The best Hotel aperitifs in Milan

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Milanese rituals, along with the now established trend of weekend brunches, seem well-intentioned to slow down the continuous (and sometimes over-the-top) frenzy of the city. The aperitif is a relaxation remedy and a cure for the long work weeks, office days, and exams. It gives you a moment of fun, socializing, and chatting.

Milan offers a plethora of experiences where it’s almost hard to keep track of everything, with the unfortunate chance of finding a place that turns out to be a flop. What do you do and where do you to go?

With quality food and drinks and a beautiful location, the recipe for the perfect aperitif is complete, and you can return home afterward with a smile.

Hotels, which crowd the streets of Milan, not only offer this complete aperitif experience but act as a meeting point for travelers around the world to broaden their inner circles.

Therefore, we wanted to create a ranking for you that lists the places that have stolen our hearts. Among enchanting gardens, terraces, and designer spaces, excellent buffets and gourmet appetizers, Italian cocktails and exotic twists, music and relaxed atmospheres, here is our selection of the places to be in Milan.

MANDARIN GARDEN| MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MILAN

Via Andegari, 9 

A mix of modern music, good food, exclusive cocktails, and a relaxed atmosphere, the Mandarin Gardenis the heart of the Mandarin Hotel. Divided into three rooms (bar-bistro, indoor lounge, and outdoor courtyard with sofas, tables, and soft lighting), this is the perfect after-dinner spot, especially for aperitifs. From 18:00 onwards, when the lights go down, the mixologists are locked and loaded at the bar to amaze guests with with 11 refined drinks that will take you for a trip around the world, from London to New York passing through Calcutta, Suez and Bombay, obviously in first class. 

TERRAZZA GALLIA | EXCELSIOR HOTEL GALLIA

Piazza Duca D’Aosta, 9

Located on the seventh floor of the Excelsior Hotel Gallia, the Gallia Terrace is one of the most elegant in the city and reminds its guests of the Big Apple. Here, you can relish in a perfect view of the majesty of Centrale Station and the new architecture in the Porta Nuova area during a quality aperitif. The dishes and appetizers by chefs Vincenzo and Antonio Lebano are a forge of flavors, along with masterfully prepared drinks and wine labels.

STARHOTELS E.C.HO.

Viale Andrea Doria, 4

The green-chic oasis a few steps from the Central Station celebrates the eco-friendly philosophy in all its shades, from designer furniture to the delicious proposal all day & night long. To fully enjoy the summer, the delicious dehors of the Restaurant and Bar “Orto Green Food & Mood” overlooking a quiet internal garden is the perfect location to sip a refreshing aperitif, overlooking a wonderful chapel with a porch in Bramante style, a real secret jewel in Milan.

BAR BVLGARI | BVLGARI HOTEL MILANO

Via Privata Fratelli Gabba, 7/B

Hotel Bvlgari’s Bar welcomes guests and lovers of Milanese nightlife to a luxurious and timelessly charming 18th-century villa. What is striking about this locale, in addition to the excellent service, is the beautiful, quiet garden. This green oasis dotted with comfortable sofas is the perfect setting for a much-needed break from everyday life, accompanied by a delicious menu. From 6:30 pm on, you can enjoy seasonal cocktails from the barmen, opt for a glass of excellent wine, or let the kitchen deliver some mouth-watering appetizers straight to your table.

IL FOYER | FOUR SEASONS HOTEL MILANO

Via Gesù, 6/8  

This retro lounge bar at the prestigious Four Season Hotel is refinement at its finest. You can enjoy cocktails by Luca Angeli, whose signature drink is the gin and tonic, available in many variations among which some are mixed with Vanilla Cordial or Smoked Sage. What else? Excellent wines and Champagne, high quality spirits and pleasant alcohol free proposals, all enlivened, at the time of the aperitif, by delicious gourmet appetizers and contemporary music in the background.

RADIO ROOFTOP BAR | ME Milan il Duca

Piazza della Repubblica, 13

The right group of friends, a breathtaking view and deep-house music in the background: the prerequisites for a magical evening are already there. To all this, you have to add a wide drink list, suitable for a heterogeneous clientele – which for the aperitif can be accompanied by tasty snacks and tapas – and a spectacular sunset: the result is that you will never want to leave. This is what usually happens on the tenth floor of the ME Milan il Duca hotel, where there is a unique place called Radio Rooftop Bar: an energetic space with chic and glamorous ambiences and an international soul.

