Fifteen Ways To Get Your Negroni Fix

One look at a Negroni and it's clear there's something magical about this 104-year-old cocktail. The color tends to shine like rubies, and it sparkles, even though there's usually nothing fizzy in it.

While the original Negroni recipe, created by Count Camillo Negroni in Italy, is one part each Campari, sweet vermouth and gin, many creative variations have popped up in local restaurants and bars, from perfectly balanced classics to smoky mezcal versions to white floral iterations. So go forth and have a Negroni today, tomorrow and all throughout Negroni week, which runs through September 24. Not only does the fete offer an excuse to imbibe, but some venues have added something special, available this week only.

Adrift Tiki Bar
218 South Broadway
720-784-8111
adriftbar.com
Amid the tiki drinks and whimsical decor, Adrift will offer the Caribbean Harmony Negroni specifically for Negroni Week. Made with a blend of two Caribbean rums in place of the classic gin, this version gets its bittersweet funkiness from Cappelletti Aperitivo and dry vermouth. And if you miss this unique Negroni, fear not, another one will be out just in time for the holidays.

American Elm
4132 West 38th Avenue
720-749-3186
amelm.com
Don't be confused by the bright, almost neon-yellow hue of the Snake Charmer at this Berkeley restaurant: It's actually a form of the Negroni cocktail. Created by bartender Bogdan Catana, the drink showed up this past spring, and has been so popular, the staff has kept it on the menu. Made with Rey Campero Mezcal Espadín, La Madrina Pisco Torontel, Suze Bitter Apéritif and La Quintinye Blanc Royal Vermouth, the complex concoction proves both bitter, floral and completely delicious.

Bistro Vendôme
2267 Kearney Street
303-825-3232
bistrovendome.com
Head to the new location of Beth Gruitch and chef Jen Jasinski's Bistro Vendôme in Park Hill for a selection of special cocktails for Negroni week. First up, the Bistro Negroni, which comprises Sorgin French Gin, Grand Brulot Cognac, Campari and coffee beans. The Honey Negroni is a sweet take on the drink, with Barr Hill Gin, Suze French Aperitif, Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur and a spritz of lemon. Of course, a classic Negroni can also be enjoyed, during Negroni Week or anytime you're craving steak frites and want to pop by.

Cholon
1555 Blake Street
303-353-5223
cholon.com
Bar manager Giovanni Fioramonte has given the Boulevardier, the whiskey version of a Negroni, an Asian twist. Before the Shiso Bitter made it to the summer menu, the staff workshopped it into perfection. Now, head to the original Cholon location to try the $19 creation, which includes Akashi Ume Plum Whisky, Campari, Cappelletti Aperitivoo and a splash of the drink's namesake, Japanese shiso bitters.

Deviation Distilling
1821 Blake Street
720-645-1539
deviationdistilling.com
Head downtown to Deviation Distilling's tasting room, right in the alley of Milk Market, and try not one, but two amazing Negronis. Every facet of the drinks are made in-house, from the gin to the orange aperitif (like Campari) to the vermouth. Choose from the classic Negroni or a barrel-aged version. Each drink features the distillery’s Mountain Herb Gin, which is made from wild foraged Rocky Mountain botanicals. Think native juniper, white sage, rosemary and spruce tips, among other bright, herbal flavors. Best part: you can take a bottle home and make more Negronis while lounging in pajamas and bingeing your favorite show.

