Sometimes you just need a cocktail

Living in the Langhe can sometimes make you all wined out. And trust me after a long day of tasting wine sometimes you need a drink.

Here are some of my favorite cocktail bars and what to drink.

Manhattan:

Coming from the homeland of the perfect Manhattan, I find a lot of Italian bars just don’t know how to do it right. Could be the resources I mean here we don’t get a choice of 50 different small batch Bourbons and if you ask for a Rye Whiskey be prepared for a funny look.

Cocktail and Dreams: Castagnole delle Lanze (AT) - Via Roma 9

Tel: +39 338/7485745

The owner of this bar won an international cocktail competition and can shake up some wonderful things other than just a Manhatten.

Moscow Mule:

In summertime this drink is my all time favorite, it’s cold refreshing and uplifting. When I first arrived to Piemonte 5 years ago no one had heard of it, and let me tell you it was very difficult time for me. I mean, I had to drive over an hour to find ginger beer. Today there are a few key places that make this libation and the results are how I remember them back home.

Aromatario: Neive (CN) - Piazza Negro 4

Tel: +39 0173/677206

The bartender here worked for a hot minute some of the top bar/restaurants in London and has brought back to Italy a few tricks.

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Negroni:

This Italian classic is not always easy to find. A well balanced one that is.

The bar that I am going to talk about is my hands down favorite bar in this area. They are located in Santo Stefano Belbo and really you cannot go wrong with what you order, from the beer to the wine to the cocktails. Everything they have on their list is just wonderful and the brothers who own it are a riot!

 Bar Roma: Santo Stefano Belbo (CN) - Via Roma 16

Tel: +39 0141/844252

                        p.s. ask them about their Moscow Mule it’s also fantastic

Gin Tonic:

The English love Italian wine and the Italians love English Gin. The Italians love Gin period. Many of them today are making it a passion to collect as many different Gins they can find. Sometimes they even ask their friends to bring some bottles back for them from their travels.

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Degusto: Neive (CN) - Via Cocito 7

Tel: +39 0173/67380

Really if you come to Neive you don’t have to leave there is plenty of wonderful things to do here.

Soda: Alba (CN) - Corso Italia 6

Tel: 346/5938838

This is a vegetarian restaurant where the owner worked and lived for a few years in Santa Monica California and has taken his knowledge of interesting foods and passion for Gin here to the Langhe.

Wine Stories: Again in Castagnole delle Lanze (AT) - Via Ener Bettica 2

Tel: +39 0141/1766381

The owner of this restaurant is half Italian from Castagnole Lanze and half English. He grew up in London and has worked at some of the top restaurants in the city. This quaint little place has a wonderful patio where you can sit and enjoy your beverage.