In the Heart of Florence, just around the corner from the exclusive and elegant shopping street Via de' Tornabuoni, read the legendary Giacosa Bar, a small and all the more refined place that wonderfully represents the Italian bar style, with the Negroni story and the Negroni in a variety of variants.

The roots of the bar go back to 1815, when it was originally founded as a confectionary and coffee bar. Even then, Giacosa was a meeting place for Florentine society — a place where locals, intellectuals, artists and fashion enthusiasts met.

The Giacosa Bar achieved worldwide fame in the 1920s when Count Camillo Negroni created the de facto iconic Negroni cocktail here based on his personal preferences. In search of a slightly stronger aperitif, he asked bartender Fosco Scarselli to refine the classic Americano with a shot of gin instead of soda water. Count Camillo brought back his fondness for gin from his time in London. The “Negroni” was born — a cocktail that has since been synonymous with Italian aperitif culture and is celebrated as a timeless classic by the International Bartenders Association. Unlike today, Count Negroni only drank what we would call a shot today.

Saved the Giacosa Bar from Death and Reopened in a Unique Setting

As is often the case with stories of places, things and people, the Giacosa Bar was not without challenges. After several moves and a closure in 2017, the era of the traditional bar seemed to be over. Many feared that this iconic place would only live on in the history books. But fate meant well for this historic place — and the Valenza Group Stepped on to breathe new life into the Giacosa Bar and in 2023, the bar made an impressive comeback.

The reopening of Giacosa Bar is much more than just a return — it is a tribute to the rich history of this special place. The new interior masterfully combines tradition and modernity: elements such as historical photographs, classic details and an elegant color palette recall the origins of the bar and at the same time leave room for contemporary style. This redesign shows Respect for the Past and a Vision for the Future.

Behind this revival is the Valenza Group, a company that has already made a name for itself in Florence with exquisite dining facilities. In addition to the Giacosa Bar, the Group also operates the famous coffee house and pastry shop Gilli With One of the Best Breakfast Offerings in Town, the Caffe Paszkowski As a popular evening meeting place with live music and the Move On. These historic venues are iconic meeting places in the city and — just like the Giacosa Bar — represent a perfect mix of tradition and modern standards. With its wealth of experience, the Valencia Group has ensured that the Giacosa Bar not only honors its legendary past, but also has a firm place in the future of Florentine bar culture.

Today, the Giacosa Bar stands not only for exquisite cocktails, but also for the ability to reinvent yourself without losing its origins and identity. Here, the timeless charm of Florence and the modern interpretation of the Italian way of life combine to create an unforgettable experience.

In addition to the obligatory classic Negroni Giacosa, the menu created by Luca Manni, the bar manager of the Valencia Group, also offers several creative Negroni variations, such as the Negroni Brulèe or the Cosmo Negroni. Negroni tea, which is a real recommendation for tea lovers, i.e. catches the eye.

The Giacosa Bar is both a classic bar and an Italian coffee bar serving traditional local patisserie specialities.

Negroni Tasting as an Experience for True Cocktail Lovers

With the “Al Buio Tasting” (“Tasting in the Dark”), the Giacosa Bar offers a special experience to appreciate the history of Negroni and discover its taste — and the creative variations of bartenders — in a unique way. Three different Negroni-inspired cocktails are served, each accompanied by a suitable finger food creation. The menu promises that “every sip will also be an unforgettable dining experience.”

Classic start: Negroni Giacosa

In our case, the first cocktail was a “Negroni Giacosa”, consisting of No.3 London Dry Gin, Martini Rubino, Campari and Carpano. The choice of a classic and traditional gin, combined with two of the best Italian vermouth varieties and refined with classic Campari, ensures a balanced Negroni with lots of flavor. There was also a small Schiacciata alla Fiorentina as finger food.

Schiacciata alla Fiorentina is a traditional and fluffy specialty from Florence, originally served during carnival season, which delights with its fine orange aroma and light, airy consistency. Dusted with powdered sugar and often decorated with the Florentine Lily Crest, it is a pleasure not only in terms of taste, but also visually and in consistency.

Galactic interlude: Cosmo Negroni

It continues with a Cosmo Negroni, a creation of Altamatura Vodka, Curado, Baldoria Umami, Bruno, Santoni Bitter, Americano Cocchi Rosa and a garnish of crushed raspberries and tonka beans, which give the drink its unmistakable look.

The Cosmo Negroni Is a fascinating new interpretation of classic Negroni that plays with surprising levels of flavor. Even the first sip reveals a harmonious balance between fruity freshness and spicy depth. The Altamura Vodka gives the drink a soft, almost creamy base, while the Curado, with its subtle agave notes, adds a slight earthy nuance. The combination of Baldoria Umami and Bruno brings a complex, slightly salty note that is reminiscent of Mediterranean herbs and aged vermouths. The Santoni Bitter provides a fine but not overwhelming bitterness, while the Americano Cocchi Rosa adds elegant depth with its floral and slightly sweet notes. The raspberry and tonka bean garnish sets an aromatic accent — the sweet fruitiness of the berry meets the warm, vanilla-like spice of tonka, which gives the drink an almost seductive, velvety finish. A cocktail that delights classic Negroni fans as well as lovers of creative, modern mixology.

A small brioche with robiola cheese and truffles was served with it. The brioche with the mildly sour note of robiola and the light truffle note perfectly complemented the drink's taste.

Grand final: Negroni Nitro

The grand finale of the “Degustazione al Buio” is the Negroni Nitro A cocktail of GinArte, Vermouth del Professore and Campari. The Negroni Nitro Is a classic Negroni with a modern twist — velvety, intense and surprisingly soft. The nitrogen infusion gives the cocktail an almost creamy texture that perfectly envelops the aromas. The GinArte brings elegant juniper and floral notes into play, while the Vermouth del Professore adds a sophisticated sweetness with its deep, herb-spicy nuances. Campari provides the characteristic bitterness, which is even smoother due to the velvety carbonic acid of the nitro effect. The result? An iconic drink with a silky depth that tastes familiar — yet is experienced in a completely new way.

It was served with classic Italian toast with ham and cheese, which, freshly toasted with the melted cheese and the smoky notes of ham, perfectly picked up the nuances of the cocktail and perfectly complemented the drink.

The Morning After: Marocchino as a Sweet Coffee Experience

The next morning, you can sit right back in the Giacosa Bar, which is also a coffee bar with local patisserie specialties. For the perfect start to the morning, a Marocchino, a specialty consisting of espresso and cocoa, is served.

When our Marocchinos were on the table, we were convinced that not too much was promised. The espresso mixed with cocoa, a frothy milk topping and chocolate cream at the bottom of the glass is really a real recommendation for anyone who loves chocolate and coffee as much as we do. No other Marocchino in Italy has been able to match this combination and combination of tart coffee notes and sweet cocoa.

Conclusion: Where Negroni was born and remains an experience

You can get a Negroni in almost every bar these days, but the Giacosa Bar turns the historic cocktail into a real experience. Being so immediately following the origin of the drink and the many creative variations of the cocktail make for a real experience.

You can tell in many corners how much effort has been made not simply to exploit the well-known name of the bar, but to combine an homage to the history of the Giacosa bar with a modern interpretation. From our point of view, this has been achieved in full and that is why a trip to the Giacosa Bar is worthwhile on every trip to Florence.