Not all Negronis are created equal. While the fundamentals of this quintessential Italian classic cocktail are simple—equal parts gin, Campari and vermouth—the art of crafting one that’s unforgettable is more complex. The Negroni has not always been a staple at the coolest bars and restaurants across the globe, but it has been around for more than a century (in Italy, at least). Its genesis can be traced to 1919 Florence at Caffè Casoni, when Count Camillo Negroni ordered an Americano with gin instead of soda water. He loved it. His fellow Italians loved it. And soon, the Negroni family began producing a pre-bottled version called Antico Negroni 1919 at their distillery.
Since then, the Negroni has continued to fill the hearts and palates of dive bar denizens and epicures beyond just Italy. So much so that in 2013, Campari partnered up with Imbibe Magazine to launch an official holiday for the beverage. Negroni Week, which takes place from Sept. 16 to 22, celebrates this iconic cocktail while encouraging restaurants to give back to food-centric charities.
If you want to get a head start on Negroni Week—or you’re just really in the mood for a fantastic drink at any time of the year—then stay tuned, because Observer has curated a list of the best Negronis in New York City. Perhaps you’re someone always on the lookout for a Negroni that’s a cut above the rest. Maybe you’ve been partial to the Aperol Spritz ever since its electric tangerine takeover, and are ready to expand to a more swarthy Italian sip. Or maybe, you just want to enjoy the ambiance while swirling a ruby-red drink in your hand on the precipice of fall. Whomever you are, here are some New York spots with must-try Negronis—from the classic three-part recipe to clever spins and Negroni variations that’ll keep you coming back for more.
A block north of Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, Trattoria One Fifth offers one of the most well-priced Negronis in town—and it’s ice-cold, balanced, bitter and delicious. Step into the dim-lit, spacious bar and restaurant for a $5 (yes, in today’s currency) Classic Negroni during happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. Fancy something a bit more sophisticated? The bar at chef Marc Forgione’s neighborhood spot is helmed by Master Sommeliers Dustin Wilson and Sabato Sagaria, who push a tableside cart to serve up vintage Negronis, made with Solera of Gin and Vermouth from the 1960s to 1980s. Other welcome variations include a Negroni Bianco, made with gin, Carpano Bianco and Luxardo Bitter, and a Negroni Sbagliato, swapping gin for prosecco, served in the traditional, nearly foot-high Sbagliato glass (because if it’s not gin, it’s gigantic).
Crisp, clean ambiance supports a crisp, clean Negroni at Libertine, the intimate French bistro that opened in the West Village in 2023. Seven rouge booths, a dusting of tables and an L-shaped bar support a menu of straightforward French fare and cocktails prepared, bottled and poured like water. The Negroni is made with small-batch French ingredients with a gin-forward flavor, Amer Rouge and Vermouth Rouge. Stop in for an aperitif anytime after 5 p.m., when the restaurant opens.
For more than 20 years, this neighborhood haunt overlooking Tompkins Square Park has brought locals and tourists together over northern Italian fare. With a focus on dishes from the owner’s home in the Emilia-Romagna region (the birthplace of Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma and balsamic vinegar of Modena), this is the best spot in the East Village for home-cooked, authentic Italian. The vibe is a rustic oasis with an indoor garden patio perfect for every meal from brunch through dinner. Gnocco’s Negroni, as to be expected, stays true to its Italian roots with the traditional recipe. It possesses the perfect ratio of floral to bitter notes with equal parts gin, sweet Vermouth and Campari. Before being poured into a tumbler with one big ice cube and orange peel, the cocktail is dressed in its aromatic oils.
Negronis go down easy in this award-winning Brooklyn restaurant and cocktail bar known for its extensive oyster varieties, cocktails and New Orleans flair. Sit at the circular bar anchored by a vintage cash register or luxuriate in the backyard garden evocative of a whimsical Parisian film set while the knowledgeable bartender prepares your new favorite drink. Maison Premiere’s off-menu Negroni hits with three dashes of Angostura orange bitters, a lighter vermouth and London dry gin added to the one-to-one mix of Campari. Since cocktails are the specialty at this Williamsburg gem, there is, of course, a Negroni riff called the Philadelphia Jack, which returns to the menu for a limited time every fall. Featured in the restaurant’s cocktail book, The Maison Premiere Almanac, the Philadelphia Jack is described as an “herbaceous white negroni decked out with all kinds of alpine herbal intensity from Besk, Suze and Sapin—pine liqueur.”
