The Neapolitan new wave of drinks: here are 9 cocktail bars to try in the city

In Naples, when you say bar, you think of coffee. Yes, but are you really sure? The scene of the "other bar," the one dedicated to mixology, in the capital of Campania certainly started late not only compared to the rest of the world but also compared to other Italian cities such as Florence, Rome, and Milan. However, it is quickly gaining vitality and credibility, and beyond any stereotyping (which is always present when talking about Naples), it would be a real shame (as well as strange) if the city with the most energy in Italy did not offer locals, as well as the many visitors, the chance to enjoy a proper cocktail.

The Best Cocktail Bars in Naples

Alex Frezza of Antiquario

Antiquario, the trailblazer

The venue that paved the way for this Neapolitan new wave of drinks is undoubtedly Antiquario (via Vannella Gaetani, 2), which consistently ranks well in The World's 50 Best Bars (it held the 44th position in the last year). It is a place of rare pleasantness, combining international style classicism with an elegant local touch. The bar, located where there used to be an antique shop, not far from the "spritz" area of San Pasquale, is not exactly a speakeasy, but it certainly plays with a certain secrecy—no easily visible sign, but a door that both recalls and separates from the rest of the world. The décor is elegant, somewhat polished, reminiscent of a jazz bar from the 1920s (of the 20th century), with bartenders and waiters in white jackets and a dark and rarefied atmosphere. Initially, it doesn't feel like being in Naples, but over time, the genius loci emerges, thanks to the typically Neapolitan elegance of Alex Frezza, the owner and bar manager. Starting with the premise that classics make the difference in a great bar, focusing on Martini and Negroni ("but if someone asks for a Cosmopolitan, I must be able to make it," declares Frezza), he develops a signature menu dedicated to the city (Napoli Capitale), including the Cristo Velato, a "stir & strain" with Bourbon, vermouth, cherry liqueur, and absinthe.

At Anthill, the podium of pairing

In the photo, the cocktail menu-coupon of Anthill.

Antiquario has paved the way for other interesting bars. One of the latest additions to the list, but already thinking big, is Anthill (via Toledo, 177), part of the Luninist project by chef Giuseppe Iannotti at Gallerie d'Italie, which also includes the gastronomic restaurant 177Toledo, a bistro, and a coffee bar. Anthill is a lively and elegant place where the drinks prepared by the talented and effeminate Anna Garuti complement Iannotti's tapas, taking the concept of pairing to a perfectly accomplished level.

The cocktails are illustrated in the leaflet of a small medicine box delivered to customers, and it doesn't specify the spirit used, only the other ingredients. The customer is encouraged to choose a "mood," almost existential: meditative soft, floral electric, delicate herbaceous, rather than a rum, gin, or mezcal. The presentation has a certain inclination for spectacularization, cinematic, as seen in the KTM: La Bestemmia della Fata or the Formicaio. A rooftop garden serves as a place for meditation, enjoying the view, or simply having a cigarette.

The former discotheque: the over-the-top ambiance of Mela

Mela's interiors

For several months, the transformation of Mela (via dei Mille, 40) has been making waves—a historic disco that has seen generations of Neapolitans dance since the 1960s turned into an ambitiously ambitious cocktail bar. The DJ's former location is now dedicated to mixing cocktails. The atmosphere remains over-the-top: red sofas, columns that turn into bright palms, a pleasant nightlife atmosphere that is vaguely ambiguous. But the drink list is of high quality, and the most "erotic" and successful cocktail, the "Touch Me," based on tequila with red aperitif, lime, soda, passion fruit, and Sichuan pepper, has a garnish of a red flower that is bitten halfway through the drink, providing a small shock that makes the experience unforgettable. A gimmick that works.

La Fesseria and its '90s drinks

The preparation of a drink at La Fesseria.

La Fesseria decidedly belies its name, which is a place to be taken very seriously. It is located at number 17 via Paladino, behind the University, and is a tiny venue where people queue up to get a drink inspired by the myths of the 1990s, from the Tamagotchi (Roku Gin, sage syrup, and kumquat) to the Telenovelas (rum, pimento, drom, lime, and ambume), from F.R.I.E.N.D.S to Nevermind.

Other Addresses in Naples

Other reliable places include Flanagan's (via Carlo Poerio, 13) with its decidedly hipster style, which has recently added Flanagan's Room to the original venue in via Poerio, offering quality food as well; Archivio Storico in Vomero, decidedly classicist; Dopoteatro-Intrattenimenti e Miscele (via Bellini, 6), which not only offers high-quality cocktails in both classic and variations but also serves as an entertainment and show venue, always in an inclusive atmosphere; Cisterna (via Cisterna dell'Olio, 6a), a bistro that has always focused on mixed drinks; and Barril, a lounge bar in the heart of Chiaia, which since 2012 has been offering good cocktails, designed more for the aperitif and happy hour than for after-dinner, to be honest.