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Camparino in Galleria.
Where the history of the Aperitivo became a legend.

For many, Camparino in Galleria is quite simply a famous bar in the heart of Milan. But, truth be told, there’s much more to this historic locale than its elegant atmosphere and cocktails, because its past and heritage are inextricably interwoven with the city’s history and the artistic and cultural movements of the 1900s.

OVER 100 YEARS OF HISTORY
Lights turn on in the Galleria

It all began back in 1867, when the the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II had recently been completed and Gaspare Campari – inventor of the homonymous bitter – opened the famous Caffè Campari, on the corner with Piazza Duomo. On 14 November of the same year, Davide Campari, son of Gaspare, was born and made history of Milan for having been the first citizen to come to light in the Galleria.

1867
Camparino in Galleria opens

In 1915, Davide Campari opened Camparino as a “younger brother” to Caffè Campari. Unlike its sibling, Camparino was fitted out with an innovative system delivering a constant supply of soda water straight from the cellars, offering its numerous customers a Campari and soda that was always perfectly chilled. Other elements of the restaurant’s pride were the liberty furnishings, which were made by famous Italian artists and artisans, in line with the aesthetic canons arrived in Europe with the Art Nouveau: the interior featured work by celebrated cabinet maker Eugenio Quarti, master blacksmith Alessandro Mazzucotelli and painter Angelo d’Andrea, who designed the iconic mosaic for the Bar di Passo.

1915

Camparino quickly became a Milanese institution, not only because the Aperitivo became a ritual here, but also because it attracted intellectuals and celebrities who came to discuss politics and culture over a Campari or two. Arrigo Boito, Tommaso Marinetti and other members of the Scapigliatura movement were regular visitors to the bar.

The Miani family
takes over

Between 13th and 15th August 1943, the Galleria and Camparino were heavily bombed during devastating Allied air raids. After the second World War, the bar was taken over by Guglielmo Miani, the tailor from Puglia who had moved to Milan in 1922. The Miani family were to remain in charge of the business until 2018.

1943
The new spaces

The Miani family carried out extensive renovations over the years: in the 1990s, the premises were expanded to include the former State Library located next door to Camparino, and it launched many successful projects with Campari Group.

1990

Located in the very heart of Milan, Camparino in Galleria is a modern, daring blend of iconic history and contemporary verve. This mixture of intellectual vigour and stunning architecture is epitomised by the elegance and flavours of Camparino’s cocktails, food and atmosphere. It’s a place open to all, just as it ever was, welcoming and creating new stories every day, and making its Italian voice heard around the world.

 

Camparino is a place where a simple Aperitivo means partaking in a legend, and where celebrities have always mingled with ordinary people. It has set the stage for trends that have shaped the course of fashion, and has been the privileged setting for the most earnest political debates.

2019

Not surprisingly, it’s the favourite haunt of the city’s trendsetters, fertile ground for new ideas, a location where thoughts and ambitions are aired and take shape accompanied by the restorative taste of Campari and a unique atmosphere.
It’s the perfect atmosphere for an unforgettable history: the history of the Italian aperitivo.

50 World’s Best Bar

Camparino is the temple of mixology. Here, experimentation is art and it’s able to attract customers and bartenders from all over the world. A place where to savour the perfect serve of iconic cocktails such as Negroni, Sbagliato and Americano, or to be impressed by the unique flavours of innovative drinks such as the Triplice Evviva, the Il Bacio and the Paesaggio Quasi Tipografico. A constant commitment that led us, in 2021, to win 27th place in the most popular bar list ever: The World’s 50 Best Bars.

2021