The Family Jones Spirit House
3245 Osage Street
303-481-8185
thefamilyjones.co
Make a trip to the the Family Jones Spirit House in LoHi and order the Negroni 3.0, a fully housemade rendition of the classic cocktail. This means that every ingredient gets made on site, from the Juniper Jones Gin to the house blanc vermouth to the signature bittering agent. While you sip the drink, take a gander at the beautiful copper still on the second floor —the very contraption that helps make the Negroni here so darn good. 
FIRE Restaurant & Lounge in the Art, a Hotel
1201 Broadway
720-709-4431
thearthotel.com
Once Negroni Week hits on September 18, there will be a new beverage cart at this downtown hotel, and it's chock-full of all the things you need to make a classic Negroni. While the Campari and vermouth remain the same, diners can choose their perfect gin, be that Aviation, Tanqueray, Nolet's Silver or Hendricks. Prices start at $15, and each drink gets made right at the table. Bonus: The restaurant plans to keep the cart around long after Negroni Week is over.
Il Posto
2601 Larimer Street
303-394-0100
ilpostodenver.com
Often a Negroni works as a pre-meal cocktail, or an aperitif, but when it comes to RiNo's Il Posto, the Caffè Negroni is meant for after dinner. The reason, says bar manager Kole Daigle, is the Essentiae Liquore di Caffè, a coffee liqueur used in place of the vermouth. The recipe also includes Averna, a Sicilian amaro. Of course, if you wanted to enjoy this Negroni version before a meal, no one would think any less of you.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
1539 17th Street
303-292-5767
jaxfishhouse.com
This fall, Jax will release a specialty Negroni, but those in the know can order the $16 drink right now, just by asking. While the basic principles remain the same — think locally made Ancestors Distilling Gin and Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth — this Negroni version uses coffee-infused Campari to give it a kick. Pair it with a towering plate of goodies from the raw bar, and/or a plate of calamari during happy hour.  Mercantile
1701 Wynkoop Street
720-460-3733
mercantiledenver.com
Step into the soothing side of Negroni land with bartender Mark Radcliffe's chamomile version. Made with Barr Hill Gin, Suze, Lillet Blanc, Dom Benedictine and chamomile-honey simple syrup, the cocktail is a floral spin on a White Negroni. Fair warning: The Chamomile Negroni will grace the menu only through the end of September, and possibly into the first few weeks of October. So get it now and enjoy this light sipper at Union Station.
Spice Trade Brewery + Kitchen
8775 East Orchard Road, Greenwood Village
720-710-9508
spicetradebrewing.com
Technically, the Negroni Spritz at this Greenwood Village brewery isn't a cocktail; it's a hard seltzer. However, the idea behind it proves the same. "It's made with a blend of bitter and aromatic spices and herbs, as well as red grapes, and is very juniper-, orange peel- and hibiscus-forward with a bitter and bubbly finish," says head brewer and co-owner Jeff Tyler. "At 10 percent ABV, it's a great digestif to have after a meal if you're looking for something a little bit more approachable and refreshing than a Negroni cocktail." This isn't the first Italian cocktail-inspired seltzer he has made. In the past, Tyler also created a Limoncello Mojito and Sorrento Spritz, his take on an Aperol Spritz. While the Negroni Spritz won't always be available, it's on tap now.

Stoic & Genuine
1701 Wynkoop Street
303-640-3474
stoicandgenuine.com
A Negroni is good, but add a bit of chocolate to the cocktail and a whole new world opens up. Enter the Chocolate Negroni, a specialty drink made by bartender Jake Knepper for Negroni Week. The idea, he says, came after first trying a similar tipple in Ireland. He decided to re-create that drink and the memory behind it at the Union Station restaurant. He does this by using Barr Hill Gin, sweet vermouth, creme de cacao, Campari and Xocolatl Mole Bitters.

Restaurant Olivia
290 South Downing Street
303-999-0395
oliviadenver.com
"We’ve had a lot fun Negronis over the years, as a portion of our menu has been continually dedicated to cocktails of that style," says Austin Carson, bar manager and co-owner of Restaurant Olivia in Wash Park. "The current version of our house Negroni from bar manager Erika Copeland is one of my favorites. It’s somewhat traditional, but with the addition of Cappalletti, Lillet Rouge and sea salt." While guests should absolutely try this version, there's also a special Caprese Negroni on the menu for a limited time. This drink comes from the restaurant's opening menu and is made with partially dehydrated heirloom tomatoes from chef Ty Leon's garden. The tomatoes are infused into the cocktail along with a couple of varietals of fresh basil, then diluted with a tomato consommé made by chef-turned-bartender Kayla Shines. "End to end, it’s about a month-long process," Carson says, "but it brings our front- and back-of-house teams together in a collaborative way that’s very much in keeping with the spirit of the restaurant."

Tavernetta
1889 16th Street
720-605-1889
tavernettadenver.com
Although a Negroni is known for its ruby-red hue, the $17 White Negroni at Bobby Stucky's Union Station joint shines in another color. Made with Botanist Islay Dry Gin, Luxardo Bitter Bianco, Carpano Dry, Lustau Manzanilla Sherry, Angostura bitters, demerara sugar and a dash of citrus oil, the drink takes what one thinks of a Negroni and turns it on its head. Toro
150 Clayton Lane
303-253-3000
torodenver.com
Skip the gin and try smoky mezcal in your next Negroni. At Toro in Cherry Creek, lead bartender Eric Garcia has done just that to create the Negroni Norte, a blend of El Silencio Mezcal, Aperol and Carpano Antica. "This smoky character, drawn from Mexico's time-honored distillation practices, adds a new layer to the drink's profile," says Garcia. "By combining Italian bitterness with mezcal's smoky notes, the result is a cocktail that marries tradition with innovation, providing a unique taste experience."