This Is The Origin Story of The Negroni Sbagliato
By this point, Bar Basso, Milan’s ground zero of design-world gossip, is practically synonymous with the city’s annual Design Week—as much its signature cocktail, the Negroni Sbagliato. Invented at Bar Basso in the 1970's by Mirko Stochetto, father of current owner and proud negroni evangelist Maurizio Stochetto, the Sbagliato is a traditional negroni that substitutes prosecco for gin—a happy accident at the time of its inception ("sbagliato" can be translated as "mistake") and now a go-to for visitors to the local watering hole.
The cocktail garnered viral acclaim recently when House of the Dragon star Emma D'Arcy declared it their favorite during an interview that quickly became unmissable on TikTok. But the cocktail isn't the only thing that draws the crowds to Bar Basso. It's where everyone in the industry congregates after a long day of novelty eye candy thanks to Stocchetto, who's played host to the likes of the late designer James Irvine in the 1980s and the rising star duo Formafantasma today.
“When we’re able to open again, we’ll be very busy,” says Stocchetto, who’s had to keep the bar shuttered this year under lockdown restrictions. (Milan was devastated early on in the COVID-19 pandemic. In February 2020, Giuseppe Sala, the city’s mayor, allowed bars like Basso to remain open as the virus ravaged the region.) “The thing I miss the most is the sheer proximity to people,” says Stocchetto. “I think the biggest payoff is the fact that you establish contacts with people from all walks of life."
Beyond the boozy banter, we asked six design-world insiders to share their favorite memories from the birthplace of the Negroni Sbagliato.
Memories, Memories
“I met the architect and curator Joseph Grima there, through Valentina Ciuffi, the founder of Studio Vedèt. It was at Basso that we all had the idea to collaborate for the Lina Bo Bardi exhibition in 2018.”
Nina Yashar, Founder, Nilufar Gallery
“It’s a bit of a time capsule and an institution. It seems like a very strong force that could probably withstand anything. Well, maybe not anything, but a lot.”
Adam Charlap Hyman, Principal, Charlap Hyman & Herrero
“During Salone, I get a weird kick out of being in a car and driving very slowly through the crowd outside Basso. It’s a similar sensation to driving through a car wash.”
Felix Burrichter, Founder, editor, and creative director, PIN-UP
“Getting married to my wife was obviously the highlight of my wedding, but having Maurizio there making aperitivi in the Catskills? It wasn’t Bar Basso, officially, but it was close.”
Alex Mustonen, Partner, Snarkitecture
“It’s always so crazy crowded that you can only really hang out on the street in front and send in one person to try to make it to the bar.”
Evan Snyderman, Principal, R & Company
“Everybody knows what Basso is during Salone, but at the end of the day, I prefer to escape to my lovely husband’s cuddles. To gratify myself, I prefer a kiss, rather than a martini.”
Rossana Orlandi*, Founder, Rossana Orlandi Gallery
*Orlandi has never been to Basso.
This story originally appeared in the May 2021 issue of ELLE Decor. SUBSCRIBE
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