Beverage Pairings
Discover drinks that complement every cuisine — alcoholic and alcohol-free
Explore by Cuisine
Regional tradition
Italy pairs food and wine by region: a bright, high-acid red like Chianti mirrors tomato-based sauces, while sparkling Prosecco and the bittersweet Aperol Spritz open the meal. Coffee closes it — an espresso or cappuccino after dolci is almost ritual.
Its tart cherry acidity cuts through tomato and olive oil and lifts herbs.
Serve slightly cool (16–18°C) in a large red-wine glass.
Firm tannin and dark fruit stand up to rich ragu and braised meats.
Decant 1–2 hours; serve at 18°C.
A crisp coastal white for seafood pasta and lighter antipasti.
Serve chilled (9–11°C).
Fine bubbles and pear notes make a classic aperitivo and fried-food match.
Serve very cold (6–8°C) in a flute.
The quintessential Italian aperitivo — bittersweet and refreshing before the meal.
Serve over ice with an orange slice.
The traditional close to an Italian meal, especially after dessert.
Serve immediately in a warm demitasse.
A clean, alcohol-free palate refresher between courses.
Serve cold with a citrus twist.
Beverage Library
A bright Sangiovese-based red from Tuscany.
Flavor: tart cherry, herbs, savory
Serve slightly cool (16–18°C) in a large red-wine glass.
A powerful, tannic Nebbiolo from Piedmont.
Flavor: rose, tar, dark cherry
Decant 1–2 hours; serve at 18°C.
A delicate, food-friendly red.
Flavor: red berry, earth, silky
Serve cool (14–16°C).
A structured, full-bodied red.
Flavor: blackcurrant, cedar, bold tannin
Serve at 17–18°C in a broad glass.
A juicy, robust red that loves grilled meat.
Flavor: plum, cocoa, smoke
Serve at 16–18°C.
An oak-aged Spanish red.
Flavor: cherry, leather, vanilla
Serve at 16–18°C.
A zesty, high-acid white.
Flavor: crisp, citrus, grassy
Serve well chilled (8–10°C).
A rounded white, often oak-influenced.
Flavor: apple, butter, oak
Serve at 10–12°C.
An aromatic white with a touch of sweetness that tames heat.
Flavor: peach, lime, floral
Serve well chilled (8°C).
A perfumed white built for aromatic, spiced food.
Flavor: lychee, rose, spice
Serve chilled (8–10°C).
A coastal Spanish white made for seafood.
Flavor: saline, citrus, stone fruit
Serve well chilled (8–10°C).
A crisp Italian coastal white.
Flavor: lemon, almond, mineral
Serve chilled (9–11°C).
A lively Italian sparkling wine.
Flavor: pear, white flower, sparkling
Serve very cold (6–8°C) in a flute.
A crisp traditional-method sparkling wine.
Flavor: brioche, citrus, fine bubbles
Serve cold (7–9°C).
A refreshing pink wine, endlessly versatile.
Flavor: strawberry, citrus, crisp
Serve well chilled (8–10°C).
A crisp Spanish sparkling wine.
Flavor: green apple, citrus, sparkling
Serve cold (6–8°C).
A fortified dessert wine.
Flavor: caramel, nut, dried fruit
Serve slightly cool (14°C) in a small glass.
A luxuriant botrytised dessert wine.
Flavor: honey, apricot, lush
Serve chilled (10°C) in a small glass.
A low-alcohol, gently sparkling sweet wine.
Flavor: grape, peach, lightly fizzy
Serve very cold (6–8°C).
A pale, refreshing lager.
Flavor: crisp, floral hops, clean
Serve cold (4°C) in a tall glass.
A clean, everyday lager.
Flavor: light malt, crisp, easy
Serve cold (4°C).
A cloudy, aromatic wheat ale.
Flavor: banana, clove, soft
Serve cool (5°C) in a tall weizen glass.
A hop-forward, bitter ale that cuts spice and fat.
Flavor: citrus, pine, bitter hops
Serve cool (7°C).
A malty, balanced ale.
Flavor: caramel malt, toasty
Serve cool (8°C).
A dark, roasty ale.
Flavor: roast, coffee, chocolate
Serve cellar-cool (10–12°C).
A clean lager made for a lime wedge.
Flavor: light, crisp, lime-friendly
Serve ice-cold with lime.
A light rice lager that refreshes spicy food.
Flavor: delicate, dry, clean
Serve ice-cold.
A full, umami-rich sake.
Flavor: rice, umami, savory
Serve warm or at room temperature.
A fragrant, refined chilled sake.
