Venice Cocktail Week 2026 wins for its direction, set design, and characters, and goes far beyond the bar and the glass
Now in its fifth edition, Venice Cocktail Week —conceived by Paola Mencarelli and sponsored by the City of Venice, in collaboration with Venezia Unica and with the support of Vela —has brought a breath of modernity and poetry to the Lagoon, extending beyond the bar.
Venice Cocktail Week proves that in Venice, even a cocktail can serve as a gateway to the city—to its most charming spots, to the stories of those working behind the bar, and to unexpected encounters between different worlds.
From October 21 to 25, mixology, gastronomy, and culture, hospitality, and conviviality came together.
Five days of an intriguing and jam-packed program to explore the mixology of the Serenissima through its bars, featuring local and international stars across bars, narrow streets, and palaces.
The Mayor of Venice, Simone Venturini, spoke about transforming events into opportunities for learning, networking, and revitalizing the urban and social fabric.
Paola Mencarelli, the chic and rock-and-roll Sienese, seizes the opportunity presented by this glamorous festival to educate the public about responsible drinking, while also recognizing brands and their commitment to quality.
Drinking at Cocktail Week is an opportunity to explore, through taste, a creation made of excellence, but also to gain access to a world of people, places, and traditions.
The central theme was the dialogue between the tradition of the Lagoon’s bars and new inspirations, between the arts and flavors. And there was an unprecedented level of involvement from industry professionals and enthusiasts.
Even the luxury hotels showcased their savoir-faire, charm, and ability to welcome a curious audience that loves the good life, fine drinks, and conviviality.
- Venice Cocktail Week 2026: Cross-Pollination with Other Worlds
Venice Cocktail Week 2026 managed to go beyond a format tied to the world of drinks, delving into artistic contexts and nuances. Paola Mencarelli:
For this edition, we have strengthened our collaboration with other fields, creating a dialogue between cocktail culture and other forms of expression, such assuch as art, craftsmanship, and dance.”
At the Orient Express Venice, for example, prior to the tasting of the exclusive Cocktail List, “CAFÉ JOSÉPHINE. Paris – New York – Venice. The Cosmopolitan Dream,” a contemporary dance performance that evokes the magic and electrifying energy of the café-chantants.
Rivoire, on the other hand, organized two events that celebrated creativity, technique, and innovation: painting and mixology, with Bonollo 1908; and ceramics and mixology, with Frantoio di Sant’Agata d’Oneglia;
- Venice Cocktail Week 2026, the drink list
The resident bartenders at each venue proposed three drinks that captured the identity of each establishment and showcased various contemporary mixology styles.
A signature cocktail of their own creation, representative of the bar;
A “Mezzogiorno Aperitif,” low-alcohol or non-alcoholic, inspired by Venetian tradition and best enjoyed with a cicchetto;
Classic Cocktails: timeless drinks that remain relevant and contemporary.
Even the iconic bars of St. Mark’s Square have weighed in
At Bar Florian https://caffeflorian.comlhe midday aperitif was the “Bloody Sunday” with Bes Gin, pink grapefruit, and tomato juice. Meanwhile, the Signature cocktail featured Nonino Cru Monovitigno grappa, Fragolino, the Nonino Botanical Drink aperitif, Yerbito, and Spray Lime
The Classic Cocktail was an “Amber Dream” made with Oppure, Baldoria Dry Red Vermouth, and Bitter dei Sospiri
At Gran Caffè Quadri https://alajmo.it/pages/homepage-grancaffe-quadri, Resident Alvise Serramondi prepared
J SIGNATURE BLOODY MARY
Altamura Distilleries Vodka, Alajmo Fresh Datterino Tomato Juice, Spices
ACQUA ALTA-MURA
Altamura Distilleries Vodka, Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth, Los Siete Misterios Mezcal
Meanwhile, guest bartender Ambrogio Ferraro (Bar Is The Name. Busto Arsizio) presented two signature PANDAN NEGROSKY drinks
—Altamura Distilleries Vodka, Bitter and Vermouth Mix, Pandan Liqueur, and
—POMEGRANATE TONIC—Altamura Distilleries Vodka
—Pomegranate and Tabacchiera Peach Tonic, Balsamic Vinegar
- Venice Cocktail Week 2026: Oil and Vinegar in Drinks
Among the event’s key participants and partners, Frantoio S. Agata Oneglia https://www.frantoiosantagata.com/protagonistacertainly deserves attention for its versatility across various events and pairings.
