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Rita

Milan

A bar veteran drawing modern crowds

For more than two decades, Rita has brought its unmistakable energy to Milan's Navigli nightlife. The bar remains one of the city's enduring mixology landmarks, thanks to the relentless drive of Edoardo Nono, a veteran of the bar world whose infectious warmth has become part of the venue's identity. Around him is a team with serious technical depth, yet never at the expense of genuine hospitality, the kind that can restore your mood after a difficult day.

Andrea Arcaini maintains a sharp focus on the canon of classic cocktails, while the current signature menu looks to the history of Italian design, transforming decades of creative thinking into drinks. At its centre is 1960s Milan, when the city emerged as a magnet for architects, designers and artists reshaping modern visual culture. The menu moves through that broader design lineage, from Gio Ponti to Ettore Sottsass, from Achille Castiglioni to Michele De Lucchi, with cocktails conceived as sensory nods to objects, ideas and aesthetic gestures. One to order is Arco, made with whisky, tequila, St-Germain, pear distillate and jasmine syrup, served in a coupe with a garnish that references the celebrated lamp designed by the Castiglioni brothers.

Also worth seeking out are the Bloody Tuesday nights, created by partner Chiara Buzzi as an ongoing tribute to the Bloody Mary. Built around guest food collaborations and live DJ sets, they have become one of Milan's sharper weekly nightlife fixtures.

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