My Favorite Bites of 2024

Brought to You by Superclasico Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo

Jan 03, 2025

∙ Paid

Welcome to the first official LAST CALL dispatch of 2025! We went out with a bang on this week’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Special—which featured a ton of special guest stars—and we kick off the New Year with a look back at some of my favorite bites of 2024. I recommend you have a light bite of your own nearby as this round-up filled with pizza, wings, hoagies, hanger steaks, tacos, club sandwiches, pasta, panettone, soft-serve, shoo-fly pie, and so much more will have you seriously considering ordering in lunch or pre-planning dinner. While many of these outings were solo affairs, seeing each of these photos once again also reminds me of the people who I shared these experiences with at the table/counter/bar. My favorite “sips” of 2024 will be landing next week to complete today’s smörgåsbord. Have a great weekend!

To receive every update in 2025 and help support my work here at LAST CALL, please consider upgrading to a Paid Subscription for full access to all archived dispatches and exclusives like Dive Bar Jukebox, The Lowdown, and City Guides.

Today’s LAST CALL dispatch is free to all readers thanks to the generous support of Superclasico Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo.

The New Year is often a time of reflection and resetting to focus on things you may want to change or improve in your life. And for many that means embracing Dry January as a time to take a break or cut back from drinking alcohol. But whether you’re sober or sober-curious, seeking flavorful and inventive spirit-free options to replace an alcoholic drink can be a challenge.

Casamara Club founders Jason LaValla and Erica Johnson felt this way and grew tired of having to choose between lackluster flavored seltzers and sickly sweet sodas and mocktails when they wanted a non-alcoholic treat at the end of the day. Taking inspiration from Italian amaro and aperitivo culture they created a line of botanical-driven adult sodas, each with complex flavors and an extra dry finish that are perfect on their own, as a mixer, or to accompany your favorite aperitivo spread.

The latest addition to the Casamara Club portfolio is Superclasico—their very first cocktail-strength non-alcoholic drink. Superclasico channels the spirit of the iconic Negroni by way of Italy’s sunset-hued, ready-to-drink, non-alcoholic sodas like Sanbittèr and Crodino. Think of if it as a bittersweet, Italian-style aperitivo in a supercharged 8-ounce can.

Like all of Casamara Club botanical sodas, Superclasico is made with real ingredients—no artificial flavors, no sugar substitutes, and no preservatives—and is sweetened like a real cocktail, with top quality Demerara cane sugar. Superclasico is ready to drink straight from the can, or pour it into an ice-filled glass garnished with an orange slice. And it’s the perfect companion for an at-home aperitivo spread.

“Your leisure awaits…”