The brunch organized by Aman Venice was particularly chic, featuring olive oil and olives incorporated into both the drinks and the dishes.
The Signature Cocktail “Grace” features: Ballor Gin fat-washed in Taggiasco extra virgin olive oil from the Sant’Agata d’Oneglia oil mill, Santoni L’Aperitivo, Prunella Mandorlata, raspberry cordial, and homemade oolong tea.
The oil and its olives were also used in the local leavened bread, a sweet citrus focaccia served with olive oil ice cream. (Below, from Aman)
Giusti Balsamic Vinegar, on the other hand, took center stage at the bar at Ca Giustinian and was used in Peppe Doria’s “Negroni Giusto” (Volare Bologna), combined with Quattro Gatti gin, bitters, and vermouth.
- Venice Cocktail Week 2026: Discovering …Venice
Guided tours and unexpected visits, such as the one to the Pieces of Venice Gallery on the island of San Servolo, featuring an aperitif curated by Art&Food Group
The island of Sant’Erasmo, the true agricultural heart of the lagoon, served as the backdrop for a journey through vegetable gardens and landscapes, enriched by stories about the plants and essences from which the brand’s botanical ingredients are derived.
- Venice Cocktail Week 26 and the Guide to alcohol-freeMade in Italy.
The guide *100 Non-Alcoholic Experiences to Enjoy in Italy: Dolce Vita 0.0* (Colors of Riyadh) was presented at the Hotel Ca’ di Dio .
This bilingual book (Italian and Arabic), edited by journalists Federico S. Bellanca, Antonio Galdi, and Giacomo Iacobellis, was created to celebrate the culture of the Italian non-alcoholic aperitif, while maintaining a close and engaged focus on trends in the Middle East.
- Venice Cocktail Week 2026: Tasting Masterclasses and Signature Dinners
The festival also featured a number of masterclasses, including “Martini Fitting,” an interactive masterclass featuring No. 3 London Dry Gin at The St. Regis Venice, and “Unconventional Tea,” featuring Ballor by Bonollo 1908, which explored the intersection of the worlds of tea and mixology.
Or the Toscano Cigar Tasting with Stefano Fanticelli of the Club Amici del Toscano, held at the NH Collection Venezia Grand Hotel Palazzo dei Dogi, in collaboration with Velier, and at the Hotel Gabrielli Venezia – Starhotels Collezione.
The collaboration between bars, kitchens, and pastry shops took shape through “Dining with the Spirits” and “Pastry with the Spirits,” initiatives that invited Venetian chefs and pastry chefs to use spirits as ingredients in their creations, which were featured on menus or served during special events.
And there was no shortage of signature dinners and collaborative meals featuring chefs and special guests.
Among the events, Ballor 1908 teamed up with chefs Ruslan Khuda and Antonio Lusso of Il Piccolo and Il Violino d’Oro for a dining pairing experience;
at Algiubagiò, Daniele Zennaro hosted Genoese chef Maurizio Pinto, alongside Frantoio di Sant’Agata d’Oneglia;
at Al Covino, Claudio De Lauzieres ’ cuisine was paired with Emanuele Primavera’s drinks featuring Nazionale Spirito Italiano by Ferro Beverage&co.
The highlight of the event was a special evening at Glam in Palazzo Venart, featuring an entirely non-alcoholic experience in which Chef Donato Ascani’s cuisine complemented the juice pairings by Giulia Caffiero of Geranium in Copenhagen.
- Venice Cocktail Week 26 : Bartenders and the Art of Hospitality.
