El Club Del Patio: 4 Special Nights with Fine Cuisine and Soccer 
How to make a real Mexican Paloma cocktail 
To read this article in italian, click here.
The quintessential Milanese ritual, in tandem with the now well-established tradition of weekend brunches, seems intent on stretching time to put a brake on the city’s continuous (sometimes excessive) ferment. The aperitif is about relaxation and remedy, a cure for heavy work and study weeks and days. It offers everyone moments of pleasure, sharing, and chatter.
Milan, in this sense, offers a vast array of options where it’s easy to get lost: thus, there’s also a high chance of stumbling into places that don’t meet our expectations and turning our evening into a flop. So what to do and where to go?
The quality of the food and beverage offered is important and must not be lacking; if to this we add a suggestive location, the recipe for a perfect aperitif is served, and one can only return home smiling.
Hotels, which are not lacking in a cosmopolitan metropolis like this, not only offer this complete sensory and experiential package but also lend themselves well to being a meeting point between us and travelers from around the world, fostering the opportunity to broaden our knowledge.
Therefore, with these premises, we wanted to create a custom ranking for you, selecting all the places that have somewhat stolen our hearts. Among fairytale gardens, terraces, and design spaces, excellent buffets and gourmet snacks, very Italian cocktails and oriental twists, music, and relaxed atmospheres, here is our selection of the current place to be.
MANDARIN GARDEN | MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MILAN
Via Andegari, 9
A mix of contemporary music, good cuisine, exclusive cocktails, and a relaxed atmosphere. The Mandarin Garden is the heart of the Mandarin hotel: divided into three different environments (bar bistrot, internal lounge, and outdoor courtyard with sofas, tables, and soft lighting), it is the temple of superb after-dinner experiences, but above all, of aperitifs with an exotic taste. From 18:00 onwards, when the lights dim, the mixologists gear up and, armed with the necessary, show off at the counter to amaze guests with 11 exquisite drinks that will take you around the world, from London to New York via 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, Terrazza Gallia is one of the most elegant in the city, with a concept that winks at the Big Apple and foreign metropolises. From here, the view is on the majesty of the Central Station and the new architectures of the Porta Nuova area; so, take advantage of it for a quality aperitif – with a panorama on the skyline. The dishes and snacks by chefs Vincenzo and Antonio Lebano are a forge of flavors, drinks masterfully prepared, and the wine labels are very select.
SCOTT BAR | BIANCA MARIA PALACE HOTEL
Viale Bianca Maria, 4
Housed within the four-star Bianca Maria Palace, not far from the Fashion District and Piazza V Giornate, Scott Bar is an elegant destination for good drinking in Milan. Finding it is as difficult as it is easy to become loyal patrons 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 cheered by the live jazz notes offered every Thursday evening by the guys from the Milan conservatory. Scott Bar has an eclectic soul that is evident both in the indoor rooms and in the two outdoor dehors, true stages for the skills of the resident bartender Dado, a high-level mixology artist who excels between classic drinks and refined inventions, recalling his experience alongside the famous Filippo Sisti.
BAR BVLGARI | BVLGARI HOTEL MILANO
Via Privata Fratelli Gabba, 7/B
The Bar of the Hotel Bvlgari is nestled in a luxurious 18th-century villa and welcomes with its timeless charm both hotel guests and lovers of Milanese nightlife. What strikes, in addition to the excellent quality of the service and proposals, is the splendid, quiet garden: an oasis of green dotted with comfortable sofas that lends itself well as a set for a perfect break from everyday life, under the sign of good drinking and eating. From 18:30 you can experience the bartenders’ cocktails, which for their creations follow the course of the seasons, or opt for a glass of excellent wine; from the kitchen, appetizing snacks arrive at the table.
THE FOYER LOUNGE | FOUR SEASONS HOTEL MILANO
Via Gesù, 6/8
The retro lounge bar of the prestigious Four Seasons hotel, whose refinement also fills the air. Here, you can enjoy signature cocktails by Bar Manager Luca Angeli, among his specialties is the gin tonic: offered in interesting variants, personalized with vanilla cordial or smoked sage. What else? Excellent wines and Champagne, high-quality spirits, and pleasant alcohol-free options, all enlivened, at the aperitif time, by delicious gourmet snacks and a DJ in the background.
