Where to Drink the Best Negroni in Florence: the Cocktail Bars to Try

From classics to signature twists, a journey through Florentine mixology as described in the book Cocktails in Florence

If there’s one cocktail that captures the soul of Florence, it’s undoubtedly the Negroni. Born in the Tuscan capital over a century ago and having become one of the most famous drinks in the world, it continues to inspire bartenders and enthusiasts today thanks to its extraordinary ability to reinvent itself without losing its identity. This great classic is one of the central themes of the book Cocktails in Florence. Ten years after the launch of Florence Cocktail Week, the event conceived and directed by Paola Mencarelli celebrates this important anniversary with a book published by Gruppo Editoriale—a project that traces the evolution of Florentine mixology through 59 cocktail bars and hotel bars across the city, painting a portrait of a Florence that is playing an increasingly prominent role on the international cocktail scene. Amid timeless classics and signature creations, the star remains the Negroni, a symbol of tradition and the starting point for surprising interpretations.

Cocktails in Florence

Here is a selection of bars where you can enjoy some of the most interesting Negronis, based on recommendations from Cocktails in Florence. Located inside the Four Seasons Hotel Florence, in the heart of Palazzo della Gherardesca, the Atrium Bar is one of the iconic spots to enjoy a good Negroni. Overlooking the Giardino della Gherardesca, it is an elegant Florentine lounge featuring historic furnishings, soft lighting, and live music. Here, the Negroni becomes an experience, thanks in part to the famous cart dedicated to the cocktail. Be sure to try the Vintage Negroni, aged in oak barrels: smooth, bitter, and elegant, inspired by the garden’s scents and the hotel’s history.

In the heart of Piazza della Signoria, Gucci Giardino is an all-day café and cocktail bar that interprets mixology as a cultural and aesthetic experience. Under the guidance of Martina Bonci, every drink is born from an exploration of seasonality, sustainability, and balance of flavors. The Mémoire di Negroni is a tribute to Florence and the Maison: the classic cocktail takes on a purple hue thanks to blue pea flowers and is enriched with yuzu sake, for a more contemporary profile.

Mémoire di Negroni, Gucci Giardino

Since Giacosa 1815, the tradition has been upheld but also freely reinterpreted through an exploration that draws inspiration from perfumery and cosmetics. Be sure to try the Cosmo Negroni, a velvety and aromatic drink with a striking garnish that creates a true cosmo in the glass.

Cosmo Negroni, Giacosa 1815

Stepping into Caffè Gilli 1733 in Piazza della Repubblica means immersing yourself in the history of Florence: founded in 1733, it is now an urban gathering place amid Art Nouveau mosaics and period furnishings, where past and present coexist. The Centennial Negroni pays homage to the cocktail born in this city with an elegant reinterpretation: gin and sweet vermouth are balanced with Campari Bitter, accompanied by a Negroni jelly.

Il Negroni del Centenario, Caffè Gilli 1733

We’re staying in Piazza della Repubblica, but we’re heading over to the Caffè Concerto Paszkowski, which began as a brewery in the late 19th century and has since evolved into an elegant Viennese-style café. Today, the café focuses on innovation, and the Negroni che Passione is a prime example: a fresh and vibrant take on the classic cocktail, enhanced with passion fruit for a perfect balance between bitterness and exotic notes.

Negroni che Passione, Caffè Concerto Paszkowski

In an elegant setting with 1950s-era charm, the drink menu at Caffè dell’Oro offers a cohesive journey through memory, local heritage, and culinary culture. The Negroni Oro is one of the most iconic creations: a white Negroni with hints of bergamot, embellished with gold dust, paying homage to the goldsmith shops of the Ponte Vecchio, which the café overlooks.

Il Negroni Oro, Caffè dell’Oro

The Eye Cocktail Bar, located inside Palazzo Portinari Salviati, approaches mixology as an emotional experience even before it is a sensory one. In an intimate setting featuring velvet, soft lighting, and a striking golden bottle rack, you can sip the EVO Negroni, a refined twist on the classic that pays homage to Tuscan extra virgin olive oil.

EVO Negroni, Eye Cocktail Bar

Overlooking Piazza della Signoria, Rivoire is a Florentine aperitif institution. Here, tradition and elegance come together in the famous classic Negroni, prepared using a recipe that highlights the balance between gin, vermouth, and bitters, enriched with vinous notes and aromatic scents. It’s a cocktail that tells the story of Florence sip by sip—and one that can also be discovered through the special Negroni Experience.

Negroni, Rivoire

A historic café in Piazza della Repubblica and a gathering place for artists and intellectuals since the late 19th century, the Caffè Giubbe Rosse continues to tell the story of Florence through mixology as well. Be sure to try Il Fosco, a tribute to bartender Fosco Scarselli, a figure closely linked to the history of the Negroni. The cocktail combines vermouth, cocoa bitters, pomegranate gin, and cherry bitters into an enveloping and aromatic blend, topped off with a dark chocolate medallion that enhances its elegant character.

Il Fosco, Caffè Giubbe Rosse

La Ménagère is a multifaceted space where a restaurant, bistro, flower shop, and concept store coexist under one roof. The bar’s philosophy is to adapt to different times of the day through a constantly evolving mixology. The Lumière Negroni is the venue’s signature cocktail: a reinterpretation of the classic Florentine drink with a blue hue, retaining the structure and character of the Negroni but with a more floral and surprising profile.

Lumière Negroni, La Ménagère

Inside Il Tornabuoni Hotel, the Magnifico Café offers mixology that emphasizes local ingredients and seasonal flavors. Il Magnifico Negroni is a tribute to the tradition of the Italian aperitif: a balanced twist on the classic that highlights artisanal ingredients and aromatic notes, resulting in a contemporary take that remains true to its roots.

Il Magnifico Negroni, Magnifico Café