Amalfi Coast / Sorrento, southern Italy · Italian
Limoncello Spritz (Lemon, Prosecco & Soda)
The sunshine spritz: bright Italian limoncello with prosecco and a splash of soda over ice, finished with fresh lemon and mint. Sweet-tart, golden and summery — the Amalfi coast in a glass.
Published July 11, 2026
Cultural context
Limoncello is the beloved lemon liqueur of the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, made from the peel of the region's giant, fragrant lemons and traditionally sipped ice-cold after dinner. Lengthened into a spritz with prosecco and soda, it becomes a bright, sweet-tart aperitivo — the same sunny southern-Italian lemon, in a refreshing, all-day format. A natural fit for the spritz template.
The Limoncello Spritz is the sunshine spritz: bright Amalfi lemon liqueur with prosecco and a splash of soda over ice, finished with fresh lemon and mint. Sweet-tart, golden and summery — the same southern-Italian lemon you’d sip after dinner, in an all-day format.
Cold limoncello is key
Keep the limoncello in the freezer so it’s ice-cold, and use a good bottle (or homemade) — the cheap, artificial ones show. Build over plenty of ice.
Balance the sweetness
Limoncello is sweet, so the soda and a squeeze of fresh lemon keep it lively. Use less limoncello and more soda for a drier drink.
One of the spritz family
Swap the flavour and you tour the whole spritz family: Aperol for the bitter classic, elderflower for a Hugo, Campari for a Sbagliato.
Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 oz) limoncello Well chilled; a good limoncello (or homemade) makes all the difference.
- 90 ml (3 oz) prosecco Well chilled and dry.
- 30 ml (1 oz) soda water
- lemon slices and fresh mint, to garnish
- ice
Method
Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.
-
Fill a large wine glass with ice and add the limoncello.
Why: Plenty of ice keeps the drink cold and dilutes the sweet limoncello just enough.
-
Add the prosecco, then top with the soda water.
Why: Adding the wine before the soda keeps more sparkle; the soda lengthens and lightens the sweet liqueur.
-
Stir once gently and garnish with lemon slices and a mint sprig.
Why: One gentle stir combines without flattening the fizz; lemon and mint reinforce the fresh citrus aroma.
A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.
Variations
- Less sweet
Cut the limoncello to 45 ml and add extra soda and a squeeze of fresh lemon for a sharper, drier spritz.
- Herby
Add a sprig of rosemary or basil for a fragrant, garden note against the lemon.
- The spritz family
Swap the flavour — Aperol for the bitter classic, elderflower for a Hugo, Campari and prosecco for a Sbagliato.
Serving & Storage
A bright warm-weather aperitivo, or a lighter alternative to sipping limoncello neat after dinner. Serve very cold.
Pairs with: Fried calamari, Caprese salad, Lemon cake, Grilled fish.
Storage: Build to order so the prosecco stays fizzy and the lemon tastes fresh.
Nutrition
Per serving (1 drink (~200 ml))
- Calories
- 210
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 20 g
- Sodium
- 10 mg
Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Limoncello Spritz very sweet?
Limoncello is sweet, so the drink leans sweet-tart, but the prosecco and soda lengthen it and the fresh lemon sharpens it. For a drier drink, use a little less limoncello, more soda, and an extra squeeze of fresh lemon.
What limoncello should I use?
A good-quality limoncello — or homemade, if you have it — makes a noticeably brighter, more natural-tasting drink than the cheap, artificial-tasting bottles. Keep it in the freezer so it's ice-cold when you build the spritz.
Can I use champagne instead of prosecco?
You can, but prosecco is traditional and its fruity, off-dry character suits the lemon well. A dry cava also works. The important thing is that it's well chilled and lively.
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