Rome's modern cocktail scene started with The Jerry Thomas Project in 2010. Drink Kong has since taken Rome cocktailing to the global stage. The 10 below are the rooms where Italian aperitivo tradition meets modern cocktail technique. Most are in Centro Storico, Trastevere or Monti.
Part of our 50 Best Cocktail Bars in the World listThis article is one chapter in our larger global guide. See the full pillar with every featured city.
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The 10 best cocktail bars in Rome
01 · Rome
Monti
$$$
Tokyo-meets-Rome
Patrick Pistolesi's modernist room. Tokyo-aesthetic, Roman-ingredient. Top of Italy's cocktail bar list for the past five years.
Order: Whatever's the seasonal Italian-spirit signature
02 · Rome
Centro Storico
$$$
Speakeasy · Email for password
You email for the password. Unmarked door near Campo de' Fiori. Old-school cocktail historians.
Order: A Sazerac, made the long way
03 · Rome
Centro Storico
$$
Speakeasy · Hidden
Hidden speakeasy near Campo de' Fiori. Reservations only. Quieter than Jerry Thomas; the technique is equally serious.
Order: Bartender's choice with Italian amaros
04 · Rome
Trastevere
$$
Aperitivo + late-night
In a former mechanic's garage. Aperitivo buffet with €10 cocktails — the tradition done well.
Order: A negroni + their aperitivo plates
05 · Rome
Centro Storico
$$
All-day · Cocktails
Coffee in the morning, cocktails by night. The most useful all-day cocktail room in central Rome.
Order: A negroni at any hour
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06 · Rome
Testaccio
$$
Cocktail bar + dinner
Testaccio cocktail bar with a dinner menu that takes itself seriously. Modern Italian drinks paired with Roman food.
Order: A Roman-spirit-led cocktail + cacio e pepe
07 · Rome
Esquilino
$$$
Hotel bar · Colosseum view
At the Palazzo Manfredi hotel. Direct view of the Colosseum from the bar window. One of Rome's most underrated hotel bars.
Order: A martini with the Colosseum visible
08 · Rome
Centro Storico
$$
Speakeasy · Through a deli
Through the back of a deli. Hidden speakeasy with a serious cocktail program. Reservation-friendly.
Order: A signature Italian-spirit cocktail
09 · Rome
Pigneto
$$
Speakeasy · Hidden
Hidden Pigneto speakeasy. Reservations only. Modern technique with Roman amaro depth.
Order: Bartender's choice with their reserve amari
10 · Rome
Trastevere
$$
Wine bar + cocktails
Trastevere hybrid wine and cocktail bar. Italian-only spirits and wines, casual atmosphere, knowledgeable owners.
Order: A glass of Lazio wine + an Italian-amaro cocktail
More Rome cocktail barsThe full Rome cocktail-bar index by neighbourhood.
See the full list
How Roman amaro shapes the cocktail scene
Italian amaros — the bitter herbal liqueurs Rome has always drunk — are the secret of the city's modern cocktail scene. Drink Kong builds menus around them; The Jerry Thomas Project respects them as classical ingredients. The 10 above represent the modern Roman cocktail vocabulary. Most peak between 11 PM and 1 AM; some run until 3 AM.
