After a wild night out on the town, waking up with regret is almost inevitable. Syrupy umbrella drinks give way to pounding headaches. $20 minimums slash your back account. And the iPhone’s convenient Facebook photo app ensures that, if you’ve lost your dignity at any point, you know where to find it the next morning.
But this week and this week only, the weight of that hungover morning remorse can be cushioned by a good deed. Imbibe magazine has teamed up with Campari liqueur for the second annual Negroni Week–an international event where participating bars across the world donate funds to charity for every Negroni purchased. The Negroni, a classic Italian cocktail, is currently experiencing a revival with the gastro-pub and chichi cocktail craze.
New York City has nearly 100 bars participating in this year’s Negroni week, so we at The Observer have narrowed them down and recommended the City’s best charitable watering holes:
Butter & Scotch
The mad scientists over at Brooklyn’s Butter & Scotch have somehow managed to forge a Negroni Pie, a monstrous creation of boozy dessert.
Pouring Ribbons
“I’d like to see Negroni Week raise the awareness of a great cocktail and also maybe change peoples’ perceptions as to bars and bartenders,” said Pouring Ribbons bartender, Joaquín Simó. On top of Simó’s philanthropic philosophy, Pouring Ribbons offers customers a friendly cocktail guide, cataloging each beverage from comforting to adventurous.
The Gilroy
Boasting “an atmosphere of luxury” and “a spirit of delight,” this UES establishment serves up six different Negronis. Not a gin drinker? Switch it up for a tequila Negroni or one with whiskey.
Kingston Hall
On the second floor of this East Village bar, you can sophisticatedly sip your Negroni in peace as you peer out over any given weekend’s slew of drunken college kids.
Jacob’s Pickels
On the Upper West Side, Jacob’s Pickels serves up home-cooking comfort food, craft beer and artisanal (often pickle-based) cocktails. Enjoy a Negroni with a side of kosher dills.
The Winslow
As frequent hosts to NYC’s weekly Gin Club, the folks at The Winslow are no stranger to the liquor and its rich history. In fact, they are a Great Britain-inspired business and gin was popularized under William of Orange’s occupation of the jolly old. Surely, they know their way around a gin classic like the Negroni.
Eataly
As New York’s resident Italian grocery store and Disneyland for boutique dining, Eataly offers two establishments participating in this years Negroni Week. La Birreria and the Lavazza Gran Bar are serving up the donation libations. With a specialty in Italian drinking and dining, the Eataly staff has certified Negroni experience.
This year’s Negroni Week increased its participating establishments from 120 to over 1,100. In New York alone there are as many bars on board as last year’s total worldwide. So, if you happen to be hitting the town this week (saving money? Don’t kid yourself) you’ll most likely be able to order a Negroni for a good cause.
Cheers to charity!
[vimeo 88663240 w=500 h=281] <p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/88663240″>Imbibe and Campari Present: Negroni Week 2014</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/imbibe”>Imbibe</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