PRINCIPE BAR MILANO | HOTEL PRINCIPE DI SAVOIA
Piazza della Repubblica, 17
Principe Bar is first and foremost a declaration of style. The interiors were designed by Thierry Despont: once inside, the eye is captured by the scenic chandelier composed of 5,000 pieces that illuminates the room and counter. Precious labels of spirits, liqueurs, and bitters form the basis of the creative cocktails you might have the pleasure to taste, while for example nibbling on excellent tartines. Every Thursday, then, the situation gets more lively with the Italian Aperitivo: in the background, there will be classics from the ’70s-’80s-’90s music.
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 premises for a magical evening are already there. To all this, you must add a wide drink list, suitable for a heterogeneous clientele, – which for the aperitif can be accompanied by delicious snacks and tapas – and a spectacular sunset: the result is that you will not 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 named Radio Rooftop Bar: an energetic space with chic and glamorous environments 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 private event that deserves to be celebrated in an exclusive setting, but especially ideal for a happy hour with a view on the oldest roofs of the capital. Not surprisingly, due to its charm, it has often been chosen by numerous directors and filmmakers as a set for commercials and international film productions.
BULK BAR | HOTEL VIU MILAN
Via Aristotile Fioravanti, 4
Bulk Bar (related to the Morelli restaurant at the same address) is the product of Chef Giancarlo Morelli’s experience and insatiable desire to explore the universe of taste – which he has decidedly marked with his notable creativity this Mixology food bar: having an aperitif here is a continuous discovery of flavors and unusual combinations. The location does not hide an elaborate design and preserves a dynamic and youthful atmosphere that envelops you 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 and live music performances on scheduled days. Perfect for celebrating a special occasion under the stars of Milan, but also for a romantic date in an intimate and refined environment. A location to face the summer heat of the city center, relax, have fun, and enjoy some fresh air – from which, indeed, it takes inspiration for its name.
THE DOPING BAR | AETHOS MILAN
P.zza XXIV Maggio, 8
Crossing the threshold, one feels a bit in Old England and a bit in every corner of the world: lovers of Oscar Wilde and dandyism, indeed, to breathe a nice dose of vintage air can only make a stop at The Doping Bar – the cocktail bar of the Aethos Milan hotel. Soft lights, comfortable sofas, and then a battalion of vintage objects that, charged with value, transform into unique pieces of furniture, constitute the set for a happy hour from another time. The cocktails are the result of tireless research and experimentation (do not miss their reinterpretation of the Negroni with oak barrel-aged Mezcal), the food is only gourmet (try the pizzas, rumor has it they are the best in Milan!).
TERRAZZA DUOMO 21 | TOWN HOUSE DUOMO
Piazza Duomo, 21
Ideal after a shopping session with friends or for a post-work drink with colleagues, right in the heart of Milan’s Historic Center. The Terrazza Duomo 21, which has an 80-seat Lounge and a 40-seat terrace, is open all day and awaits you with its suggestive panorama: in front of you the majesty of the Duomo, which never tires of being admired. Among the venue’s flagship offerings in the city are Martinis, offered in different versions, supported by wines, beers, champagnes from all over the world, and well-matched to the selection of dishes from the kitchen.
CAFFÉ PARIGI | PALAZZO PARIGI
Corso di Porta Nuova, 1
Just steps from the Teatro alla Scala, the Fashion District, and the Brera district, there is a microcosm of enveloping light, precious works of art and ancient furnishings, marbles, and fine woods: Palazzo Parigi, which also boasts a centuries-old garden, is pure elegance. A characteristic that inevitably reflects and contaminates even the spaces of its lounge bar Caffé Parigi: a place where high cuisine and good drinking intersect. Sip the excellent wines coming directly from the property’s cellar, enjoy your cocktail mixed with the best spirits, and relax in the indoor room or in the green outdoors. The time spent here is only of quality.
STARHOTELS E.C.HO.
Viale Andrea Doria, 4
The green-chic oasis just steps from the Central Station celebrates the eco-friendly philosophy in all its nuances, from design furnishings to the tasty all day & night long proposal. To fully enjoy the good weather, the delightful dehors of the “Orto Green Food & Mood” Restaurant and Bar overlooking a quiet internal garden is the perfect location to sip a refreshing aperitif, with a view of a wonderful chapel with a Bramante-style portico, a true secret Milanese jewel.