Flavor: floral, melon, delicate
Serve chilled (10°C).
A vibrant agave spirit.
Flavor: agave, pepper, citrus
Sip neat or on the rocks with lime.
A smoky agave spirit.
Flavor: smoke, agave, earth
Sip neat, room temperature.
A light Korean spirit for the table.
Flavor: clean, neutral, faintly sweet
Serve chilled in small glasses.
Brazil’s sugarcane spirit, base of the caipirinha.
Flavor: grassy, sugarcane, bright
Best in a caipirinha over ice.
A barrel-aged grain spirit.
Flavor: oak, caramel, warm spice
Sip neat or with a splash of water.
Tequila, lime and orange liqueur.
Flavor: tequila, lime, salt
Serve on the rocks with a salt rim.
Cachaça muddled with lime and sugar.
Flavor: lime, sugarcane, fresh
Serve over crushed ice.
Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth.
Flavor: bitter, herbal, orange
Serve on a large ice cube with orange peel.
Aperol, prosecco and soda.
Flavor: bittersweet orange, sparkling
Serve over ice with an orange slice.
Spanish wine punch with fresh fruit.
Flavor: red wine, citrus, fruit
Serve cold over ice.
Rum, mint, lime and soda.
Flavor: mint, lime, rum
Serve over crushed ice with mint.
A clean, palate-refreshing tea.
Flavor: grassy, fresh, gently bitter
Steep at 75–80°C for 2 minutes.
Green tea scented with jasmine blossom.
Flavor: floral, fragrant, soft
Steep at 80°C for 2–3 minutes.
A partly oxidised tea with depth.
Flavor: toasty, floral, rounded
Steep at 90°C for 3 minutes.
Green tea with toasted brown rice.
Flavor: toasted rice, nutty, savory
Steep at 80°C for 2 minutes.
Spiced milk tea.
Flavor: black tea, cardamom, ginger, milk
Serve hot and freshly brewed.
Sweet green tea with fresh mint.
Flavor: mint, sweet, cooling
Serve hot in a small glass.
Sweet, creamy iced tea that soothes chilli heat.
Flavor: spiced black tea, creamy, sweet
Serve over ice.
A full, brisk everyday tea.
Flavor: malty, brisk, robust
Steep at 95°C for 3–4 minutes.
A concentrated shot of coffee.
Flavor: intense, roasty, bittersweet
Serve immediately in a warm demitasse.
Espresso with steamed, foamed milk.
Flavor: espresso, milk, cocoa
Serve hot; a classic after dessert.
A short, sweetened strong coffee.
Flavor: bold, sweet, intense
Serve hot in a small cup.
Strong drip coffee over sweet condensed milk and ice.
Flavor: dark roast, condensed milk, sweet
Serve over ice.
Carbonated water — refreshes and resets the palate.
Flavor: clean, effervescent, neutral
Serve cold with a citrus twist.
Lime juice with soda, sweet or salted.
Flavor: lime, fizzy, tangy
Serve over ice.
A punchy non-alcoholic ginger soda.
Flavor: spicy ginger, sweet, fizzy
Serve ice-cold.
A classic sweet, spiced soda.
Flavor: caramel, spice, sweet, fizzy
Serve ice-cold.
Brazil’s fruity national soft drink.
Flavor: berry, sweet, fizzy
Serve ice-cold.
A cooling cinnamon rice drink that tames chilli.
Flavor: rice, cinnamon, creamy, sweet
Serve cold over ice.
A tangy, ruby juice popular across the Levant.
Flavor: tart, deep, fruity
Serve chilled.
A cooling yogurt-and-mango drink that soothes spice.
Flavor: mango, yogurt, creamy, sweet
Serve cold.
A light, refreshing tropical drink.
Flavor: nutty, faintly sweet, hydrating
Serve cold, ideally over ice.
Blended fruit and water — hibiscus, tamarind or melon.
Flavor: fresh fruit, light, sweet
Serve cold over ice.
A festive alcohol-free stand-in for sparkling wine.
Flavor: grape, crisp, fizzy
Serve very cold in a flute.
Mint, lime and soda without the rum.
Flavor: mint, lime, fizzy, fresh
Serve over crushed ice with mint.
A sweet, festive alcohol-free sparkler.
Flavor: cherry, citrus, sweet, fizzy
Serve over ice with a cherry.
A zingy ginger-and-lime refresher that cuts through rich food.
Flavor: ginger, lime, spicy, fizzy
Serve tall over ice.
Fruit punch built on grape juice and citrus.
Flavor: grape, citrus, fruit, fresh
Serve cold over ice with fruit.