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PhrasesAt the BarUn Negroni, per favore.
A1

Un Negroni, per favore.

A Negroni, please.

Pronunciation

ne-GRO-ni — three syllables, stress on second.

When to use it

When you want the most iconic Italian cocktail — gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth in equal parts, stirred and served over ice with an orange peel.

What it means

The Negroni was allegedly invented in Florence in 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni asked his bartender to strengthen his Americano by replacing soda with gin. It is one of the world's most celebrated cocktails and a symbol of Italian bar culture.

Variations

Un Negroni sbagliato.

A Negroni sbagliato.

'Sbagliato' = mistaken — Prosecco instead of gin. Invented at Bar Basso in Milan.

Un Negroni con il gin artigianale.

A Negroni with craft gin.

The Italian craft gin movement has produced excellent local gins perfect for Negronis

Un Americano, per favore.

An Americano, please.

The Negroni without gin — Campari, sweet vermouth and soda. Lighter and longer.

Mini Dialogue

— Un Negroni, per favore. — Lo stirriamo o lo scuotiamo? — Stirred — come si fa classicamente. — Ottimo gusto! Arancia o limone? — Arancia, grazie.

— A Negroni, please. — Stirred or shaken? — Stirred — as it is done classically. — Excellent taste! Orange or lemon? — Orange, please.

Cultural Note

The Negroni Week in September raises money for charity globally — evidence of the cocktail's worldwide cult status. In Italy, the Negroni is the drink of sophisticated urban professionals, associated with Florentine elegance and Milan's design world. Bar Basso in Milan is the temple of the Negroni sbagliato.