Despite its simplicity, the Negroni contains multitudes. While the bittersweet cocktail is iconic in its classic form, the equal-parts build has become a roadmap for adventure behind the stick. Bartenders have riffed on, reversed, and ruffled up its recipe for decades, constantly testing the limits of what a Negroni can be. VinePair has kept a close eye on the drink and its evolution, and that includes finding the spots that do them best.
Here, our team scopes out the best Negronis in New York City, from the simple stunners to the trendy spin-offs. Check back each day to see which versions advance to the next round, and which Negroni will claim the top spot.
GRAND ARMY
BAR PISELLINO
LORD'S
AMOR Y AMARGO
SUPERBUENO
DEATH & CO
Temple
Bar
CLOVER CLUB
LE
CROCODILE
Double
CHICKEN PLEASE
Lodi
KATANA KITTEN
L'AMERICANA
CI SIAMO
CAFFE DANTE
POPINA
BAR PISELLINO
AMOR Y AMARGO
DEATH & CO
CLOVER CLUB
LE CROCODILE
KATANA KITTEN
CI SIAMO
CAFFE
DANTE
SWEET 16
BAR PISELLINO
CLOVER CLUB
KATANA KITTEN
CAFFEDANTE
CAFFE
DANTE
CLOVER CLUB
CLICK TO REVEAL THE WINNER
CAFFE DANTE
NEGRONI ON TAP
ELITE 8
FINAL 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
Any off-menu order is in good hands at Grand Army — the Boerum Hill cocktail institution is a bonafide industry hang — but the White Negroni gets extra reverence. A favorite of head bartender Patty Dennison, the floral, light-side riff is in perfect form here: Equal parts gin, Cocchi Americano, and Suze arrive in a weighty glass with a grapefruit twist wedged comme-ça against a single assertive rock. A standard Negroni it’s not, but it’s expert in its own right.
Grand Army
WHITE NEGRONI
Should you snag a seat inside Grove Street’s charming Bar Pisellino, you’ll find a tight aperitivo selection of Italian snacks, spritzes, and a handful of Negroni variations. Here, the Classico gets the traditional treatment: equal parts Beefeater, Antica Formula, and Campari are stirred with ice, strained into a crystal-clear glass, and polished off with an orange twist so flawless you’ll wonder if there’s a 3-D printer hidden behind the ornate wooden bar. The picture-perfect cocktail arrives on a silver tray, as sophisticated in flavor as it is in appearance. And considering the historic block the bar inhabits, $18 feels right for an all-booze build.
BAR PISELLINO
NEGRONI CLASSICO
With its rib-sticking pies, steamy chips, and picturesque puddings, West Village English bistro Lord’s is a fanciful interpretation of an old-school idea — and its cocktails follow suit. When placed on the restaurant’s elegant marble bar, the house Negroni looks standard on sight, but surprises at first sip with a jammy twist: Dolin Rouge keeps the riff rooted in tradition, but the typical Campari gets swapped for Berto Red Bitter Liqueur. The spirit component gets a fluff-up, too, a blend of Beefeater and Sipsmith Sloe Gin — the source of the cocktail’s ruddy hue, brambled notes, and slightly lighter ABV. Served in a luxe rocks glass with the obligatory orange twist, it’s a whimsical yet skilled spin on a famously stiff drink, and we’re all for breaking the rules when it works.
Lord's
DAMSON NEGRONI
Bitters are the only element that sets this Lower East Side bar’s Negroni apart from the industry’s standard equal-parts spec. But perhaps Angostura was the element we didn’t know a Negroni needed. In this interpretation — imagined by Amor y Amargo beverage director Sother Teague — Carpano Antica vermouth delivers ripe Maraschino cherry notes, which are balanced by gin, Campari, and Ango while a generous orange twist brightens up the mix. This cocktail runs the gamut from bright and citrusy to bitter, chocolatey, and austere, activating all parts of the palate. It’s pre-batched and the presentation isn’t anything to write home about, but we’ll take a balanced, flavorful Negroni over one that hides behind looks any day.
