Milan Bars & Nightlife

In Navigli, Ugo is known for its aperitivo hour and gin-based cocktails, sipped while overlooking the ships sailing along the nearby canal from the outdoor seating. Inside, the speakeasy-style vibe is enhanced with quirky features like faux taxidermy, vintage oil paintings, and floral wallpaper.

Within the Bulgari Hotel’s scene-y garden, this is a pricey (but worth it) aperitivo spot for what is arguably the city’s best people-watching (this is the place to hang out during Milan fashion week and the Salone del Mobile furniture fair).

Fresh, all natural-ingredients are what Rita is known for, and it’s a safe bet you probably haven’t had anything like the cocktails served at this Navigli bar. Take the Willy Wonka, for instance, which uses house-made fruit jam (made with whatever’s in season), ginger, honey, lime juice, and a drop of bergamot oil. The bartender then tops it off with a peel of orange and dark chocolate shavings—the effect is a decadent, not-too-sweet cocktail that doubles as dessert.

The main reason to visit Ceresio 7 is the setting—the rooftop of an office building. From here, the entire city is spread out before you, and it’s ideal, of course, to try and make it for a sunset aperitivo. As you’d expect from brothers Dan and Dean Caten of fashion label DSquared (they opened the place), the look is sleek and polished, with velvet seating, an Art Deco bar, and lacquered tables.

Owner Mirko Stocchetto can be credited with inventing his own drink: the Negroni Sbagliato (Mistaken Negroni). It was created when Stocchetto accidentally added prosecco instead of gin to Campari and sweet vermouth, and this is definitely what you should order here. Served with a single, hand-carved cube of ice, it’s hard to stop at just one.