From the classic recipe to original twists, enjoying an excellent negroni in its home country is easy when you know the right place to go. From Florence, where the cocktail originated more than 100 years ago, via Naples, Rome, Venice and Milan, here are the best bars to delight in the world’s most desired drink
It’s alleged that when Count Camillo Negroni suggested to Fosco Scarselli, bartender at Caffè Casoni, that he alter the recipe of the Americano by combining gin with bitters and vermouth, the nobleman had no idea that more than 100 years later his drink would be the world’s most widely consumed cocktail. Between purists who serve the negroni in its classic form and innovators who create new iterations by adding ingredients or changing the proportions and colour, in Italy you’re spoilt for choice if you want to savour the famous ‘Count’s cocktail’.
Camparino in Galleria, Milan
@camparinoingalleria
The negroni at Camparino in Galleria stays true to the original recipe
Negroni lovers should visit Camparino in Galleria, a charming establishment with three souls. On the ground floor, Bar di Passo offers classic blends; on the first floor, the Sala Spiritello focuses on contemporary cocktails; while in the Sala Gaspare, people can order cocktails made with vintage spirits – including the negroni. Here, the Count’s quintessential cocktail is dubbed the L’ora del Bitter and is prepared with the same three ingredients as the original, with the addition of a distillate and a negroni reduction that highlight the drink’s characteristic botanicals.
P.za del Duomo, 21, 20121 Milano MI, Italy
Freni e Frizioni, Rome
@freniefrizioni
Freni e Frizione is located within a former car mechanic workshop
In Rome’s Trastevere district, Freni e Frizioni – a new entry to the list of The World's 50 Best Bars 2023 – occupies a former car mechanic workshop (hence its name meaning ‘brakes and clutches’). Today it’s a go-to place for people seeking an informal bar where they can meet with friends, listen to music and enjoy classic and signature cocktails created by owner Riccardo Rossi and his team of young bartenders. An example is the Negroni Mediterraneo, which embodies the distinctive accents of Italian gastronomy. Made with gin, Tuscan amaro and marsala wine, it has notes of tomato and basil that give the drink a rounded and slightly savoury taste.
Via del Politeama, 4, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Drink Kong, Rome
@drinkkongbar_Negronis-italy.jpg)
Drink Kong's take on the negroni is described as 'bizarre and deep'
A cutting-edge bar in the Italian capital, Drink Kong (No.21 in The World's 50 Best Bars 2023) is famed for serving cocktails with minimalist style and Japanese inspirations in a setting that recalls the atmosphere of Blade Runner and spreads across several rooms. The founder is Patrick Pistolesi and his idea for a twist on the negroni, called Paradox, is to take the drink to a ‘bizarre and deep’ level by emphasising its bitter notes with chicory, laurel cordial and pink grapefruit. The result is a smooth and citrusy blend, completely transparent and served in a tumbler.
Piazza di S. Martino Ai Monti, 8, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Gucci Giardino 25, Florence
Sip in style on the terrace on the Gucci Giardino 25 terrace
When Gucci Giardino’s manager, Martina Bonci, created the first cocktail list for this bar in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria, she wanted to pay homage to the city by proposing a purple variation of its signature drink. Served in the bar or in the magnificent floral outdoor space (right in front of the Gucci boutique), the Mémoire di Negroni is infused with butterfly pea flowers that, together with a yuzu sake, lead to its unique colour. The drink’s distinctive sharper notes are exalted with the addition of grapefruit bitters.
P.za della Signoria, 37r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
Locale Firenze, Florence
@localefirenze
Locale Firenze offers a contemporary drinks programme in a historic location
If the walls of Locale Firenze could speak, they would tell stories of centuries past when they were home to illustrious Florentine families. With its impressive display of bottles and mixology lab located on the lower floor, whose architecture dates back to 1200, the cocktail bar offers a contemporary interpretation of the drink invented in Florence and its ‘white’ version. Called the Golden Negroni, it combines gin and gentian liqueur with a saffron vermouth kombucha. The result is a bitter and slightly acidic blend, which is full-bodied but fresh on the palate.
Via delle Seggiole, 12r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
L’Antiquario, Naples
@lantiquario_napoli
Sample three variations of the cocktail with L'Antiquario's signature negroni flight
In Alex Frezza’s speakeasy, patrons sitting on the red couches or taking a spot at the bar can savour a special tasting experience called Giostra di Negroni. It is inspired by the vintage carousel in Florence’s Piazza della Repubblica, the city where this classic was born. Rotating on a red mini-carousel, three cocktail glasses are served with different colours: Umami has hints of shiitake mushrooms and dried cherry tomatoes; Garden has the fragrance of peaches and rose petals; while Sospeso recalls the aroma of Neapolitan coffee. Choosing which one to start with is part of the fun.
Via Vannella Gaetani, 2, 80121 Napoli NA, Italy
Bar Basso, Milan
@barbasso
During aperitif time at Bar Basso in Milan – one of the city’s standard-bearers of fine drinking – leading figures from the worlds of fashion and design gather to order the sbagliato, a famous twist on the negroni spawned from a ‘mistake’ (which is what sbagliato literally means in Italian). The unwitting inventor was Mirko Stocchetto in the 1970s, who blended a mix of bitter and vermouth with prosecco instead of gin. Customers liked the recipe so much that it took on its own name and today it is still served at the bar by Mirko’s son, Maurizio Stocchetto.
Via Plinio, 39, 20133 Milano MI, Italy
The Bar at Aman Venice, Venice
@aman_venice
Aman Venice was named No.14 in the list of The World's 50 Best Hotels 2023
Elegance and refinement are the stylistic hallmarks of the cocktail bar at Palazzo Papadopoli – a monumental palace overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice – thanks to the work of bar manager Antonio Ferrara. In the high-ceilinged frescoed hall of The Bar, guests can relax on the sofas and treat themselves to the classic negroni recipe. Prepared to perfection by blending bitter, vermouth and London Dry gin, it is enhanced by an orange peel. For those who want to experiment with a contemporary cocktail, Constancy is a spicy twist made with Nepalese pepper and grapefruit, decorated with a black pepper rim and orange powder.
Calle Tiepolo, 1364, 30125 Venezia VE, Italy
Follow 50 Best on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube for the latest news, features, videos and stories from the best chefs and bartenders across the world, and use 50 Best Discovery for all of your dining, drinking and destination planning. Keep checking the website for exclusive articles, video content and features from our world-wide contributors and insiders to help inspire your next Discovery.