AMOR Y AMARGO
NEGRONI
In true-to-form Superbueno fashion, the Mole Negroni reimagines the classic through a Mexican-American lens without compromising the soul of the original. We see gin replaced with mole-washed mezcal plus a healthy dose of xocolatl bitters and a blend of Cynar, Cinzano 1757, and Amaro Abano that complements the vegetal, smoky elements at work. The drink arrives sans garnish with the bar’s logo stamped into the single, large ice cube in a double-rocks glass. It’s an adventurous departure from the quintessential spec, and a damn good one.
Superbueno
MOLE NEGRONI
The off-menu Kingston Negroni, a Death & Co original created by Joaquín Simó at the peak of the early-aughts cocktail renaissance, has since become a certified modern classic. Given the drink’s straightforward, Smith & Cross-specific spec, there’s little room for error — but there’s an undeniable sense that you’re getting the real thing when you order one at its birthplace. The cocktail arrives in a large rocks glass over a gorgeous block of clear ice, gussied up with a perfectly-manicured spiral orange twist. The rum’s hogo-rich, banana-forward profile steals the show, while the Campari and sweet vermouth sing backup, providing just a hint of cherries and tannic character. For rum enthusiasts that have had a hard time warming up to Negronis in the past, the Kingston is a perfect gateway cocktail.
Death & Co
KINGSTON NEGRONI
The Blue Negroni was one of the most ordered cocktails at Temple Bar when it reopened a few years ago, its aberrant color luring in curious drinkers. These days, the bar’s elaborate Martini menu prevails, but the Blue Negroni has stuck around. Its 1-1-1 build — made with Ford’s gin, Dolin Blanc, and Temple Bar’s trademarked Blue Kampari — makes a suitable swap for the classic cocktail, in taste and drinking experience if not color. It’s served in a beautiful, hefty glass, poured over a beautiful, hefty ice cube with an aromatic orange peel. And apart from its relatively hefty $23 cost, it’s a very good drink indeed.
Temple Bar
BLUE NEGRONI
Clover Club’s Kula Negroni might not have the acclaim of its namesake cocktail, but it’s one of many stellar drinks that has kept locals and visitors coming back to the longstanding Brooklyn bar. Served in a chilled rocks glass plucked straight from the freezer, this Negroni riff gets its subtle sweetness from bianco vermouth and strawberry-infused Aperol and Campari. An expressed orange peel and fresh strawberry slice reinforce those flavors in what’s essentially the classic with a little twist.
Clover Club
KULA NEGRONI
A riff on a riff, Le Crocodile’s interpretation (named for the hotel the French restaurant resides in) more closely aligns with a White Negroni than the build we know best. Made with tequila, vermouth, and bitter bianco, this spec might not sound like a Negroni at all. But close your eyes and the resemblance can be tasted — and it’s delicious. The aged tequila provides the florality and herbaceousness normally imbued by gin, along with a hint of oaked sweetness that softens the more bitter edges of the bianco. Boozy and bright, the Wythe Negroni may be unconventional, but it's a sure-fire standout.
LE CROCODILE
WYTHE NEGRONI
Served on tap in the front room of the acclaimed Lower East Side spot, the #8 starts off with the Negroni’s usual suspects: Campari and vermouth. After that, it departs from the standard build with subtly smoky mezcal and masala chai. Sure to sway any mezcal or Negroni haters, this cocktail is bursting with a medley of spice and bitterness. Though the presentation and price could use some tweaking, we appreciate the drink’s intricate flavor profile.
DOUBLE CHICKEN PLEASE
#8
The Classic Negroni on this Italian spot’s aperitivo hour menu is just that: classic. Made with Ford’s Gin, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, and Forthave Red Aperitivo and garnished with an orange twist, the cocktail checks all the boxes one might expect. Each sip is complex, not too sweet, and perfectly bitter, ending with a bouquet of botanicals and a pleasant dryness from the London Dry spirit.
