Quick answer
Aperitivo is Milan’s early-evening drink with food, served roughly from 6pm to 9pm. You pay for the drink, usually €10 to €20 in the Navigli or Porta Venezia, and snacks or a small buffet come with it. Start at Camparino in Galleria, the bar that has served Campari since 1915, then try Bar Basso for the Negroni Sbagliato or the canal bars of the Navigli.
Bar hours, rankings and prices below were checked on 5 October 2026.
What aperitivo is
Aperitivo is the drink before dinner, taken with something to eat. Milan has a strong claim on it: Gaspare Campari opened his café in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in 1867, and his son Davide opened Camparino there in 1915. The Negroni Sbagliato was invented across town at Bar Basso in 1972.
How aperitivo works in Milan
- When: roughly 6pm to 9pm. Many Milanese go between 6pm and 8pm, about an hour before dinner.
- What you pay for: the drink. The food comes with it.
- What comes free: if the waiter brings chips and olives with your drink, they are included in the price. It is not a trick to charge you more, so don’t get angry with the waiter.
- What you get: it depends on the bar. Classic and cocktail bars bring a small plate of olives, crisps or bites to your table. Others put out a buffet of pasta salads, cured meats, cheese and focaccia. When the buffet is big enough to replace dinner, Italians call it apericena.
- Buffet etiquette: in buffet bars, a plate per drink is a common rule, and you should not leave food on the plate.
- Dress: smart casual is the norm.
At aperitivo, the drink usually comes with small plates of snacks.
Unless you choose an apericena, plan dinner afterwards. Many Milan restaurants start dinner service at 7:30pm, so a drink at 6:30pm leaves time to walk to your table.
How much aperitivo costs
| Type of venue | Price per person (2026) |
|---|---|
| Standard bars in the Navigli and Porta Venezia | €10-20 |
| Rooftops and premium venues | €20-30 |
| Award-listed cocktail bars, average cocktail | about US$13-23 |
| Aperitivo cruise on the Naviglio Grande, one drink and snacks | from €33 |
Rooftops cost more. In buffet bars the drink price covers the food.
What to order
- Campari Seltz. One part Campari to three parts soda water, served at Camparino’s stand-up bar since 1915.
- Campari Spritz or Aperol Spritz. Bitter, prosecco and soda. The default drink in most bars.
- Negroni Sbagliato. A Negroni with sparkling wine in place of gin. Order it at Bar Basso, where it was created.
- Americano. Campari, sweet vermouth and soda. Camparino tells the story that it began as a variation on the Milano-Torino, ordered by American visitors.
- Negroni. Campari, vermouth and gin, the stronger option.
A Negroni Sbagliato being poured over ice.
Bars also serve wine, beer and alcohol-free drinks if you would rather skip the bitter.
The best aperitivo bars in Milan by area
The bars below are on the 50 Best Discovery list, the award list that rates bars worldwide.
| Bar | Area | Known for | Average cocktail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camparino in Galleria | Duomo | Campari since 1915, No.18 in Europe 2026 | about $15 |
| Moebius Milano | Centrale | No.7 in the world 2025, No.6 in Europe 2026 | about $16 |
| Nottingham Forest | Porta Venezia | Experimental cocktails, Dario Comini | about $14 |
| Ceresio 7 | Porta Volta | Rooftop bar with two pools | about $23 |
| Rita | Navigli | Cocktails since 2002, No.49 in Europe 2026 | about $13 |
| Carico | Navigli | Weekly changing list | about $13 |
The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026 is announced in Milan on 7 October 2026, the first time the ceremony has been held in Italy, so the rankings above may change this week.
Duomo and the Galleria
Camparino in GalleriaMap, Piazza Duomo 21, at the entrance to the Galleria. The ground-floor Bar di Passo is a stand-up counter, open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 11pm, Saturday 10am to 11pm and Sunday 9:30am to 9pm. Upstairs, the Sala Spiritello opens from 6pm to midnight on weekday evenings and from noon at weekends (until 8pm on Sunday), and you can book it online. It is number 18 on Europe’s 50 Best Bars 2026.
The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, where Camparino has stood at the Duomo entrance since 1915.
Centrale
Moebius MilanoMap, Via Alfredo Cappellini 25, near Milano Centrale. A former textile warehouse with a cocktail bar of more than 300 bottles, a tapas bistro and Moebius Sperimentale, which holds one MICHELIN star. It was number 7 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and number 6 in Europe in 2026. The bistro opens at 6pm every day, and there is live jazz on Monday and Thursday evenings.
Porta Venezia
Bar BassoMap, Via Plinio 39. Bartender Mirko Stocchetto created the Negroni Sbagliato here in 1972. It comes in an oversized glass with one big ice cube, and walk-ins are welcome.
Nottingham ForestMap, Viale Piave 1. Dario Comini’s bar, formerly on The World’s 50 Best Bars list, known for clarified and fermented drinks. Open Tuesday to Sunday evenings.
Brera
N'Ombra de VinMap, Via San Marco 2, a wine bar in the former refectory of an order of Augustinian friars. Aperitivo here means a glass from a long wine list with cheese, cured meats and small plates.
Navigli and the Darsena
The canal district is the city’s busiest aperitivo area, and our Navigli guide covers the walk, the boats and dinner.
- RitaMap, Via Angelo Fumagalli 1. Open Monday to Saturday from 5:30pm to 2am, closed Sunday. Book a table online.
