IF you have been to Italy, you may have enjoyed aperitivo hour - the enviable habit of enjoying a drink with some tasty snacks in the early evening.

On my summer holiday to Sicily, aperitivo became a daily duty and we scoured the city to find the best places serving the most generous small plates.

We would load up on olives, nuts, mini bruschetta and arancini, washed down with a refreshing Aperol or Campari spritz.

Sounds tempting? Well the good news is you don't have to spend a fortune flying to Italy to sample a spot of aperitivo.

You just have to head into York city centre to Paradiso Dolce Salato, the Italian deli and cafe in Walmgate (in the former tile shop, Bert and May).

It is the sister outlet to the popular Il Paradiso del Cibo, the well established Sardinian restaurant just a few doors away run by veteran York restaurateur Paolo Silesu.

Paradiso Dolce Salato has been open for just over a year and is headed up Paolo's colleague and talented pastry chef and gelato maker Elisa Peterle, who has just obtained a licence for the premises and is now able to run aperitivo hours in the early evening (Sunday to Thursday until 7pm; Friday and Saturday until 9pm).

At her invitation, we popped in on a Thursday night to check it out.

There were four of us and we began with a cocktail - a Pirlo (Campari with Prosecco) for me and a Limoncello one for my friend (£7.50 each), perfectly refreshing but boozy enough to signal the switch off from work into evening fun.

The others had a Tiramisu Martini (£8.50) featuring marsala, vodka, espresso and coffee liqueur. These were creamy and delicious and on reflection may have been a better choice after the food, paired with or instead of a dessert.

As we sipped our drinks, out came the food. At first, a board with giant olives, grilled, thick ribbons of mortadella (Italian luncheon meat) and - my favourite - wafer thin Sardinian bread made crispy in the oven.

But then came a dish of slow-cooked octopus with cubes of potatoes and olives slow cooked in a savoury sauce which immediately flew to the top of the taste charts.

Next we had 'boats' of prawns and chickpeas served in long lettuce leaves resembling canoes. Another winner.

A platter with soft and creamy mozzarella simply topped with prosciutto and drizzled with a balsamic glaze came next and was perfect too.

For something sweet, we each chose a mini dessert from the deli counter.

I had the tiramisu: gorgeous layers or flavoured cream and sponge inside a cupcake 'case' made from impossibly thin dark chocolate. Simply divine!

Another round of cocktails were ordered before we headed off to continue the fun (and drinks) up town.

As a place to begin a night out - or even to encompass THE night out - Paradiso Dolce Salato is living up to its name. Paradise indeed.

* Paradiso Dolce Salato is at 8, Walmagte, York.