LODI
CLASSIC NEGRONI
Named for the Tokyo neighborhood near where Katana Kitten founder and bartender Masahiro Urushido once lived, the Meguroni #3 builds upon the bittersweet bones of a standard Negroni. Here, gin is replaced by genever (gin’s maltier Dutch cousin) and iichiko Saiten Shochu. Aged Umeshu, a Japanese plum liqueur, plays the role of sweet vermouth while Caffo Red Aperitivo replaces Campari to deliver pleasant bitterness. Garnished with a kinome leaf and served in a bespoke ceramic cup, the Meguroni #3 stylishly showcases the flavors of Japan while maintaining its Negroni character.
KATANA KITTEN
MEGURONI #3
The Negroni gets the Shakerato treatment at Takuma Watanabe’s new aperitivo-style bar. The cocktail starts out classic with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Campari, and Cinzano 1757, but it takes a non-traditionalist turn with the inclusion of yogurt, lemon, and orange. The drink diverges further from the beaten path as it's shaken and served up. While we appreciated the fresh approach and fluffy, easy-drinking texture, the cocktail lacked the typical Negroni’s booze-forward allure. Still, we would be happy drinking several of these on the Italian coast.
L'AMERICANA
NEGRONI SHAKERATO
Union Square Hospitality Group’s west side Italian restaurant largely stays true to the basic Negroni build with Occitan Gin, Campari, and vermouth, but adds an extra kick: Barolo Chinato, an aromatized wine from Piedmont’s esteemed Barolo region. The ingredient’s Italian origins keep the drink on theme, and it makes for a slightly more savory and herbaceous flavor profile. We really enjoy the extra complexity, and it’s a great companion to the spot’s dreamy, buffalo butter-rich tagliatelle.
CI SIAMO
NEGRONI
So synonymous with Italian aperitivo culture has Caffe Dante become that the Greenwich Village mainstay offers a 16-strong selection of the Negroni and its variations. The majority are available for $15 between 3 and 5 p.m. daily, and just a few bucks extra thereafter. Pre-batched and served on draft, the most classic interpretation, the Negroni On Tap, blends the iconic duo of Campari and Martini & Rossi with citrusy Bombay Sapphire gin. It’s a fine trio when mixed manually, but Dante ups the ante by diluting its batches with Acqua Panna natural spring water — a step up from even the cleanest, freshest ice. Speaking of which: a plump orange wedge sits atop a small tower of Kold Draft cubes in the final serve, making you instantly question why you’d ever return to a simple twist.
CAFFE DANTE
NEGRONI ON TAP
With Campari a non-negotiable and the gin component typically reserved for a small cast of familiar London Dry offerings, much of a house Negroni’s personality arrives — somewhat unexpectedly — via the choice of sweet vermouth. At Brooklyn’s Popina, the Italian-Southern American neighborhood staple opts to split that component between burly, assertive Carpano Antica and fragrant workhorse Cinzano. Served over a single crystal-clear cube with a rustic orange twist, this Negroni is best enjoyed with a bocce ball in hand in the restaurant’s spacious backyard patio.
POPINA
NEGRONI
Credits
Co-founders
Joshua Malin
Adam Teeter
Editorial
Taylore Glynn Tim McKirdy Pete O’Connell Joanna Sciarrino Hannah Staab Olivia White
Design & Art Direction
Danielle Grinberg
Photography
Jeff Brown
Grand Army’s White Negroni is a destination-worthy riff, but by measure of true Negroni-ness, Bar Pisellino’s execution of the standard was expert.
Lord’s Damson Negroni impressed us with its jammy, whimsical build, but Amor y Amargo’s dialed-in, bitters-spiked spec beat it by a nose.
Superbueno’s take excelled in creativity, but Death & Co’s Kingston Negroni inched out the win for its stunning presentation and mastery of the standard spec.
