In partnership with
Overview
Few cocktails have the staying power of the negroni. It's bitter, bold and perfectly balanced. Made with equal parts Campari, gin, and vermouth, the apéritif is a fixture on many Melbourne menus.
While some bartenders swear by keeping it classic, in true Melbourne style, there are several spin-offs across the city that shake up the Italian icon. This September marks Negroni Month. It's four weeks of national celebrations (because there's no negroni without Campari), featuring rooftop parties, bar takeovers, and negroni-obsessed menus.
From a $105 tableside service to the stalwart served in CBD restaurants, ahead of Negroni Month, we've rounded up the city's best negronis.
Above Board
Hidden one floor above Smith Street, this tiny cocktail bar has earned numerous awards and accolades, including Concrete Playground's Best Bars in Melbourne in 2023. It's no surprise then that its negroni is a must-try. The intimate 12-seater bar offers an elevated experience and world-class service. Its classic negroni is poured with precision and served in solid glassware with a giant ice cube to create a perfectly cool cocktail.
Johnny's Green Room
Johnny's Green Room
Described as a southern twist on the Italian icon, the Arancia Rossa Negroni at Johnny's Green Room is worth the hype. Crafted with blood orange gin and Campari, this negroni is perfect for sipping on a spring afternoon as you watch the sun set over the city. On Sunday, September 14, Johnny's Green Room is hosting a Negroni Month event titled 'Johnny's Sunday Service' where you can dance to Kuzco, who'll be spinning decks, enjoy food by chef Mischa Tropp (of The Toddy Shop) and peruse the Campari-inspired menu.
Tom Blachford
Society Lounge
Chris Lucas' Society Lounge bar on Collins Street sports timeless and dramatic aesthetics. The theatre doesn't just stop at the interiors. Society Lounge bar is home to one of Melbourne's most decadent negronis: the Vintage Bianco Negroni. Featuring 1960s Campari cordial, 19502 Suze, 1970s Gordons Dry Gin and Carpano Bianco, this negroni is made tableside and will set you back $105. The reason for the high price tag is the use of a rare (and now discontinued) raspberry distillate liqueur. If you're a negroni fan, it's a must-try bucket list experience.
Frederic
Fred's Bar
Cremorne's Frederic is all about French classics, but head next door to Fred's Bar, and you'll find an Italian negroni—the ultimate after-work pick-me-up. The team rotate the menu seasonally, but you can guarantee that whether summer or winter-inspired, the negroni will be strong and stiff. Crafted with Campari and gin, Fred's negroni is the perfect apéritif to sip alone at the bar or with friends on the sunshine-drenched footpath.
Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker
If you love a strong and bitter Campari, this is the bar for you. American-style dive bar Heartbreaker serves rock 'n'roll energy until late into the night (or, morning). This high-octane energy is felt in its drinks menu. Heartbreaker has four pre-batched cocktails to choose from, one of which is the negroni. Don't let the 'pre-batched' label scare you off though. The cocktails are still packing a punch and don't compromise taste for time.
Grossi Florentino
Grossi Florentino
This Italian institution is a 'must try' for negroni lovers. Made with Barolo Chinato, Malfy gin and Campari, the house negroni at Bourke Street stalwart, Grossi Florentino, is sure to scratch your bitter-loving itch. The restaurant has been setting the standard for Italian dining in Melbourne for close to a century, which means that the timeless menu pairs perfectly with a classic apéritif.
Black Pearl
Black Pearl
A Fitzroy favourite, Black Pearl is a bartender's bar. This means they can make a mean negroni. The Merri Negroni is mixed with Campari, gin, Americano vermouth and curacao, creating a cocktail that doesn't disappoint. For Negroni Month, the team is flexing their bartending skills with a curated negroni menu that pushes the classic's boundaries while keeping Campari front and centre. Head to the Brunswick Street bar this September to try it for yourself.
Code Black Coffee
Code Black Flinders Lane
What's a Melbourne recommendation without some coffee? At Code Black in Flinders Lane, they serve a negroni with a caffeinated twist. Aptly named the Coffee Negroni, it features coffee-infused Campari (yes, it's a thing), gin, and vermouth. If you love beans and bitters, this Melbourne cafe should go to the top of your list this Negroni Month.
Whether you're a hardcore bitters lover or are dabbling in the Italian apéritif, Negroni Month is your excuse to round up the crew and cheers to the classic cocktail.
See which Melbourne venues are serving curated negroni menus this September here.
Please remember to drinkwise.