As little as 20 years ago, ordering a negroni constituted a secret handshake with a bartender. You were in the know; you knew how to drink and what to drink, such was its unfamiliarity in Britain. Today the Italian cocktail is everywhere and enjoyed by all.
Many will know its origin story by now. How, in 1919, Count Camillo Negroni asked bartender Fosco Scarselli at the Florentine haunt Caffè Giacosa (then Casoni) to make his usual Americano (Campari, vermouth and a little soda over ice) a little stronger. And so the gin replaced the soda and a timeless classic was born. Well, perhaps; this origin story is rather shaky. There are those who attribute it to General Pascal Olivier de Negroni de Cardi, Comte de Negroni. And then there are those who have no idea where the name really comes from, but do know both men were around long before any recipes recorded the drink in its present form, which didn’t happen until the 1950s.
There are variations across London. Restaurants such as Dalla make chic iterations as do late-night bars like Cafe Boheme. But we can’t fit them all in, so here’s a list of ten where the drink is worth having for Negroni Week, which begins on September 22. It would be reckless not to plan the best ways to spend the week.
Bar Italia
A Soho institution in every sense, Bar Italia has been serving patrons since 1949 and does so each day until 4am. It’s a prime location for a coffee — the macchiato is what Fergus Henderson orders if you want to follow legends — and was always one of Anthony Bourdain’s first stops when in London. The negronis are expertly made, masterful concoctions, whether an aperitif before dinner nearby or a nightcap to close. If you need some salvation, have a ciabatta sandwich, a relic of Little Italy, alongside.
22 Frith Street, W1D 4RF, baritaliasoho.co.uk
Tabac
This might be the closest in form to one of Paris’ late-night hangouts, namely the unnamed location that still serves real absinthe and which cannot be revealed for matters of politics. In any case, Tabac is exceptional, a place that is decorous and warm, somewhere for fuzzy nights to become fuzzier and for however many negronis the heart desires. How many is too many? Subjective and dependent on the individual. There are glasses of house wine at £6 each for those who require respite.
16 Fortess Road, NW5 2EU, tabacbar.co.uk
Below Stone Nest
Below Stone Nest is a paradisal little pocket of a bar beneath a church full of Dickensian ghosts. It’s found on Shaftesbury Avenue, the debaucherous parameter. And close to such wonderful establishments as Le Beaujolais, Bloodsports, Norman’s and the like. It works as a pitstop or as a place for the longhaul. All the cocktails are well made and it’s very Nougties London — service comes not with a smile but a sour look and a reticent sigh. But go and listen to live music and bed in with a negroni or two. Perhaps a bikini sandwich for good measure.
136 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 5EZ, stonenest.org
Forza Wine
The South Bank was an un-chic and uncool part of town for so long. What on earth is even there? A Brasserie Blanc somewhere under a bridge. A Strada, a Wagamama, each an ailing force. Nowhere really to drink either. It’s mostly stalls for tourists serving warm prosecco and podgy cocktails. But then there’s Forza Wine in the National Theatre, that big old Brutalist building so melodic by the Thames. Negronis here are sound, whether classic or as slushies, and work neatly before Italian-British small plates and orange wine. Forza Wine is a fabulous place. Obviously, end with a Custardo.
Royal National Theatre, Upper Ground, SE1 9PX, forzawine.com
Brutto
The late Russell Norman was a restaurateur with an eye for the becoming. This is no better defined than by his £5 negronis, fanciful and anointing and so beautifully egalitarian. They’re so subdued in price because they’re made not with Campari but with a cheaper alternative. No bother, we’d wager hardly anyone, in fact nobody most likely, would be able to tell the difference. Either way, each one — and you will call for many — is exemplary. Follow yours with tortellini in brodo and house wine.
35-37 Greenhill Rents, EC1M, brutto.co.uk
Dante (at Claridge’s)
Before ordering anything else, have a garibaldi, the signature drink at Dante. It’s made with Campari and whizzed-up orange juice and slips down ferociously. But the negroni is sound too and well worth your time. They’re mixed diligently and served with all the New York charm required of a hot London bar in 2025. It’s little wonder Dante, one of the world’s greatest places to drink, has extended its stay at Claridge’s until next year.
Brook Street, W1K 4HR, claridges.co.uk
Connaught
There are numerous who believe the Connaught Bar to be the best of the grand hotels. This is in part down to the bar team, mostly Italian and led by the impeccably charming Ago Perrone. Ask those in the hospitality game about the place and they’ll be naturally inclined to talk about martinis, en vogue and chic as they are, but the negronis are as good an order as any martini.
Carlos Place, W1K 2AL, the-connaught.co.uk
Hoppers
The cocktails at the terrace bar at Hoppers are outstanding, negroni variations included. The pandan version blends traditional ingredients with vanilla and toasted hazelnuts, which work well, but the star is the jungle negroni, available by bottle or by glass. In it, gin, Campari and vermouth are blended with pineapple and lime peel. The result is marvellous and appropriate when snacking on snacks like chilli paneer, hot butter squid and mutton rolls.
4 Pancras Square, N1C 4AG, hopperslondon.com
Three Sheets
In a part of London better suited to pubs and more sultry bars, ones that are old and less about the drinks, more about the nonsense, Three Sheets and Swift are exceptions to the rule. Swift might be the best cocktail bar in town, but having a negroni there is almost wasteful. Instead, order one at Three Sheets, a lively spot from Max and Noel Venning, two of London’s most formidable mixologists. Be sure to try the cherry americano first, where Vergano, cherry syrup, white wine and bitters are bolstered by salt and apple cider vinegar. It’s one of the finest new cocktails for the modern age — and this is coming from someone who almost always sticks to the classics.
13 Manette Street, 1D 4AP, threesheets-bar.com
Vault
Hiding cocktail bars behind bookshelves and in other secret ways became passe about 10 years ago. Boring and tedious for the most part. But it’s 2025 and we’ve little time for cynicism, not least when the bar on the other side is so proficient. Vault is found on Greek Street, hidden away below the Whisky Bar and Shop. What awaits is a relaxed and intimate pocket of old Soho with credible drinks, negronis among them. Service is quick, lights are low and the crowd is always good value.
3 Greek Street, W1D 4NX, 3greekstreet.com
