Drink Like a Targaryen: 5 SF Bars Serving a Version of the Negroni Sbagliato
Written by Camper EnglishPublished Oct. 17, 2022 • 1:54pm
Arts & Culture
'The Bowie,' served at The Madrigal near the Herbst Theater, is made with Aperol, Cynar bitter artichoke liqueur and cava, with a touch of sea salt. | Courtesy Photo
Last week, House of the Dragon star Emma D’Arcy, who plays Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the Game of Thrones spinoff, set the internet ablaze—not with the hot breath of Rhaenyra’s fire-breathing mount, Syrax, but with their choice of cocktail: a Negroni Sbagliato.
The more familiar Negroni is made with bitter Campari liqueur, sweet vermouth and gin. The Sbagliato, meaning “mistaken” or “bungled” in Italian, calls for prosecco or other sparkling wine instead of gin. It was created, according to legend, at Bar Basso in Milan in the late 1960s or early 1970s, when a bartender making a Negroni somehow grabbed a bottle of prosecco by mistake.
The very recent awareness of the cocktail comes courtesy of D’Arcy, who mentioned the drink as a favorite in an interview clip that’s been circulating on TikTok. Adopting an alluring tone, D’Arcy described the drink as a "Negroni…” pausing for dramatic effect before adding, “Sbagliato. With prosecco in it."
The clip went viral, and so did the story behind it. So far, both USA Today and The Guardian have each picked it up.
Here in Negroni-loving San Francisco, you should be able to order the Sbagliato at many cocktail bars, though it might not be listed on the menu by name. Here are five locations where you can drink like a Targaryen—even if you are practicing Sober October.
2175 Chestnut St.
(415) 673-7100
The libation is currently featured on the drink menu at Delarosa in the Marina. Its version is a mixture of Campari, sweet vermouth and prosecco.
1100 Market St.
(415) 735-7777
La Bande, the cocktail and tapas bar located on the ground floor of the Proper Hotel on Market Street, offers an aperitif section on its menu. It’s there that you’ll find your choice of white or red versions of the Negroni, Americano and Sbagliato. The Red Sbagliato calls for Martini vermouth’s Riserva Speciale Bitter instead of Campari. Its White Sbagliato is made with Luxardo Bitter Bianco (a clear bitter liqueur), Dolin Blanc vermouth and sparkling wine.
100 Van Ness Ave.
(415) 796-2531
At The Madrigal, located near the War Memorial Opera House on Van Ness Avenue, a drink called The Bowie has a similar sparkling bittersweet flavor profile to the Negroni Sbagliato, but with only the bubbles in common. It contains Aperol, Cynar bitter artichoke liqueur and cava, with a touch of sea salt.
2120 Greenwich St.
(415) 855-4607
The California Soul at the Marina bar For the Record is the larger departure from the standard drink, made with Campari, aperitif wine and sparkling wine, plus jackfruit, lemon, vodka and honey. It is served up in a cocktail glass rather than on the rocks, and resembles a Tequila Sunrise with its red ingredients on the bottom and yellowish ones floating on top.
584 Valencia St.
(415) 237-1834
For those partaking in Sober October, Chezchez on Valencia Street offers a nonalcoholic Negroni Sbagliato called the Nah’liato made with Lyre’s Classico sparkling nonalcoholic prosecco, Giffard aperitif syrup and bitter lemon soda.
Camper English can be reached at [email protected]