Mauro Suman of Il Piccolo Bar, Violino d’Oro; Rachele Riccio of Herbarium, NH Collection Venezia Grand Hotel Palazzo dei Dogi, featuring Bonollo 1908 / Polot 1882; Fabiano Milan, Vincenzo Della Puppa, and Marco Gattolin of Il Porto Lounge Bar, Palazzo Veneziano, with Ballor by Bonollo 1908 / Fusetti Bitter by Molinari; Gennaro Florio of The “G” Lounge & Garden Bar, Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace, featuring Bonollo 1908 / Presobene London Dry Gin / Baldoria Vermouth + Yurt Vodka / Yerbito; Rey Soriano & Giuseppe Tringali, Tarnowska’s American Bar, featuring Bes Gin by Craft’N’co.; Andrea Guerrato at the Venixino Lounge & Garden, Donà Palace, featuring “Sospiri Botaniche Veneziane” by Craft’N’co.; Francesco Adragna, Simone De Bernardin, and Andrea Sciolti, Wagon Bar, Orient Express Venice, featuring Baldoria Vermouth + Fusetti Bitter by Molinari + Yerbito + Yurt Vodka / Sospiri Botaniche Veneziane by Craft’N’co; Diego Filippone and Samuele Scomparin by K Lounge Bar/Terrazza Gabrielli, Hotel Gabrielli Venice – Starhotels Collezione, featuring Arigatè by Ferro Beverage&co + No.3 London Dry Gin / Prince Explorer Gin by Ferro Beverage&co; Alice Bozzoni del Rétro, featuring Nazionale Spirito Italiano by Ferro Beverag&Co.; Andrea Brunello by Orientalbar & Bistrot, Hotel Metropole, featuring Bonollo 1908 / Or; Alvise Serramondi Grancaffé Quadri with Fusetti Bitter by Molinari; Marco Rubegni by Bar Biblioteca, Nolinski Venice, with Yerbito; Marco Vecchiato from Alchemia Bar, Ca’ di Dio, featuring Baldoria Vermouth + Yurt Vodka.
- Venice Cocktail 2026 Guest Shift
The Italian scene was represented, among others, by Ambrogio Ferraro of Bar is the Name in Busto Arsizio, Varese, featuring Altamura Distilleries Vodka; Antonio Virili ofIl Salotto at Aman Rosa Alpina in San Cassiano, Bolzano, featuring Altamura Distilleries Vodka; Niccolò Ribuffo & Pierpaolo Galassi of Sentaku Izakaya, Bologna, with Altamura Distilleries Vodka + Polot 1882; Gabriele De Angelis & Kevin Marin of Il Bar della Musa, Rome, with Altamura Distilleries Vodka + Polot 1882; Niccolò Amadori, Alto Rooftop, Cervia, Rimini, and Nicolò Rossi, Barrier, Bergamo, with Polot 1882; Matteo Fatica & Matteo Brugnone, Orient Express La Minerva, Rome, with Polot 1882; Matteo Bianconi & Riccardo Hornbostel, Velvet Verona, with Polot 1882 + Yurt Vodka; Peppe Doria of Bar Volare, Bologna, with Quattro Gatti Gin; Mattia Capezzuoli of Stravinskij Bar, Rome, with Michter’s by Velier; Mathias Sarli, Yapa, Milan, with Neit by Velier; Gabriele Contatore of CO.MO Bar & Bistrot, Mandarin Oriental Lake Como, with Silent Pool by Velier; Niccolò Moro, Quei Turbo Ragazzi, Treviso, with Sospiri Botaniche Veneziane by Craft’N’Co.; Alfonso Califano & Emanuele Primavera of Cinquanta Spirito Italiano, Pagani, with Nazionale Spirito Italiano by Ferro Beverage&co; Livio Morena, Nucleo, Rome, with Yerbito + Fusetti Bitter by Molinari; Matteo Negro, Squisi, Vittorio Veneto, Treviso, featuring Yerbito + Fusetti Bitter by Molinari; Manuel Monetti & Germano Cerasoli, Blind Pig, Rome, featuring Yerbito + Fusetti Bitter by Molinari; Nicholas De Michele, Tivoli Portopiccolo Sistiana Resort, Trieste, with Nonino; Daniel Jonathan Selby, 10_11, Portrait Milano, Milan with Oppure; Sossio Del Prete, Rumore, Milan, with Oppure; Lucas Kelm from Terrazza Gellivs, Oderzo, featuring Fusetti Bitter by Molinari + Yerbito; Abi El Attaoui at Ceresio 7, Milan, with Presobene London Dry Gin; Luca Ardito, The Carlton Bar, The Carlton, Milan, featuring Presobene London Dry Gin and in collaboration with Coqtail for fine drinkers; Mauro Mahjoub, The King of Negroni; Vincenzo Gallo & Andrea Luongo by Dry Martini Sorrento, Majestic Palace Hotel, Sant’Agnello, Sorrento, Naples, featuring Baldoria Vermouth + Frantoio di Sant’Agata d’Oneglia + Presobene London Dry Gin + Yurt Vodka.
