Negronis are a polarizing drink. Either you love them, or you don’t. There is no middle ground. We (A.K.A. Ash & Nat) absolutely love these bitter little things and if you ever find us shoulder to shoulder at a bar, we’ll likely be sipping on one.
It is the most foolproof of foolproof cocktails to make: one part gin (as the base), one part vermouth (as the sweet element) and one part Campari (as the bitter finish). A jigger is essential in its preparation, and any deviance in the plan will render it out of whack.
That is, unless you’re specifically doing a riff on a Negroni, in which case, DO TELL, er, POUR US SOME MORE! In preparation for Negroni Week (Sept 12 - 18), Nat did the due diligence of dallying around Miami trying out a bunch of different spins. Ash is sort of on a cleanse and failing miserably at it.
Anyway, here are four riffs you should try this week, featuring crazy ingredients like strawberries, bananas, and a never-before-heard-of (at least by us) Mexican style of rum.
Jaguar Sun
The Negroni riff at Jaguar Sun is A Very Strong Baby. No, really, that’s the name. It’s made with a Mexican style of rum from Michoacan called charanda, strawberry Campari and pear eau de vie (a delicate fruit brandy).
“We really love the contrast between bitter, funky rum, and the fruit from the strawberry and pear eau de vie,” says the team at Jaguar Sun. “More fun is that the drink is named after a time one baby made fun of another baby sarcastically when the second baby was unable to open a present.”
🤔 We may need to ponder this statement over another one.
Danté’s Hi-Fi
Seeing as Negronis are slow-to-sip cocktails, we couldn’t name a better cocktail to sip on as the vinyl spins all night long. Dante’s makes a nice mezcal Negroni, wherein the Campari is infused with pineapple. But then, they’ve also got another Negroni on the menu that’s half gin and half mezcal, with a dash of spicy bitters to help get you sweatin’.
Broken Shaker
You, like every working professional in this city with access to Instagram, want an espresso martini. You also want a Negroni. This week only, you can sort of get both! In honor of Negroni Week, Broken Shaker has released their own version, featuring gin, Campari and vermouth, plus Mr. Black Coffee Amaro (which if you like making espresso-style cocktails at home, we highly recommend).
“Coffee cocktails are very popular now and I wanted to make something with coffee that was more bitter and not sweet,” says José Perez-Roura, Bar Manager of Broken Shaker Miami. “The Mr Black Coffee amaro is on the bitter side and pairs well with the other ingredients. Traditional Negroni drinks will enjoy this variation.”
Sweet Liberty
If we’re talking Negronis, this s*** is bananas at Sweet Liberty. First off, it’s made with Glenmorangie single malt scotch. We can vibe with that. But then, it’s got banana, Szechuan pepper, sesame oil and chocolate bitters in the mix! It’s both mind and tongue numbing, AND WE ARE HERE FOR IT. A cute little banana chip floats on top like an island that can’t commit to a coordinate.
Luca Osteria
While we didn’t get around to physically trying it, a lot of you recommended the Negroni at Luca Osteria, and it’s only fitting that a great negroni comes from a great Italian resto. Luca’s Cugino swaps gin for Basil Hayden and plays with two of Martini & Rossi’s higher quality elixers: the brand’s Bitter Aperitivo, a worthy replacement for Campari usually sold at a fraction of the price, and its Vermouth Rubino, a richer, fuller bodied vermouth.
Go on, get into to some trouble. Here are some upcoming events, openings and things Nat & Ash are excited about in the upcoming weeks.
It would be fitting that a place named Negroni would go all out this week. Negroni Midtown has $8 Negronis all day this week and they’ve got a whole lineup of riffs. Plus, if you’re a signora, you could get free negroni sours all night on Thursday.
We know we’re late on the trend, but have you guys tried Japanese Shaved Ice? Ash had it for the first time this weekend and though it melted quicker than she could blink, she’s now hooked on this Design District specialty.
You a foodie who likes to dance? Head to the Freehold this Friday for Sipsmith cocktails from 6pm to 7pm and a Hungry Post party all the night through.
IT’S CORN! PIZZA! Get it at your favorite square pie joint before this internet trend goes away.
Uchi is back at it again with their multi-course collabs, this time with our favorite way-out-west modern Cuban food destination. Aqui tienen los detalles.