Negroni Week is back and more bitter than ever. (Get it? ...because Campari is a kind of bitters? ...no?) Anyway, now in its seventh year, Negroni Week returns to Hong Kong from June 24 to 30, with bars across the SAR raising money for charity while serving special takes on the timeless cocktail.
Employees Only, The Wise King, Terrible Baby, The Sea, The Wilshire – some of most popular bars in Hong Kong are riffing on the classic blend of Campari, vermouth and gin throughout the week and then donating a portion of the sales to their charity of choice. Last year, over 10,000 venues in 87 countries participated in Negroni Week, together raising over $4.5 million for charitable causes across the globe.
The bar has been set high, but there's reason to believe this year's Negroni Week will be momentous in any event. That's because 2019 marks 100 years since the Negroni was invented. According to the origin story, an Italian count named Camillo Negroni strolled into a bar in Florence and asked for the bartender to fortify his favourite cocktail, the Americano, by switching out the soda water for gin. The barman added an orange slice for garnish, and ecco, as it were: you’ve got yourself the Negroni we know and love today.
There's a lot happening this week, from Kennedy Town to Kowloon. For the full list of participating venues and their chosen charities, visit here. Below is a handful of highlights.
208 Duecento Otto – JIA x Campari Fundraiser
Krzysztof Gora; 208 Duecento Otto
On June 25, from 6:30pm onwards, the JIA Group is hosting a charity fundraiser at Italian bar and restaurant 208 Duecento Otto. The group hopes to sell 208 Negronis in 208 minutes. When the target is hit, JIA will donate all proceeds to Harmony House, a local non-profit that helps victims of violence and promotes healthy relationships within families and the community. The drink is pretty fun, too: take a Campari- and orange-infused popsicle, put it in a classic Negroni and you've got the Negroni Cooler.
Fineprint's Negroni Toast
Fineprint
On top of serving Negronis and cold brew coffee with a shot of Campari, Fineprint is offering sourdough toast topped with ricotta cheese and Negroni marmalade. For every purchase, the café is donating 50 percent of the proceeds to Mercy Corps, a non-profit that delivers humanitarian aid to some of the world's most vulnerable communities.
Veda's Negroni Pie
Veda
Vegetarian restaurant Veda is serving up not only classic Negronis, but also a one-of-a-kind Negroni pie, made of white chocolate and orange mousse topped with a Negroni glaze and crispy meringue.
Closing Party at Aaharn
Krzysztof Gora; Aaharn
Can't get enough Negronis? Aaharn is closing the week down with $50 Negronis all day on June 30.
Kennedy Town Negroni Trail
Krzysztof Gora; The Wilshire
Drop by the Kennedy Town bars and restaurants participating in Negroni Week – 11 Westside, The Wilshire, To Be Frank, Alvy's and Winstons – to collect stamps and stand a chance to win prizes.