Where to drink Negroni in Hong Kong

Four Seasons Hotel’s innovative bar, Argo, is one of our go-to bars for serious Negroni serves. The bar offers XO Negroni ($170), a punchy and smoky drink using mezcal, XO-infused vermouth – made with Lung King Heen's (Four Seasons' three Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant) famous vegetarian XO sauce – Campari, and Aperol, and chocolate bitters. During Negroni Week, Argo will be serving two of Negroni twists aside from XO Twist, as well as recipes from their sister bars, Copitas (Bengaluru) and Bar Trigona (Kuala Lumpur). 

For interesting Negroni twists, head up to the speakeasy-style cocktail bar, 25:00 (Twenty Fifth Hour), above one of Hong Kong's oldest restaurants, Luk Yu Tea House, on Stanley Street. Order an off-menu Negroni called The Gentleman ($138), a smoky Negroni made with coffee bean-infused rum, Campari, vermouth, dark cacao, and smoked with tobacco. During Negroni week, they serve three cocktails, including the Tropic Dawn ($148), made with coconut fat-washed white rum. This cocktail will transport you to a tropical destination with flavours of mangoes, chilli, and kaffir.

Lorenzo Antinori's Italian bar, Bar Leone, on Bridges Street, always delivers when it comes to serving Negronis. You can choose a classic option or try something different, like the coffee-flavoured variety. Our favourite is the Yuzu Bianco ($130), a satisfying white Negroni infused with yuzu notes that goes down smoothly and packs a boozy punch. The bar is also hosting the official Negroni Week celebration closing party on the 24th of September. Follow their Instagram for updates.  

Tell Camellia is known for serving signature tea cocktails, and one of our favourite tea Negronis in town is their Darjeeling Negroni. This season, they have taken it up a notch with the Darjeeling Negroni 2.0 ($138). In addition to using Darjeeling tea-infused gin, vermouth, and Campari, they have enhanced the drink by incorporating tea chocolate from local chocolatiers Conspiracy Chocolate. For Negroni Week, Tell Camellia also serves a floral Jasmine Tea Negroni ($130) made with Campari and jasmine tea-infused gin and rosso vermouth. 

Caprice Bar in Four Seasons Hong Kong is renowned for its lavish lounge where you can sip on French wine. This bar also offers its own takes on the classic Italian aperitif. The bar regularly presents a twist on the Boulevardier called Air de Province ($220), which combines Bulleit Bourbon, Campari, Mattei vermouth, and lavender. For Negroni Week, customers can indulge in other variations of the cocktail, such as Apricot ($220), which features gin infused with dry apricot, Campari, and vermouth rosso; or Root ($220), an earthy and spicy Negroni made with butter fat-washed rum, Campari, vermouth rosso, and galangal.

Cocktail and music lounge Kuromaru is where to go for shochu-based concoctions. During Negroni Week, the team at Kuromaru will be shaking up special cocktails like Roasted Negroni ($150), which has a nutty aroma from ingredients like barley shochu, sesame-infused genever gin, and creme de cacao. If you’re still adjusting to the intensity of Negronis, the bar offers a Black Tea Americano ($150), a lighter and carbonated variant which uses sweet potato shochu, citric acid solution, Earl Grey liqueur, and a housemade black tea soda. 

Aqua Restaurant Group's Italian restaurant, Vista, in partnership with Campari, will be the centre of the action for Negroni Week. The exclusive kick-off party for Negroni Week will take place at Vista on September 18, marking the beginning of the celebration in Hong Kong. Alongside panoramic views of Victoria Harbour, guests can expect an authentic Italian aperitivo experience featuring a variety of Negroni riffs from their Eight Shades of Red menu, including their Nitro-Negroni Ice Cream.

The Aubrey's head mixologist, Devender Sehgal, is an expert when it comes to Negroni. His Negroni repertoire was tasted by many of his patrons when he used to manage the Italian restaurant 8 1/2 Otto E Mezzo Bombana. At The Aubrey, his Negroni riffs are now filled with Japanese flavours. Their cocktail menu is an interesting exploration of the world of shochu and features their signature floral Negroni called Torii ($160), made with sweet potato shochu, rosso vermouth, Campari, and Amontillado sherry. For Negroni Week, the bar has crafted variations of the Italian cocktail, such as Bitter Sweet Symphony ($178), made with Hakutake Shiro jumai shochu, Nikka Gin, Ratafia Rossi, ice wine, orange bitters, and topped with a fresh cherry. 

While most know 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana for its fine Italian fare, the Michelin-starred restaurant also has a cosy lounge and bar area where customers can enjoy cocktails and sip on aperitivo. The restaurant’s signature Negroni, aptly named 8½ Negroni ($200), includes orange, grapefruit, and Barolo Chinato, a fortified wine made with various herbs like cinchona bark and cloves. Aside from their classic Negroni, the bar also offers an Oolong Negroni ($200), which sees Four Seasons oolong tea and honey added into the classic cocktail, and a spicy Jalapeño Negroni ($200) for those who enjoy a little kick to their drinks.

If you happen to be in Jordan, Terrible Baby, the flagship bar of Eaton HK, is the best place to visit during Negroni week. They offer a selection of four different Negroni variations that cater to various tastes. You can enjoy a classic Negroni recipe, an Americano with passion fruit flavours, and our personal favourite, the tropical Terrible Baby Negroni riff called Thyme for Buko ($100). This variation is made with thyme-infused gin, coconut-infused Campari, Cinzano 1757, and chilli bitters. The coconut-flavoured Negroni is aged in a young coconut shell, resulting in a smooth and easily drinkable cocktail.

Rosewood Hong Kong’s DarkSide latest cocktail menu, ‘Classics From The 90’s’, highlights a selection of lesser-known cocktails from the 90s, and revamps them into sophisticated creations that still hold a touch of nostalgia. Their menu features Rosita ($170), a tequila-based take on a Negroni, which includes Mancino Secco vermouth, Riesling, and peach bitters. For Negroni Week, the bar offers four variants of Negronis, which include Ume ($170), an umeshu-based drink with rum, chocolate-infused Campari, vermouth, drops of myrrh, served on a glass rimmed with dehydrated Campari. 

Ezra Star can pretty much craft any quality drink at her omakase cocktail bar as long as ingredients are available behind the bar. Ask her to make a Negroni based on your preferred taste, and you will not be disappointed. While you’re there, be sure to check out the latest creations from her seasonal menu. 

Japanese-style Bar Buonasera crafts classic handcrafted cocktails and Negroni is just one of the many classic serves that you can order. They have a lot of spirits on the menu so you can choose the base you want for your Negroni. Try a Boulevardier and choose a whisky from any of their large selection which includes drams from Scotland and Japan. 

At the award-winning bar The Wise King, Negroni is king when it comes to their perfect serves. You can request a classic Negroni or ask them for their Negroni Week specials, which usually include recipes of Negroni from various award-winning bars worldwide.  

If you’re in Wan Chai and craving for this bitter aperitif, look no further than the Japanese-style bar Mizunara. Request a Boulevardier, as whisky takes the spotlight here. However, since they excel at serving classic cocktails, you can never go wrong with a perfectly stirred Negroni made with other base spirits. You always have the option to choose the bottle you want to use, whether it’s gin or top-shelf white spirits. Just point to your preference, and their talented bartenders will mix it up for you.