The concept is a great one that Durham doesn't have a lot of (at least at this price point). The food menu includes shareable appetizer/tapas, charcuterie & fromage boards, flatbreads and sandwiches, soup and salad, and an awesome selection of deserts! Vegan and gluten-free options are available across the menu. On the beverage side, there's a huge variety of wine, cocktails, mocktails, beer, non-alcoholic beer, even sangria and dessert cocktails! I had a red sangria, "devilish" eggs (a perfect, traditional rendition of southern-style deviled eggs), and the tiramisu, which was all excellent. Everything is very reasonably priced (think Mateo or similar, but more affordable). To top it off, the service was quick, friendly and answered all the questions I had. They had a perfect balance of attentiveness without being overbearing. University Hill is becoming a destination in itself, and Aperitif is a standout, even amongst a full lineup of other quality spots. I plan to return with friends, and soon! read more

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Sick little cocktail bar in Durham right next to a ton of other places and an apartment complex and the complex it's in has murals everywhere! All the names of the drinks are super creative and well made. Only thing I would complain about is that they only had two servers taking drink orders and bartending so I feel for them because they were busy! We will be coming back soon! read more

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