This coastal and airy Mediterranean eatery in Fort Greene feels like a Grecian retreat. The sister restaurant to the beloved Miss Ada, also in Fort Greene, Theodora opened in February of this year. The menu from chef/owner Tomer Blechman focuses on fresh seasonal produce and dry-aged seafood prepared in the open-fire kitchen, visible from the stucco-style bar. Theodora specializes in natural wines and craft cocktails named for the folklore, legendary creatures and ancient gods associated with drinks’ ingredients, such as Aristaeus, Mayahuel and Aisha Qandisha. Their House Negroni, made with Pollinator Gin, Campari and artisanal vermouths for a harmonious blend of botanical and bittersweet flavors, is a standout paired with the bright, flavorful fare.
For those looking to level up their Negroni game, Fasano Restaurant New York, located amidst the bustle of Midtown Manhattan, specializes in the Barrel-Aged Negroni. According to Food & Wine, this Negroni variation was developed in Portland, Oregon in 2010. The method ages cocktails like Negronis in whiskey barrels for a smoother, richer flavor profile. The ingredients include Gin Agricolo Evra, Cocchi Dopo Teatro Vermouth and Bitter Meletti 1870. This is the kind of Negroni you can sink your teeth into, hold in your mouth and taste a richer, smokier flavor with deep bitters that linger after the first taste.
Curl into The Hotel Chelsea for their playful spin on the classic Negroni. This upscale European-style lobby bar is gold and moody, with a fern-filled atrium adorned with bohemian loveseats and original terracotta floors from 1884. The hotel has maintained its icon status through the years, satiating the artistic and intoxicating appetites of notable figures, such as Andy Warhol, Janis Joplin, Mark Twain and Jack Kerouac. Its signature neon-pink Negroni riff, called Cowboy Mouth (a nod to Patti Smith’s song by the same name, written during her stint living at the hotel), balances the gin and Campari with Frangelico, Wakame-infused Vermut Lustau Blanco, Empirical and a touch of “The Plum, I Suppose” for subtle sweetness. Topped with a nice bite of orange bitters and a round lemon rind anchored in the center of the large ice cube, it’s as pretty as it is powerful.
When you’re craving an afternoon in Italy but aren’t up for booking a flight, drop into Bar Pisellino. The charming cafe-bar on the corner of Grove Street in the West Village is arguably the most authentic aperitivo a New Yorker can get on this side of the Atlantic. Pre-made sandwiches at the glass counter, espresso drinks and aperitivo served with green olives are pivotal to the bar’s motto: “L’arte del bere” (the Italian art of drinking). The hotspot from Rita Sodi and Jody Williams, of Via Carota and I Sodi, also boasts a serious collection of vermouth—a key part of their classic Negroni. Enjoy this beautifully bitter drink at one of the cafe tables indoors or on the sun-drenched sidewalk. Open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., you may just find yourself speaking Italian after a few drinks.
A Negroni roundup would not be complete without an archetypal Italian-American cafe. Dante has been a neighborhood hotspot since before Count Negroni created the famous drink in Florence. This historic landmark first opened as Caffé Dante in 1915 and quickly established itself as a pillar for the primarily Italian community to convene over an espresso. Today, and through the decades, Dante has held its own—welcoming locals and notable New Yorkers to savor la dolce vita through light bites and trademark Italian cocktails. Its signature Negroni is arguably legendary: simple, stirred until chilled with an orange wedge, and, on pretty much every “best of” roundup a New York-bound Negroni lover can find. Dante also offers a few different takes on the Negroni, including the Negroni on Tap (with Bombay Sapphire, Campari and Martini and Rossi) and the Chocolate Negroni, with Botanist Gin, Campari, Punt e Mes, Tempus Fugit Creme de Cacao and chocolate bitters.
