Aperitivo may be Milan's calling card, but the city's bartenders have quietly built one of Europe's most ambitious cocktail scenes. A new roundup from Condé Nast Traveler counts 17 bars worth planning an evening around, and the throughline is clear: this is no longer just about a £10 spritz and a bowl of olives.
The heavy hitter is Moebius, a cocktail bar inside a 700-square-metre former textile warehouse that currently ranks seventh on the World's 50 Best Bars list. Bar manager Giovanni Allario sneaks Italian kitchen staples into the classics — try the Pesto Martini or a Gremolada Negroni with lemon and parsley. Its sibling Lubna, opened December 2024 in a converted tram depot south of the Prada Foundation, grills its ingredients over open flame: think a smoky mezcal Negroni built with roasted pepper juice.
For history, nothing beats Bar Basso, where the Negroni Sbagliato was accidentally invented in 1972 when owner Mirko Stocchetto swapped gin for prosecco. Order it "grande" and it arrives in a goblet bigger than your head. The cocktail list runs to 500 drinks, and the crowd — locals, regulars, tourists — spills onto the sidewalk most evenings. Closer to the Duomo, Camparino in Galleria is marking 110 years with a 12-drink menu tracing each decade since 1915, including a 1935 mix of Campari, tomato water and herbs.
Other stops worth knowing: Nottingham Forest, Dario Comini's theatrical molecular-mixology den where drinks arrive on illuminated pedestals (no reservations, ever — arrive 15 minutes before opening), and Rita on the Naviglio Grande, a pioneer of table-served aperitivo since 2002. Twin brothers Luca and Michele Hu just opened Bob The Other Side behind a teal door in Isola, pouring drinks like a pisco-sherry-black sesame number. Carico offers a smart workaround for the indecisive: four half-size cocktails for €30.
Why it matters: Milan rewards a proper bar crawl more than most Italian cities, with venues packed tightly into Navigli, Isola and Lambrate. The scene caters to everyone from Design Week partiers to date-night couples, and even teetotalers are catered for at most spots. Book ahead where possible — the best rooms fill fast.