Among the international guests Lucia Montanelli,Vesper Bar at The Dorchester, London, featuring Altamura Distilleries Vodka; Federico Daniele, MÙZSA Bar, Four Seasons Hotel Budapest, featuring Altamura Distilleries Vodka; Barbara Migliaccio Spina, Hôtel Fouquet’s, Paris + Ádám Szondi, Hotsy Totsy, Budapest +Evangelos Dimitris & Aineias Chilas, Late Bloomers, Zurich, featuring Altamura Distilleries Vodka + Polot 1882; Lorenzo Antinori by Bar Leone, Hong Kong, featuring Quattri Gatti Gin; Orlando Marzo by Loro, Melbourne, with Quattro Gatti Gin; Giorgio Bargiani from The Connaught Bar, London, featuring Quattro Gatti Gin; Simone Santini, Himkok of Oslo, with “Silent Pool” by Velier; Marco Grisafi,PÆRE, 1 Hotel Copenhagen, Copenhagen + Christian Borrelli, Ruby, Copenhagen, featuring Prince Explorer Gin by Ferro Beverage & Co. + Yerbito; Timo Siitonen at Kupoli Cocktail Bar, NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa, Helsinki, featuring Nonino + Santoni L’Aperitivo Firenze + Baldoria Vermouth.
The logo, designed by Piero Lissoni with Lissoni&Partners, was inspired by a Martini glass that transforms into a gondola, based on a drawing by Marino Lucchesi, Bar Manager at LPV Bar, London Palace Venice.
- Venice Cocktail Week 2026 Venues
- Alchemia Bar, Ca’ di Dio
- Arts Bar, The St. Regis Venice
- Bar Biblioteca, Nolinski Venice
- Blue Bar, Excelsior Hotel Resort Lido di Venezia
- Boutique Lounge, Santa Croce Boutique Hotel
- Experimental Cocktail Club, Il Palazzo Experimental
- *Herbarium, NH Collection Venice Grand Hotel Palazzo dei Dogi
- *Heureka Chic Bar, Hotel Heureka
- Il Caravellino, Hotel Saturnia & International
- Il Piccolo Bar, Violino d’Oro
- *K Lounge Bar / Terrazza Gabrielli, Hotel Gabrielli Venice – Starhotels Collezione
- Lord Byron, Palazzo Keller
- Orientalbar & Bistrot, Hotel Metropole Venice
- *Palladio Venice, Airelles Palladio Venice
- Skyline Rooftop Bar, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
- The Bar at Aman Venice, Aman Venice
- The “G” Lounge & Garden Bar, Hotel Nani Mocenigo Palace
- Venice Collection: Il Porto Lounge Bar, Palazzo Veneziano / *
- Venice Collection: *The Mask Lounge & Garden, Carnival Palace
- Venixino Lounge & Garden, Donà Palace
- *Wagon Bar, Orient Express Venice
- Cocktail Bars
- Blue Drop Venice
- Caffè Florian
- Grancaffé Quadri
- Il Mercante
- Marciano
- Rétro
- Rivoler
- Santa Cocktail Club – Venice
- Tarnowska’s American Bar
- Time Social Bar
- Event Partners
- *Al Covino
- Algiubagiò
- All’Angelo Art Café
- *Bacaro Picenin
- *Bonfadini Caffè, Ca’ Bonfadini
- *Cortese Cocktail Bar Venexian, Hotel Bucintoro
- *Glam
- Lunardelli
- Munav
- *The Venice Bitter Club, The Venice Venice Hotel
- *Trattoria La Colomba
* New for 2026
