30 bars worth the trip across Italy, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Italy guides.
Locale Firenze ★ 4.6 · Florence
centro-storico · Via delle Seggiole 12, 50122 Firenze
Locale Firenze in Florence's Centro Storico runs the cocktail bar inside the 13th-century Palazzo delle Seggiole, with the Smoked Negroni, a daily-changing carte and small plates from the Michelin-starred kitchen.
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 02:00. Book the front-courtyard table for the Renaissance loggia view.
Atrium Bar at Four Seasons ★ 4.6 · Florence
santa-maria-novella · Borgo Pinti 99, 50121 Firenze
Atrium Bar at Florence's Four Seasons Hotel sits inside the 15th-century Palazzo della Gherardesca cloister, with a Negroni programme by Edoardo Sandri and a frescoed-courtyard terrace for aperitivo.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to midnight. The 15th-century cloister courtyard seats 60 in summer.
MAG Cafe ★ 4.6 · Milan
navigli · Ripa di Porta Ticinese 43, 20143 Milano
MAG Cafe at the Naviglio Grande has shaped Milan's cocktail scene since 2011, the bar with the antique Argentine pharmacy counter where Flavio Angiolillo invented th
Ceresio 7 American Bar ★ 4.6 · Milan
isola · Via Ceresio 7, 20154 Milano
Ceresio 7 American Bar on the 4th floor of the Dsquared2 building runs two outdoor pools and a 360-degree skyline terrace. The Franciacorta Spritz at 18:30 with the
Nottingham Forest ★ 4.6 · Milan
porta-venezia · Viale Piave 1, 20129 Milano
Nottingham Forest on Viale Piave is the city's longest-running experimental cocktail bar, open since 1986 in the same room. Dario Comini's molecular-influenced menu
Drink Kong ★ 4.6 · Rome
monti · Piazza di San Martino ai Monti 8, 00184 Roma
Patrick Pistolesi's Drink Kong in Rome's Monti district is the Tokyo-style cocktail bar with signature highballs, the city's strongest cocktail list since 2018 and a late-night ramen kitchen.
Tip: Open daily 19:00 to 04:00. Book the cocktail bar four days ahead; ramen kitchen runs from 22:00.
Nu Lounge Bar ★ 4.5 · Bologna
Via de' Musei 6, 40124 Bologna BO
Nu Lounge Bar in Bologna's Centro Storico is the city's pioneering tiki cocktail bar from Daniele Dalla Pola, with a daily-changing tiki carte and the long late-night standing crowd.
Tip: Walk-in works; the late-night standing crowd takes over after 22:30. The Mai Tai and the Bolognesi-edition tiki cocktails are the order.
Manifattura ★ 4.5 · Florence
centro-storico · Piazza di San Pancrazio 1, 50123 Firenze
Manifattura in Florence's San Pancrazio square is the all-Italian-spirits cocktail bar, every bottle from an Italian producer, every drink a riff on a classic with a Tuscan or Italian botanical twist.
Tip: Open 18:00 to 02:00 daily. The 30-seat counter is the seat to book a fortnight ahead.
Rita and Cocktails ★ 4.5 · Milan
navigli · Via Angelo Fumagalli 1, 20143 Milano
Rita at Via Fumagalli in Navigli was a pioneer of the fresh-ingredient cocktail in Milan when it opened in 2002. Edoardo Nono's house approach, no artificial syrups
Backdoor 43 ★ 4.5 · Milan
brera · Via Pontaccio 11, 20121 Milano
Backdoor 43 in Brera is the Flavio Angiolillo speakeasy behind the unmarked door: 30 seats, no menu, no food, just 40 classic cocktails executed with precision.
Camparino in Galleria ★ 4.5 · Milan
centro-storico · Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II 78, 20121 Milano
Camparino in Galleria inside the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is the bar where Davide Campari himself served the first Campari Seltz in 1915.
L'Ebbrezza di Noe ★ 4.5 · Naples
chiaia · Vico Vetriera a Chiaia 9, 80132 Napoli
L'Ebbrezza di Noe in Naples' Chiaia pours natural wines from 400 Italian and Campanian growers plus a modest cocktail list, the city's strongest cellar for Falanghina-base spritz.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Book a fortnight ahead for the cellar room; cheese boards run 16 euros.
The Jerry Thomas Project ★ 4.5 · Rome
centro-storico · Vicolo Cellini 30, 00186 Roma
The Jerry Thomas Project in Rome's Centro Storico is the city's original speakeasy, with a 1930s-era classic cocktail carte and a daily password posted on the website.
Tip: Members or guests; check the daily password on the website. Book a fortnight ahead.
Court ★ 4.5 · Rome
celio · Via Labicana 125, 00184 Roma
Court at Palazzo Manfredi in Rome is the rooftop cocktail bar with a direct view of the Colosseum from every seat, the signature classic-cocktail carte and full Aroma kitchen.
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 24:00. Book the rooftop terrace four weeks ahead; sunset slots sell out first.
Experimental Cocktail Club Venice ★ 4.5 · Venice
Dorsoduro 1411, 30123 Venezia VE
Experimental Cocktail Club in Il Palazzo Experimental in Venice's Dorsoduro is the modern cocktail room with Cristina Celestino interiors, Venice's branch of the Paris-born group.
Tip: Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The signature menu refresh hit June 2025; ask for the seasonal flight. The back garden bar runs in summer.
Il Mercante ★ 4.5 · Venice
Frari 2564, San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE
Il Mercante in Venice's San Polo near the Frari basilica is the speakeasy-style cocktail bar with seasonal themed menus, the city's modern cocktail benchmark.
