There are bars that serve drinks, and then there are bars that hold history in their bones. Giacosa belongs firmly to the latter. First founded in Turin in 1815, the café found its true rhythm after relocating to Florence in the mid-19th century, settling on Via Tornabuoni and embedding itself into the cultural fabric of the city. Its legacy is not just one of longevity, but of shaping taste, ritual, and, most famously, a cocktail that would come to define Italian aperitivo culture for the rest of the world.
It was within these walls, in the early 1920s, that Count Camillo Negroni famously asked for a stronger version of his Americano, replacing soda with gin. What followed was instinct—a small, decisive gesture that would have a domino effect on global cocktail culture. Giacosa has carried that moment forward ever since.
Today, Giacosa returns to Florence just steps away from its historic home, reimagined with a sensibility that feels both reverent and contemporary. The space leans into a kind of modernised vintage charm—polished but not boring. It operates as both a cafe and a cocktail bar, allowing the rhythm of the day to flow naturally from espresso to aperitivo to late evening drinks. There is a sense that everything here, from the pastries to the glassware, is part of a larger narrative rather than a standalone offering.
At the centre of this renewed identity is head bartender William Franci, whose own journey mirrors the layered nature of the bar. Having entered hospitality at the young age of 18, Franci’s early grounding as a waiter evolved into a more technical and academic pursuit at the Apicius International School of Hospitality in Florence, where he completed a master’s degree. His trajectory sharpened under the influence of Luca Picchi, widely regarded as the foremost historian of the Negroni. That mentorship instilled in him not just an appreciation for the drink, but a deeper understanding of its indomitable cultural standing.
Franci’s time at Caffè Gilli further refined his approach, shaping him into a bartender who balances precision with personality. Now at Giacosa, he leads a team that is both technically adept and outward-facing—equally comfortable executing complex builds as they are engaging guests. His style is expressive, often leaning into layered flavour structures and textural nuance, but always anchored by a respect for the classics. One could spend hours sitting at the bar listening to him passionately explain the journey of each drink being served, and time would just pass you by.
The menu reflects this philosophy with clarity. At its core lies the Negroni—not as a single drink, but as a framework through which the bar explores time, reinterpretation, and evolution. The “Giacosa Negroni” itself is a modern expression, developed through blind tastings to arrive at a profile that is slightly more bitter, more defined, and tailored to a contemporary palate. It sets the tone for what follows.
From there, the menu branches into multiple directions. The Negroni Seltz, for instance, leans into lightness and effervescence, while the Nitro version introduces a softer, almost velvety mouthfeel.
“Negroni Meets Tradition” expands the drink’s boundaries entirely, pulling in unexpected ingredients and references. The Bloody Negroni, with its tomato base and umami-driven profile, pushes the cocktail into savoury territory, while drinks like the mesmerising Cosmo Negroni introduce fruit and sweetness without losing structural integrity. These are not gimmicks, but deliberate explorations of how far the Negroni can stretch while remaining recognisable.
Beyond this, “Giacosa’s Creations” steps outside the Negroni framework altogether, offering cocktails that are more abstract but still rooted in Italian sensibility and tradition. Ingredients like marsala, burnt wheat, pistachio, and even mushroom appear, creating drinks that feel layered and slightly unexpected. There is also a thoughtful non-alcoholic section, ensuring the experience remains inclusive without feeling secondary.
Yet, for all its innovation, Giacosa never loses sight of its role as a caffè. The pastry and savoury offerings ranging from Negroni-infused babà to delicate mignon pastries and truffle-laced brioche anchor the space in everyday Italian life. It’s this duality that defines the bar: a place where you can as easily stop for a morning coffee as you can spend an evening exploring the many dimensions of a single cocktail.
The most popular drinks, unsurprisingly, remain adjacent to the Negroni in its various forms. The classic continues to draw purists, while the Giacosa Negroni and the more textural interpretations like the Shakerato or Nitro appeal to those looking for something familiar but refined. The tasting experiences, which guide guests through multiple variations, have also become a defining feature, turning the act of drinking into something more considered.
In the end, Giacosa doesn’t just preserve history, it works with it. Under Franci and his team, the bar becomes a space where legacy is not static, but constantly reinterpreted. The Negroni may have been born here by chance, but its continued evolution feels entirely intentional.
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