ROOFTOP BAR | HOTEL DEI CAVALIERI

Piazza Missori, 1

The Terrace of the Hotel dei Cavalieri, overlooking the Baroque Church of Sant’Alessandro, offers a unique perspective on the city. Perfect also for organizing a lively event that deserves to be celebrated in an exclusive setting, but above all ideal for a happy hour with a view of the oldest roofs of the capital. It is no coincidence that, because of its charm, it has often been chosen by many directors and film makers as a set for advertising and international film productions.

BULK BAR | HOTEL VIU MILAN

Via Aristotile Fioravanti, 4

Bulk Bar (related to Morelli restaurant at the same civic) is the product of the experience and insatiable desire of Chef Giancarlo Morelli to explore the universe of taste – which has definitely branded this Mixology food bar with its famous creativity: making an aperitif here is a continuous discovery of unusual flavors and combinations. The location does not hide an elaborate design and preserves a dynamic and youthful atmosphere from which you are enveloped at all hours.

TERRAZZA ARIA | SINA THE GRAY

Via San Raffaele, 6

Terrazza Aria is the open-air lounge of the boutique design hotel Sina The Gray, the realm of lively aperitifs, which are also marked by live DJ sets on scheduled days. It is perfect to celebrate a special occasion under the stars of La Meneghina, but also for a roantic date in an intimate and refined environment. The ideal location to face the summer heat of the city centre, relax, have fun and enjoy a bit of fresh air – from which, in fact, the name takes its inspiration

THE DOPING BAR | AETHOS MILAN

P.zza XXIV Maggio, 8

Once you’ve crossed the threshold, you feel a bit like in Old England and a bit like in every corner of the world: lovers of Oscar Wilde and dandyism, in fact, to breathe a good dose of vintage air can only visit The Doping Club – the cocktail bar of the hotel The Yard Milano. Soft lights, comfortable sofas, and then a battalion of vintage objects that, loaded with value, are transformed into unique pieces of furniture, are the set for a happy hour of yesteryear. The cocktails are as experimental and original as the location (mark the Cute But Psycho, for example), the only gourmet food (taste the pizzas!).

TERRAZZA DUOMO 21 | TOWN HOUSE DUOMO

Piazza Duomo, 21

Ideal after a shopping session with friends or for a drink after work with colleagues, in the heart of the historic center of Milan. Terrazza Duomo 21, which has a lounge with 80 seats and a terrace with 40 seats, is open all day and awaits you with its picturesque view: in front of you the majesty of the Duomo, which you never get tired of looking at. Among the flagships of the super club in vogue in the city are the Martini, in different versions, which are backed by wines, beers, champagne from around the world and that go well with the selection of dishes of the kitchen.

CAFFé PARIGI | PALAZZO PARIGI

Corso di Porta Nuova, 1

A few steps from the Teatro alla Scala, from the Quadrilatero della Moda, from the Brera district there is a microcosm of enveloping light, precious works of art and antique furnishings, marbles and precious woods: Palazzo Parigi, which also boasts a centuries-old garden, is pure elegance. A characteristic that inevitably reflects and contaminates the spaces of its lounge bar Caffé Parigi: a place where haute cuisine and good drink intersect. Sip the excellent wines coming directly from the cellar of the structure, enjoy your cocktail mixed with the best spirits and relax in the indoor room or in the green outside. The time spent here is only of quality.

PRINCIPE BAR MILANO | HOTEL PRINCIPE DI SAVOIA

Piazza della Repubblica, 17

Prince Bar’s statement of style is first and foremost a statement of style. The interior was designed by Thierry Despont: once inside, the eye is captivated by the spectacular 5,000 piece chandelier that illuminates the room and counter. Fine labels of spirits, liqueurs and bitters are the basis for the creative cocktails that you might like to taste, while teasing, for example, the excellent canapés. Every Thursday, then, the situation becomes more lively with the Italian Aperitif: in the background there will be the classics of music ’70s – ’80s – ’90s.

SCOTT BAR | BIANCA MARIA PALACE HOTEL

Viale Bianca Maria, 4

Not far from the Quadrilatero and Piazza V Giornate, Scott Bar is the fine drinking destination of 4-star Bianca Maria Palace Hotel. Finding the lounge is as difficult as it is easy to become loyal customers once discovered; this refined cocktail bar with a tropical atmosphere has the charm of a fun and modern location, where you can spend pleasant evenings enlivened by the live jazz notes offered every Thursday evening by the students of Milan’s conservatory. Scott Bar has an eclectic soul that can be read both in the indoor rooms and in the two outdoor terraces, real stages for the skills of resident bartender Dado, a professional of mixology who juggles between classic drinks and refined inventions mindful of his experience alongside the famous Filippo Sisti.