Negroni fans, this is the week you’ve been waiting for! Imbibe Magazine is designating May 27 to June 3 as Negroni Week, encouraging bars across the country to serve the classic Italian cocktail or a variation, and donate $1 from each one sold to a local charity of their choice.
The California fundraising effort is being spearheaded by Trevor Easter, English Gins West Coast Brand Ambassador. Easter teamed up with H. Joseph Ehrmann (Elixir), Jonny Raglin (Comstock Saloon), and Partida Tequila Brand Ambassador, Jacques Bezuidenhout, to set up Negroni Week in San Francisco. From Monday, May 27, to Sunday, June 2, a different SF bar will feature the Negroni or a variation, with $1 of each cocktail sold going to Oklahoma Tornado Relief.
Over the weekend, Easter emailed several Los Angeles bartenders to gauge interest from SoCal bars. The list of LA bars participating in Negroni Week quickly grew as more bartenders were copied on the thread. Easter is behind the stick in the back bar at Eveleigh on Monday, May 27, from 7pm-11pm. For Negroni Week, Easter is featuring the Salted Beefeater Negroni, with proceeds going to Oklahoma Tornado Relief. Easter’s guest night kicks off the all-SF Round 10 of Eveleigh’s superb Guest Bartender Series.
At Son of a Gun, General Manager Daniel Warrilow is featuring the Spiked Summer Sbagliato: Aviation Gin, peach-infused Floc de Gascogne, Suze and Prosecco. Warrilow is donating proceeds to the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
The Spare Room‘s Beverage Director, Naomi Schimek, is featuring the Maritime Negroni, made with Beefeater, Campari and sweet vermouth. It’s served on the rocks with sea salt flakes and a mist of Islay Scotch. For every Maritime Negroni sold during the week, The Spare Room is donating $1 to Baby2Baby.
Negroni di Nero: Letherbee Gin, Cocchi Barolo Chinato, Bitter Truth EXR, orange oil expression. | Photo courtesy of Dino Balocchi
Littlefork Bar Manager Dino Balocchi is featuring the Negroni di Nero the entire week for $10, with proceeds from each cocktail going to Share Our Strength.
Negroni Sour at Goldie’s: Aviation Gin, Campari, rhubarb, lemon and soda. | Photo courtesy of Brittini Rae Peterson
Photo courtesy of Jason Schiffer
Guests at 320 Main can order a Negroni and variations like the Negroni’s Loss, Red Bellied Sapsucker, Boulevardier and Left Hand. Owner Jason Schiffer said that $3 from the sale of each $10 cocktail will go to one of their favorite charities, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund.
Our friends in San Diego can celebrate Negroni Week at Polite Provisions, the Spirited Awards-nominated bar opened by Erick Castro earlier this year. Castro, a Spirited Awards nominee for American Bartender of the Year, was Easter’s predecessor as English Gins ambassador.
Following is a list of Los Angeles bars participating in Negroni Week, including their designated charities. These bars will be featuring a Negroni or a variation all week, unless otherwise noted.
- 320 Main: Negroni and variations for Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
- Cole’s Red Car Bar: Southern Negroni for Oklahoma Tornado Relief (Saturday, June 1, 11am-2am)
- El Cid: Valencia Marmalade Negroni for Oklahoma Tornado Relief & LA Rock Camp for Girls (May 28 – June 3)
- Eveleigh: Salted Beefeater Negroni for Oklahoma Tornado Relief (Monday, May 27, 7pm-11pm)
- Goldie’s: Negroni Sour for Oklahoma Tornado Relief
- Harvard & Stone: Negroni for LA Food Bank
- Hemingways Lounge: Negroni for KIPP LA Charter Schools (Friday, May 31)
- Hostaria del Piccolo: Negroni for Breathe California of Los Angeles County
- Littlefork: Negroni di Nero for Share Our Strength
- Son of a Gun: Spiked Summer Sbagliato for Alex’s Lemonade Stand
- The Corner Door: Negroni for Oklahoma Tornado Relief
- The Spare Room: Maritime Negroni for Baby2Baby
“Erick Castroni” by Dave Stolte, courtesy of the artist.
