Acquolina

Acquolina is a cocktail bar and bistrot at the start of the northern lungomare of Civitanova Marche, the busy seaside and shopping town in the province of Macerata on the central Marche coast. Combining a cocktail bar with a wine-led bistrot, it is known above all for an extensive wine list running to more than two hundred Italian labels, with a strong showing of Marche wines such as Verdicchio, Pecorino and Rosso Piceno alongside bottles from across the country, served by the glass and bottle. The cocktail programme covers well-made classics and contemporary mixes, and the kitchen turns out aperitivo plates and light bistrot dishes that make it as much a place to eat as to drink. The crowd is a relaxed, food-and-wine-minded mix of Civitanova locals and summer visitors, with an easygoing, smart-casual mood and no strict door policy. The seafront setting is a key part of the appeal, with the terrace coming into its own in the warm months when the lungomare fills with strollers and beachgoers. Prices are moderate, in line with a coastal bistrot, and the wine list rewards the curious with the chance to explore the region's whites and reds. Hours follow the aperitivo-into-evening rhythm, busiest in summer and at weekends. There is no cover charge, and the bar works well both as a pre-dinner aperitivo stop and as a destination for a longer evening of wine and food. For visitors, Acquolina offers an accessible introduction to Marche and Italian wines in a relaxed seafront setting, a good base for an evening along the Civitanova coast.