- CaricoMap, Via Savona 1. Open Wednesday to Monday.
- The Doping ClubMap, inside the Aethos Milan hotel on Piazza XXIV Maggio. Open daily, average cocktail about US$19.
For aperitivo on the water, the NavigaMI aperitivo cruise leaves from Alzaia Naviglio Grande 4 and includes one drink and snacks, from €33.
The Naviglio Grande in the evening, lined with bars and restaurants.
Rooftop: Ceresio 7
Ceresio 7Map, Via Ceresio 7, near Porta Volta. A rooftop American Bar next to two swimming pools, with views over the city. It is the priciest bar in this guide, at about US$23 per cocktail. On 5 and 6 October 2026 the bar opens late because of private events, so check the notice on its site before you go.
South: a buffet, and an early drink at Fondazione Prada
Fonderie MilanesiMap, Via Giovenale 7, near Bocconi University. A former foundry with a courtyard and a buffet at aperitivo time, the place in this guide for an apericena.
Bar LuceMap, inside Fondazione Prada at Largo Isarco 2, was designed by Wes Anderson. It closes at 8pm (8:30pm Friday to Sunday) and is closed on Tuesdays, so it suits an early drink after the museum.
Where the Milanese drink: neighborhood bars
The bars above are the famous ones. For an evening with locals, these are my picks, outside the award lists.
LacerbaMap, Via Orti 4 (Porta Romana). My cocktail bar pick. It is named after the Futurist magazine founded in 1913 and takes its look from the avant-garde of the early 1900s. The Bloody Mary comes in more than ten versions.
Bar PicchioMap, Via Melzo 11 (Porta Venezia). A plain tobacco bar open since 1969 and still run by the same family. It is one of the bars packed with people where Milanese actually go.
MOMMap, Viale Monte Nero 51 (Porta Romana). Another bar packed with locals, with cheap drinks and a large Negroni Sbagliato.
Cantine IsolaMap, Via Paolo Sarpi 30, on the edge of Chinatown. A wine shop and bar open since 1896, with bottles floor to ceiling, open every day from 10am to 10pm. You order a glass at the counter and drink it outside on the street with everyone else.
Cascina CuccagnaMap, Via Cuccagna 2/4 (M3 Lodi TIBB). A farmhouse from the late 1600s, now a community space with a bar-restaurant that opens from 8:30am on weekdays and 9am at weekends until after midnight. My tip: have a coffee in the old courtyard. There is free jazz on Tuesday evenings and a farmers’ market on Tuesday afternoons.
CasciNetMap, Via Cavriana 38 (M4 Repetti), in another old farmhouse near Parco Forlanini. It hosts dinners with music, theatre and films on Fridays and a lunch kitchen at weekends. Go in summer: they run lots of events, though they stop from mid July to mid September.
Listening bars
For an aperitivo with music, Milan now has listening bars: small bars where vinyl records play on a high-end sound system and the music matters as much as the drink. Bene BeneMap on Via Morgagni and OndaMap on Via Bonvesin de la Riva are in Porta Venezia, SolchiMap is in Isola and opens every evening at 6pm, and FuturaMap is by the Darsena from 5pm. The full list, with hours, is in our Milan nightlife guide.
Aperitivo tours
If you would rather have a guide, food and aperitivo tours in Milan on GetYourGuide combine a walk with tastings and a drink. Check how many drinks and stops are included before you book. The canal cruises with aperitivo are on our Navigli guide.
Where aperitivo fits in your day
Aperitivo is the natural end of a sightseeing day. Our one day in Milan itinerary finishes with aperitivo on the Navigli, and 2 days in Milan does the same on the second evening. For dinner afterwards, see the best restaurants in Milan and what to eat in Milan. If you are staying out after dinner, our Milan nightlife guide picks up where this one ends.
Frequently asked questions
What time is aperitivo in Milan?
Roughly 6pm to 9pm. Many Milanese go between 6pm and 8pm, about an hour before dinner.
How much does aperitivo cost in Milan?
In the usual areas, such as the Navigli and Porta Venezia, expect €10 to €20 per person. Rooftops and premium bars charge €20 to €30, and award-winning cocktail bars cost more than neighbourhood bars.
Is food included with aperitivo in Milan?
Usually, yes. You pay for the drink and it comes with snacks, from chips and olives to small plates, and they are not charged separately. Some bars put out a full buffet, which locals call apericena when it replaces dinner.
Where is the best aperitivo in Milan?
For history, Camparino in Galleria by the Duomo and Bar Basso, where the Negroni Sbagliato was invented. For cocktails, Moebius Milano, number 7 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2025, or Lacerba in Via Orti. For a neighborhood crowd, Bar Picchio in Porta Venezia, MOM in Viale Monte Nero or Cantine Isola in Via Paolo Sarpi.
What is a Negroni Sbagliato?
A Negroni made with sparkling wine in place of gin. Bartender Mirko Stocchetto created it at Bar Basso in 1972 when he reached for the wrong bottle.
What should I order at aperitivo in Milan?
A Campari Seltz or Campari Spritz at Camparino, a Negroni Sbagliato at Bar Basso, or an Aperol or Campari spritz anywhere. Bars also serve wine, beer and alcohol-free drinks.
Do I need to book for aperitivo in Milan?
Not at most bars. Bar Basso takes walk-ins, while Camparino, Rita and Moebius take bookings online, which helps on Friday and Saturday evenings.