Ai Tre Scalini in Rome's Monti district doubles as a wine bar and trattoria, with the front pavement aperitivo seats the spot for a glass of Lazio red and a salumi board at 19:00.
Food program: Aperitivo plates, salumi boards
Tip: The aperitivo set at 8 euros with a salumi snack is the budget entry; arrive 18:30 for the pavement.
Address: Via Panisperna 251, 00184 Roma, Rome
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.
Signature drink: Tokyo-style highballs, signature cocktails
Food: Asian small plates, ramen late
Tip: Open daily 19:00 to 04:00. Book the cocktail bar four days ahead; ramen kitchen runs from 22:00.
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.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails, prohibition-era
Food: Small snacks
Tip: Members or guests; check the daily password on the website. Book a fortnight ahead.
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.
Signature drink: Tokyo-style highballs, signature cocktails
Food: Asian small plates, ramen late
Tip: Open daily 19:00 to 04:00. Book the cocktail bar four days ahead; ramen kitchen runs from 22:00.
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.
Signature drink: Stravinskij Negroni, Hugo Spritz
Food: Aperitivo plates, full carte
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 02:00. Book the garden seats two weeks ahead from May to September.
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.
Signature drink: Negroni, signature cocktails
Food: Aperitivo plates, full dinner carte
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 24:00. Book the rooftop terrace four weeks ahead; sunset slots sell out first.
Salotto 42 in Rome's Centro Storico is the long-running cocktail bar opposite the Temple of Hadrian, with a vintage book-and-design library wall and a Roman aperitivo crowd at 19:00.
Signature drink: Negroni, classic cocktails
Food: Aperitivo plates, brunch on Saturday
Tip: Open daily 10:00 to 02:00. The piazza-facing terrace fills first at sunset; book at the front bar.
Freni e Frizioni in Rome's Trastevere is the converted-garage cocktail bar with the city's most generous aperitivo buffet from 19:00, plus a long classic-cocktail and amaro list.
Signature drink: Aperitivo buffet, classic cocktails
Food: Aperitivo buffet, light dinner
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 02:00. The aperitivo buffet at 10 euros with a cocktail is the value entry; arrive 19:00.
