You’re not imagining it, Negronis are everywhere this week. Not only is this the perfect time to sip a classic and try a twist, but right now ordering the cocktail also supports a good cause.
For 12 years Negroni Week has been going strong. Imbibe Magazine launched the celebration in 2013 as a way to celebrate the classic cocktail and raise money for charity. What began with 120 participating bars has since grown to thousands, including dozens right here in Colorado, and has raised over $5 million for worthy causes.
This year, a portion of cocktail sales goes to Slow Food, supporting the mission to create a world where all people can eat food that is good for them, good for the people who grow it, and good for the planet.
In Denver and beyond, Negroni Week runs from September 22 to 28, with offerings ranging from faithful renditions to playful riffs, including one inspired by pizza and others designed to sip alongside dessert or as a sweet treat in and of itself.
Raise your cocktail glass for a good cause. Here are 11spots to find a truly fantastic Negroni this week in and around Denver.
Negroni Defined
The classic Negroni itself is straightforward with equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Legend has it the drink started as a request for more booze by Count Camillo Negroni in 1919. He requested gin to replace the soda water in the Americano at Caffè Casoni in Florence.
The result was a bitter, herbal, and spirit-forward cocktail that’s perfectly balanced. Plus, the drink’s brilliant red hue feels just right as we transition into fall. Many add a slice of orange to garnish it, bringing out the seasonal colors even more.
Pizzeria Alberico
Pizzeria Alberico has serious Negroni cred thanks to the dozens of vermilion Campari bottles lining the bar overhead. The design statement transports you straight to Italy and assures your Negroni will never run dry. Today, the Neapolitan pizza restaurant is serving a few riffs on the classic cocktail.
For example, the Regalo Rosa, a Negroni sour with a bitter backbone from the Campari and grapefruit. There’s also the Red Skies at Night, a nutty, warming cocktail with dark rum and coffee melding with the bitter orange from Campari. Then the Boulevardier, a version that swaps out bold whiskey for gin. 1730 Pearl St., Boulder, pizzeriaalberico.com
Lady Jane
Serious Negroni aficionados should head to Lady Jane for a different variation of the cocktail every night of Negroni Week. The LoHi cocktail bar looks to have one of the most extensive Negroni menus this fall. Bartenders make a house Negroni with Leopold Bros Navy Strength Gin and a White Negroni with Family Jones Gin.
The team is also serving four specialty Negronis including Urban Birding, a mezcal riff; Milano Vice with a coconut oil-washed tequila and strawberry daiquiri foam; Thrilling Chase, a gin Negroni with green tea and yuzu; and Cafe Pimenton, with scotch and chorizo and Mr. Black Coffee liqueur. These breakout stars of Negroni Week join a seasonal menu staple, the Sungold Negroni that’s on the main menu right now and that’s made with the namesake tomatoes, blue cheese, and pasta water. 2021 W. 32nd Ave, Denver; ladyjanedenver.com
The Nickel
Inside Hotel Teatro, The Nickel is celebrating Negroni Week with a lemongrass twist on the classic cocktail. Just steps from the Denver Performing Arts Complex, The Nickel is the perfect stop for a pre-or post-show drink paired with a charcuterie board or a burger. 1100 14th St., Denver, thenickeldenver.com
Annette
At Stanley Marketplace, Annette’s trio of Negronis include a barrel-aged one with Barr Hill Gin, the Thousand Dollar Holler that’s made with a dry gin, sweetened coconut Campari and coffee-infused Cynar (an artichoke-based amaro); and a non-alcoholic Negroni with Horizon Late Harvest Verjus, which is a zero-proof juice made from pressing unripe grapes. 2501 Dallas St., Suite 109, Aurora; annettescratchtotable.com
Seven Grand
Seven Grand, a whiskey bar on the Dairy Block, is featuring four Negronis for Negroni Week that are inspired by the seasons. If your mantra is long-live-summer, sip the Burst and Bloom, a tequila Negroni riff with peach and lime. If you’re looking for a cozy sip, the Crimson Hearth is a cocktail with creme de cacao and Wild Turkey. 1855 Blake St., Suite 160, sevengrandbars.com/denver
Little Johnny B’s at Urban Cowboy
Tucked inside a carriage house at Urban Cowboy, Capitol Hill’s new Western-themed boutique hotel that opened in a 1880s mansion, Little Johnny B’s is a saloon-style bar known for wood-fired pizzas. It’s only fitting that the restaurant’s Negroni Week special takes a pizza-inspired twist with the Pizza Negroni, which comes garnished with oregano, mozzarella, and a fresh tomato leaf. 1665 Grant St. Denver, littlejohnnybs.com
Call Me Pearl
Call Me Pearl offers a sweet twist for Negroni lovers. Alongside the Black Pearl Negroni, crafted with Diplomatic rum and chocolate bitters, you can indulge in the Apertivo Cannoli, a spritz-inspired cannoli with Aperol filling, fruit caviar, a pistachio crumble and chocolate chips. Located inside the Rally Hotel, Call Me Pearl earned a spot on our list of the city’s most gorgeous cocktail bars, thanks to its stylish interiors that make you feel like you’re sipping at your chic grandma’s dinner party. 1600 20th St., Denver, callmepearlbar.com
Poka Lola Social Club
With its mid-century design, Poka Lola inside the Maven Hotel’s lobby evokes a nostalgic vibe perfect for savoring a classic cocktail. For Negroni Week, the bar is serving the the traditional Negroni alongside inventive twists, including the IYKYK, featuring smoky mezcal, and For the Bois, made with Old Forester Rye, Campari, Carpano Antica (a vermouth with vanilla and citrus notes), and cacao nibs. 1850 Wazee St., pokaloladenver.com
Frasca Food and Wine
At Michelin-starred Frasca, every Negroni is a tribute to Trieste, the capital of Friuli, whether through its ingredients or its inspiration. The Città della Barcolana honors the world’s largest regatta, held in Trieste each October, marking the close of the sailing season.
On the cocktail side, the spiced Negroni blends Citadelle gin, Cardamaro, Licor 43, Cocchi Storico Vermouth, and Campari, with the bar team infusing the base with coffee, star anise, and cinnamon. Other specialty Negronis include Sunset Over Miramare, featuring a milk-punch clarification infused with peach, blueberry, and floral bitters, topped with a cloud of Campari whipped cream, and La Vita È Bella, a nostalgic 1990s-style Negroni crafted with dry gin. 1738 Pearl St., Boulder; frascafoodandwine.com
The Velvet Cellar
In addition to a classic Negroni, the Velvet Cellar, a LoDo restaurant with Southern Gulf Coast influence, is serving up a cocktail that will appeal to espresso martini lovers, too. The VC Negroni is made with an espresso-infused Campari, and is spiced with cinnamon and an orange peel-infused Woody Creek Gin. 1500 Wynkoop St., Denver; thevelvetcellar.net
Tavernetta
Alongside classics like the Negroni and White Negroni, Tavernetta’s Negroni Week menu brings a taste of autumn to the glass. The Currant Affairs blends Wild Turkey 101 Rye, Campari, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, cocoa nibs, and dried currants for a rich, seasonal twist. The Italian spot in Union Station, which is known for its extensive wine list, is also serving a Sbagliato Bianco, combining Dolin Blanc Vermouth, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, and sparkling wine for a light, effervescent sip. 1889 16th St Mall, Denver; tavernettadenver.com
Find a full list of Negroni Week participants here: Negroniweek.com
