Italian drinks guide
Italian cocktail recipes
Last updated
Italian cocktails lean bitter, bright and sparkling. Most start with a bitter aperitivo liqueur, a vermouth or Prosecco, and most are built to drink before dinner rather than after it. Below is every aperitivo and cocktail on the site, each with its own page covering the build, the glass and how to serve it. Larry's rule: get the ice right and the rest takes care of itself. Pour one, set out a few antipasti, and the evening is already better.
Quick answer
The best-known Italian cocktails are the Aperol Spritz, Campari Spritz, Negroni, Americano and Negroni Sbagliato for aperitivo, plus Prosecco drinks like the Bellini and Rossini and the lemon-sorbet Sgroppino. Most are low to medium strength, served over ice or in a flute, and paired with small salty snacks.
Aperitivi
The pre-dinner ritual
Aperol Spritz
Bitter orange, sparkling, 8% ABV
Prosecco first, Aperol second. Pouring in reverse leaves the bitter sitting on the bottom.
Campari Spritz
Sharper, redder, 10% ABV
For people who think Aperol is dessert.
Negroni
Bitter, stirred, 24% ABV
Stir 30 seconds. Never shake — a cloudy Negroni is a confession.
Negroni Sbagliato
Sparkling, softer, 12% ABV
Born when a Milan bartender grabbed sparkling wine instead of gin. Best mistake in Italy.
Americano
Long, bitter, 9% ABV
The Negroni's older, calmer brother. Two is a normal number.
Milano-Torino
Two ingredients, 16% ABV
The original from 1860. Everything else on this list descends from it.
Garibaldi
Bitter and citrus, 11% ABV
The juice must be aerated — blend or shake it until it foams.
Bicicletta
Wine-based, 9% ABV
Named for how Milanese regulars rode home afterwards. Allegedly.
Hugo Spritz
Elderflower and mint, 7% ABV
Born in Alto Adige, now the northern Italian answer to the Aperol Spritz. Lighter and far less sweet.
Select Spritz
Venetian bitter, rhubarb and juniper, 9% ABV
In Venice the garnish is an olive, not an orange. Argue about it there and you will lose.
Cynar Spritz
Artichoke bitter, savory, 8% ABV
Yes, artichoke. It drinks like cola for adults and it is the best spritz before a fatty plate.
Vermouth on the Rocks
Sweet, herbal, 16% ABV
Turin's original aperitivo. One bottle, no measuring, no excuses.
Spritz al Bianco
Wine and soda, 6% ABV
The spritz before Aperol showed up. Still what Venetian grandparents order.
Campari Soda
Pre-mixed bitter, 10% ABV
Designed by Fortunato Depero in 1932. The bottle is the garnish.
Martini Bianco & Tonic
Vanilla-floral, long, 8% ABV
The summer drink for people who claim they don't drink.
Italian Cocktails
Bar classics with an Italian passport
Bellini
Peach and Prosecco, 8% ABV
Invented at Harry's Bar in Venice. Yellow peaches make it sweet; white peaches make it right.
Rossini
Strawberry and Prosecco, 8% ABV
Strain the purée or it clogs the bubbles.
Espresso Martini
Coffee, sharp, 20% ABV
Shake hard with ice for 15 seconds — that violence is what makes the crema.
Sgroppino
Frozen lemon, 12% ABV
Venetian palate cleanser. Serve between courses or after a plate of sausage and peppers.
Limoncello Spritz
Sweet-tart, 11% ABV
Amalfi in a glass. Use ice-cold limoncello straight from the freezer.
Paloma Italiana
Bitter grapefruit highball, about 10% ABV
Build over ice and top gently with the soda to keep the fizz.
Puccini
Mandarin and Prosecco, 8% ABV
Winter's Bellini. Only worth making when mandarins are in season and you squeeze them yourself.
Tintoretto
Pomegranate and Prosecco, 8% ABV
The Venetian trio finishes here: Bellini peach, Rossini strawberry, Tintoretto pomegranate.
Amaro Sour
Bittersweet, foamy, 18% ABV
The best use of a half-finished amaro bottle. Dry shake, then shake with ice.
Godfather
Scotch and amaretto, 30% ABV
Named for the movie. Larry orders it with a straight face every time.
Hanky Panky
Gin, vermouth, Fernet, 26% ABV
Created for an actor at the Savoy, made Italian by the Fernet.
Boulevardier
Bourbon Negroni, 25% ABV
A Negroni in a winter coat.
Cardinale
Dry, bitter, 26% ABV
A Negroni that skipped dessert.
Italian Margarita
Tequila and amaretto, 18% ABV
Restaurant-chain famous. Larry swaps triple sec for amaretto and calls it fusion.
Aperol Sour
Bright, foamy, 12% ABV
Dry shake first, then with ice. The foam is the whole point.
Mimosa Italiana
Blood orange and Prosecco, 9% ABV
Brunch, but Sicilian.
Pair them with Italian antipasti, aperitivo hour or sausage and peppers.
Questions people ask
What is the most popular Italian cocktail?
The spritz — usually with Aperol or Campari — and the Negroni are the most widely recognized Italian cocktails.
What is the difference between a Negroni and an Americano?
Both use Campari and sweet vermouth. A Negroni adds gin; an Americano adds soda water, making it lighter.
Which Italian cocktails use Prosecco?
The spritz family, the Bellini (peach), the Rossini (strawberry), the Negroni Sbagliato and the Sgroppino.
What food goes with Italian cocktails?
Salty, small bites: olives, crisps, nuts, focaccia, cured meats, cheese and bruschetta — see the antipasti recipes.
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