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.
Must order: The all-Italian Negroni, the Spritz with Cocchi Americano, an Italian-amaro nightcap.
Food program: Snacks
Tip: Open 18:00 to 02:00 daily. The 30-seat counter is the seat to book a fortnight ahead.
Address: Piazza di San Pancrazio 1, 50123 Firenze, Florence
Rivoire in Florence's Piazza della Signoria has poured aperitivi at the cafe-bar since 1872, with a Negroni programme using the house chocolate as the bitter, and a piazza terrace overlooking Palazzo Vecchio.
Signature drink: Negroni with Rivoire chocolate
Food: Chocolate, salumi, aperitivo plate
Order: Negroni with Rivoire chocolate, Americano, the daily aperitivo plate at 18:30.
Tip: The piazza terrace is worth the €15 minimum. Counter price is half.
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.
Signature drink: Negroni at the marble counter
Food: Salumi flight, aperitivo plate
Order: Negroni at the counter (€8), Americano, an aperitivo plate of crostini and salumi.
Tip: Counter pricing is half of table. Open daily until midnight.
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.
Signature drink: Negroni and aperitivo plate
Food: Aperitivo plates and small plates
Order: Negroni, the Italian-aperitivo flight, an aperitivo plate of salumi and crostini.
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to midnight. The 15th-century cloister courtyard seats 60 in summer.
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.
Signature drink: Coffee-based cocktails
Food: Small plates, brunch
Order: An espresso martini with single-origin coffee, the Sprone Sour, a Negroni Bianco.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to midnight. The cocktail programme runs from 19:00; aperitivo crowd takes the standing area.
Rivoire in Florence's Piazza della Signoria has poured aperitivi at the cafe-bar since 1872, with a Negroni programme using the house chocolate as the bitter, and a piazza terrace overlooking Palazzo Vecchio.
Signature drink: Negroni with Rivoire chocolate
Food: Chocolate, salumi, aperitivo plate
Order: Negroni with Rivoire chocolate, Americano, the daily aperitivo plate at 18:30.
Tip: The piazza terrace is worth the €15 minimum. Counter price is half.
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.
Signature drink: Negroni at the marble counter
Food: Salumi flight, aperitivo plate
Order: Negroni at the counter (€8), Americano, an aperitivo plate of crostini and salumi.
Tip: Counter pricing is half of table. Open daily until midnight.
Santarosa Bistrot in Florence's San Frediano sits inside the Arno-side park on Lungarno di Santa Rosa, with a garden cocktail bar, aperitivo plates and DJ programming on summer Friday evenings.
Signature drink: Spritz and aperitivo plate
Food: Aperitivo plates, focaccia
Order: Aperol or Hugo Spritz, the daily aperitivo plate, a Negroni in the park.
Tip: Open daily 08:00 to 23:30. The park-side garden seats 80; closed when it rains.
La Menagere in Florence's San Lorenzo runs the cocktail bar of its all-day concept, with live jazz nightly from 21:30, a Negroni list and a full carte from the kitchen for the evening crowd.
Signature drink: Negroni and jazz
Food: Aperitivo plates, full carte
Order: Negroni, aperitivo plate at 18:30, then the jazz set with a glass of wine after 21:30.
Tip: Open daily 07:00 to midnight. Live jazz Wed-Sun from 21:30; book the bar a week ahead.