Tip: Bookings via Resy. The seasonal menu refreshes four times a year; the spice-trade-themed pours are the move.
Convivio ★ 4.4 · Bologna
Vicolo Sampieri 3/A, 40124 Bologna BO
Convivio in Bologna's Centro Storico is the small-room speakeasy bar one vicolo off Via Castiglione, with the daily-changing cocktail carte and the standing crowd of 20 from 21:00.
Tip: Book three days ahead; the dining room seats 12 and the standing bar 8. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Moonbow ★ 4.4 · Bologna
Via dei Mille 25, 40121 Bologna BO
Moonbow in Bologna's Centro Storico is the speakeasy cocktail bar from Antonio Lai, with a 12-seat bar standing crowd, smoked-and-aged classics and a no-walk-in policy after 23:00.
Tip: Book three days ahead online; the bar seats 12 and walk-ins are accepted only before 22:00.
Ditta Artigianale Oltrarno ★ 4.4 · Florence
oltrarno · Via dello Sprone 5r, 50125 Firenze
Ditta Artigianale Oltrarno in Florence's San Frediano runs a hybrid coffee-and-cocktail bar programme, with espresso-martini riffs by Francesco Sanapo's team and a Negroni list since 2017.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to midnight. The cocktail programme runs from 19:00; aperitivo crowd takes the standing area.
Caffe Gilli ★ 4.4 · Florence
centro-storico · Via Roma 1r, 50123 Firenze
Caffe Gilli in Florence's Piazza della Repubblica pours aperitivi at the marble counter since 1733, with a strong Negroni programme (the Negroni was invented up the road in 1919) and a daily aperitivo plate at 18:30.
Tip: Counter pricing is half of table. Open daily until midnight.
Il Santino ★ 4.4 · Florence
oltrarno · Via di Santo Spirito 60r, 50125 Firenze
Il Santino in Florence's Oltrarno is the standing wine-bar annex of Il Santo Bevitore, with a 200-bottle natural-wine list, salumi flights and a 12-seat standing-room counter open until 23:00 daily.
Tip: Open daily; first-come standing room only. The bigger restaurant next door takes bookings.
Procacci 1885 ★ 4.4 · Florence
santa-maria-novella · Via de' Tornabuoni 64r, 50123 Firenze
Procacci in Florence's Via Tornabuoni is the 1885 truffle-panini standing bar, owned by Marchesi Antinori today, with a Prosecco glass for €5 and the panino tartufato that defines the city's aperitivo grammar.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Counter only; standing-room two-deep at 18:00 aperitivo.
Ugo ★ 4.4 · Milan
navigli · Via Corsico 8, 20144 Milano
Ugo on Via Corsico in Navigli is a small speakeasy with faux taxidermy and antique decor, where the cocktails are built around unexpected flavour combinations.
Barril ★ 4.4 · Naples
chiaia · Via Giuseppe Fiorelli 11, 80121 Napoli
Barril in Naples' Chiaia is the cocktail-and-wine bar with a daily-changing small-plates carte and an Aperol-cetriolo spritz as house signature, the city's modern aperitivo destination.
Tip: Open daily; the late-night kitchen runs to 01:00. Cocktails 12 euros, wine by the glass from 6 euros.
Gran Caffè Gambrinus ★ 4.4 · Naples
toledo · Via Chiaia 1/2, 80132 Napoli
Gran Caffè Gambrinus on Piazza Trieste e Trento in Naples (1860) is the city's most-storied cafe-bar with a marble counter aperitivo, Aperol spritz and the cioccolata calda the winter ritual.
Tip: Standing counter prices are one-third of the seated terrace. The terrace gets the Piazza del Plebiscito view.
La Stanza del Gusto ★ 4.4 · Naples
centro-storico · Via Costantinopoli 100, 80138 Napoli
Mario Avallone's La Stanza del Gusto in Naples runs the wine-led aperitivo from 19:30 with a daily-changing tasting menu, the city's most-told modern wine destination since 1995.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Book a week ahead. The Campania flight is 22 euros for four pours.
Stravinskij Bar at Hotel de Russie ★ 4.4 · Rome
centro-storico · Via del Babuino 9, 00187 Roma
Stravinskij Bar in Rome's Hotel de Russie is the courtyard cocktail bar with the city's most pleasing summer garden, the classic-cocktail carte and a signature Stravinskij Negroni.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 02:00. Book the garden seats two weeks ahead from May to September.
Co.So. ★ 4.4 · Rome
pigneto · Via Braccio da Montone 80, 00176 Roma
Co.So. in Rome's Pigneto district is Massimo D'Addezio's cocktail bar with the famous Carbonara Sour, a long Italian-spirit-led cocktail carte and a popular weekend crowd to 02:00.
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:00 to 02:00. The Carbonara Sour is 13 euros; book the back booths a week ahead.
Bar Longhi ★ 4.4 · Venice
Campo Santa Maria del Giglio 2467, San Marco, 30124 Venezia VE
Bar Longhi inside The Gritti Palace on Campo Santa Maria del Giglio is the Murano-lamp bar with the Pietro Longhi 18th-century paintings, the canonical Grand Canal cocktail terrace.
Tip: The patio with the Grand Canal view runs spring through autumn. Cocktails start around EUR 22; the Longhi Bellini variant is the move.
Al Merca ★ 4.4 · Venice
Campo Bella Vienna 213, San Polo, 30125 Venezia VE
Al Merca on Campo Bella Vienna near Rialto is the tiny walk-up bar where locals stop for an ombra, the canonical aperitivo standing-room in San Polo.
Tip: No interior space; the crowd stands on the campo. Closes hard at 20:00. Spritz EUR 3.50, ombra EUR 1.50.