Despite its alluring hue, Temple Bar’s blue riff couldn’t beat the solid value of Clover Club’s strawberry-spiked Kula Negroni.
Both Le Crocodile and Double Chicken Please offer inventive takes on the classic, but in the end, the Wythe Negroni’s herbaceous edge and more traditional presentation knocked out the #8.
While Lodi’s Negroni earned a top score for staying true to the classic's bittersweet profile, the signature style and presentation of Katana Kitten’s Meguroni #3 stole the show.
L’Americana’s Negroni is a foamy and refreshing tribute to the Italian “shakerato” style, but Ci Siamo’s version stayed true to the classic and won us over with its addition of Barolo Chinato.
Popina’s considered cast of ingredients and fancy ice yield a superlative classic Negroni, bested only by the unique, inventive details on offer at Caffe Dante.
Both drinks highlight the appeal of the classic build, but Bar Pisellino’s stirred interpretation beat out Amor y Amargo’s pre-batched cocktail by a hair.
Photo courtesy of Bar PIsellino via Instagram
You can’t deny Death & Co.’s rum-forward modern classic is an excellent drink, but Clover Club’s Kula hews closer to the original in a good way.
The components of Clover Club's Kula Negroni
Le Crocodile’s tequila-based Wythe Negroni is a standout, but it couldn’t stand up to the flair of Katana Kitten’s Japan-inspired Meguroni #3.
The components of Katana Kitten's Meguroni #3
Ci Siamo’s Barolo Chinato–spiked build lent an enjoyable savory accent to the cocktail while still keeping it an all-Italian affair. But when considering which is the superior Negroni, Caffe Dante’s textbook approach better fits the bill.
Photo courtesy of Caffe Dante via Instagram
As far as modern Negroni riffs go, few — if any — in the city live up to Katana Kitten’s thoughtful, Japanese-inspired Meguroni #3. Alas, Caffe Dante once again wins it by a nose for serving a flawless, dictionary definition of the drink.
Bartender, Sebastian Martinez prepares the Negroni on Tap at Caffe Dante
Photo by Jeff Brown
For purists, you can’t go wrong with Bar Pisellino’s equal parts Negroni Classico, but Clover Club’s sweet-bitter Kula Negroni won extra points for its strawberry flair.
Clover Club owner Julie Reiner prepares the Kula Negroni
Photo by Jeff Brown
How We Scored
Every Negroni was tasted by our team members and rated based on taste, appearance, value, and all-around Negroni-ness.
Click through the bracket to explore VinePair's journey tasting the best Negronis in NYC. Below you'll find our take on every cocktail, why each Negroni beat out its challenger, and more surprises along the way. Each day, a new round will unlock below.
As we set out to find the best Negroni in New York City, a few questions lingered in the minds of the VinePair editorial team: Could a modern riff improve upon one of the world’s most beloved cocktails? And how much variation could there be between classical interpretations when non-negotiable Campari plays such a commanding role in the drink’s profile? With its Negroni on Tap, Caffe Dante definitively answered both. The trio of Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin remains an icon for a reason and subtle details can have a profound effect on the final drink. In this case, opting to dilute with Italian spring water and serving chilled on tap adds a certain je ne sais quoi while guaranteeing consistency. Meanwhile, the orange wedge garnish is a master stroke, bringing visual appeal as well as a refreshing palate cleanser after finishing the drink.
Editorial
Taylore Glynn
Gabrielle Johnson Tim McKirdy Pete O’Connell Joanna Sciarrino Hannah Staab Olivia White
Design & Art Direction
Danielle Grinberg
Photography
Jeff Brown
WINNER REVEAL
SWEET 16
ELITE 8
FINAL 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
WINNER REVEAL
SWEET 16
ELITE 8
FINAL 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
WINNER REVEAL
SWEET 16
ELITE 8
FINAL 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
WINNER REVEAL
SWEET 16
ELITE 8
FINAL 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
WINNER REVEAL
