There are cocktails… and then there are iconic cocktails. Composed of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, the Negroni is a straightforward classic with Italian roots going back more than a century. Every September, bars and restaurants around the world raise a glass to this bittersweet sipper for Negroni Week — a fundraising tradition born in Portland.
Imbibe Magazine, a Portland publication covering all things “liquid culture,” started Negroni Week in 2013 in partnership with liqueur company Campari America. Today, thousands of venues around the world — from the Philippines to Brazil — participate in Negroni Week, helping raise money for Slow Food.
How to partake
Negroni Week 2024 starts Monday, Sept. 16, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 22. Supporting the cause (and tasting limited-run classic and creative Negronis) is as easy as ordering a drink from the 100+ participating Portland venues.
Need help narrowing down your options? Here are some spots we recommend:
Bullard Tavern, 813 SW Alder St. (inside Woodlark Hotel) | Feed two birds with one scone: Abigail Hall, also located within the Woodlark Hotel, has a Negroni special too.
The Houston Blacklight, 2100 SE Clinton St. | If you like Gado Gado and Oma’s Hideaway, then you’ll love this psychedelic watering hole from restaurant powerhouse duo Thomas and Maria Pisha-Duffly.
The Rambler, 4205 N. Mississippi Ave. | We’d like to see you try to walk past this spot on a Friday evening — something about it’s warm lights and ever-present collection of happy-looking patrons will pull you in.
Rum Club, 720 SE Sandy Blvd. | Don’t discount this intimate bar’s understanding of gin just because it chose a different liquor for its name — some of the city’s most knowledgeable bartenders work here.
Driftwood Room, 729 SW 15th Ave. (inside Hotel deLuxe) | We’d be willing to bet that the mixologists at this retro-glam bar can make classic cocktails like Negronis with both eyes closed.
