Three ingredients in equal measure, bitter, sweet and strong: the Negroni is one of the world's great aperitifs, and it's on the bar list at Nonòs Judd Street, our Greek Mediterranean kitchen and bar at 112 Judd Street, London WC1H 9NT, five minutes' walk from King's Cross St Pancras. Here's what goes into it, the arguments about where it came from, and how to enjoy one with meze.
Equal parts, built over ice
A Negroni is made with equal parts gin, vermouth rosso (red, semi-sweet vermouth) and Campari, the Italian bitter liqueur. The International Bartenders Association recipe builds it over ice in a rocks glass and garnishes it with a slice of orange, and many bars outside Italy use a twist of orange or lemon peel instead. It's served before a meal, as an aperitif, to wake up the appetite.
A count in Florence, or a bar in Paris?
The story most often told is that the drink was first mixed in 1919 at Caffè Casoni in Florence, on Via de' Tornabuoni, by the bartender Fosco Scarselli for a customer called Count Camillo Negroni. He supposedly asked for his Americano, the long drink of Campari, vermouth and soda, to be made stronger with gin instead of soda, and the bartender swapped the usual lemon garnish for orange to mark the difference. The cocktail historian David Wondrich found that Camillo's title of count is questionable, although his grandfather really was one.
The written record tells a slightly different story. Equal-parts mixes of gin, Campari and Italian vermouth appear in French cocktail books from 1927 to 1930, including one from 1929 that calls it "Campari Mixte". The name "Negroni" first appears in print for a cocktail in an Italian book from 1947, and by the mid-1950s the equal-parts, served-over-ice version we know today had settled in. Orson Welles, writing from Rome in 1947, described the new drink neatly: "The bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other." Background from Wikipedia's Negroni page.
Cousins and variations
Swap the gin for bourbon and you're close to a Boulevardier. Use prosecco instead of gin and you have a Negroni sbagliato, the "mistaken Negroni". Neither is on our menu, but if you like a lighter, sparkling bitter-sweet drink, our Aperol Spritz (Aperol, prosecco and soda water) is in the same family. There's even a London chapter: a Negroni with a dash of fresh orange juice was named the Negroni malato, the "sick Negroni", at a bar in the City during the 2008 financial crisis.
Our Negroni
On our drinks and bar menu, the Negroni is gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, the classic three. It sits on our list of classic cocktails alongside the Old Fashioned, the Dry Martini with gin or vodka, dry vermouth and orange bitters, and the Bramble. If you prefer something sweeter or fruitier, try the Mai Tai or the Pornstar Martini; see our posts on the Mai Tai and the Espresso Martini.
Tom came for lunch and enjoyed Delicious greek wine and a couple of cocktails plus fantastic service.
(Tom L., Google review) And Emma gave a shout out to our server and master cocktail maker, Bek, for his amazing service
(Emma H., Google review).
A Negroni with meze
The Negroni's bitterness loves salty, savoury food. From our à la carte menu, try Greek Olives marinated in herbs and extra virgin olive oil, Tyrokafteri, the spicy feta and red pepper dip, the Baked Feta Cheese Pastry with honey and sesame, or Loukaniko Karditsas, our chargrilled Greek pork sausage. Our posts on cocktails and aperitivo hour and Greek dips have more ideas. Not drinking? Our alcohol-free list includes the Lady in Red and a Virgin Mojito.
“Aron and Jan were the best! Immaculate food and even better vibes.”
Alyssa, Google review, October 2026
Good to know
- Address: 112 Judd Street, King's Cross, London WC1H 9NT. Phone 020 7278 9700.
- Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 08:30–22:00, Thursday to Saturday 08:30–23:00. The à la carte menu starts at noon.
- Allergies: please speak to our team about allergies and dietary requirements. Menus may vary slightly by location and season.
Judd Street is open until 23:00 Thursday to Saturday. Book a table at Nonòs Judd Street or just walk in. Please drink responsibly.