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The Best Travel Bar Sets for Mobile Mixology

We selected kits for backpackers, martini lovers, and everyone in-between

The Spruce Eats / Lecia Landis

Whether you’re camping, glamping, on holiday, or just picnicking in a park , you deserve bar-quality cocktails . But how do you tote a bar’s worth of tools, plus a few essential bottles? With a handy travel bar kit.

Travel bar tools wrap up mixers, shakers, jiggers, and bar spoons, all into one easy carrying case. They range from camp-ready backpacks to bartender-approved bags to Bond-ready suitcases. Most have room for a bottle or two for an effortless setup. With one in hand, you have all the fixings to create excellent cocktails—just add alcohol. 

• What to Look for

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Best overall, legacy by picnic time hamilton portable cocktail bar.

Wide range of bar tools and glasses

Slots to store spirits

Sturdy, durable construction

This travel bar kit is outfitted with everything you need to host an elegant cocktail hour . The front and top open up to reveal an arsenal of mixology tools. There are the standard ones: a shaker, a strainer, a double jigger, and a stirrer. Then there are a few that will really come in handy for more elaborate drinks: a small cutting board (yes, really), a knife, ice tongs, cocktail picks, and a muddler. 

The set also includes four modern rocks glasses and three slots to store your favorite bottles of spirits . Everything gets safely locked up in a 14 x 10-inch hard case outfitted with padded dividers that you can take anywhere without having to worry about broken glass or spilled liquids. This is your perfect secret weapon to bring to parties and on vacations—and not to mention gifting as a housewarming present. Plus, for those living in a smaller-sized apartment, this is an excellent alternative to a bar cart. 

What’s Included: Four glasses, four cocktail picks, jigger, shaker, paring knife, cutting board, strainer, tongs, stirrer, muddler | Bottle Storage: Three | Size: 14 x 10.5 x 10.5 inches

Best Budget

Pepe nero 27-piece professional bartender kit.

Rust-resistant tools

Easy to transport

No bottle storage

Pepe Nero 27-Piece Professional Bartender Kit and Cocktail Shaker has it all at a great price. Perfect for professional and amateur mixologists, it comes with two cocktail shakers, a wine opener, a wooden muddler, 3 kinds of strainers, a double-sided jigger, ice tongs, liquor bottle pourers, a lemon juicer, a lemon zester, metal straws, and a mixing spoon. Basically, every kind of cocktail you could want can easily be made with the tools in this kit.

With so many tools, it’s essential to stay organized. Fortunately, there is a slot for each tool. When you’re finished cleaning up, just roll up the kit. Two buckles click in to assure everything can be stored easily and transported safely.

What’s Included: 27-ounce cocktail shaker, 20-ounce cocktail shaker, wine opener, bottle opener, wooden muddler, shaker towel, fine strainer, Julep strainer, Hawthorne strainer, double-sided jigger, ice tongs, four bottle pourers, lemon juicer, four metal straws, a lemon zester, mixing spoon | Bottle Storage: None | Size: 11.69 x 6.65 x 5.47 inches

Best for the Serious Cocktailer

Mixology & craft travel bartender 17-piece bar kit.

Rolls up small

Stylish and sturdy

Pro-level bar tools

No room for bottles

Bar tools may tarnish over time

For expert cocktails or serious entertainers, this kit comes stacked with a bartender’s toolbox (yes, literally—there are 17 different tools). There are strainers (three in total, including Hawthorne, Julep, and Fine), a double-ended opener, a Boston shaker, two liquor pourers, a juicer, beechwood muddler, 10-inch cocktail stirrer, zester, double lever corkscrew, ice tongs, and a Japanese jigger. There are 27 different pockets that will perfectly fit your favorite tools, small bottles of syrups , bitters, and bags of garnishes. There’s even a Lewis bag tucked into the slot for crushing ice for mint juleps .

All of this wraps up into an easy-to-carry canvas bag complete with shoulder strap and handle. Smart leather straps with brass buckles add a rustic flair. Just add booze bottles and mixers , and you’ve got portable cocktail heaven—making you the star of any party. All of the tools are dishwasher safe and made with premium stainless steel.

What’s Included: Bag, shoulder strap, Boston shaker, wooden muddler, three strainers, wine opener, tongs, double-sided jigger, beer opener, juicer, two pourers, Lewis ice bag | Bottle Storage: None | Size: 16.1 x 5.35 x 5.16 inches

Best Backpack

Summit51 bartender bag.

Made with water-resistant material

Padded shoulder straps

Mesh waist padding

Needs more tools for a full kit

Thinking about using a backpack to tote around your bar tools? The Summit51 Bartender Bag is an excellent choice. This backpack is designed with multiple detachable dividers to create pockets for up to six bottles. So, there’s plenty of flexibility, whether you plan to pour from a 750ml bottle or a 1.75-liter bottle. Better yet, because the dividers are padded, you don’t have to worry about the bottles knocking into each other or clanking on the go. 

No need to leave any of your favorite bar tools at home because the front section of the backpack has plenty of pockets to fit whatever you need. Made of high-quality nylon, the bag has a waterproof bottom to prevent accidental leaks, making this a durable choice that will last for years to come.

What’s Included: Martini shaker, cocktail spoon, jigger, muddler | Bottle Storage: 6 | Size: 10.5 x 12 x 17.25 inches

Best for Camping

Sky fish cocktail travel set.

Lots of tools

Pocket for ice

Easy to carry

Doesn’t include glasses

If you’re looking for a cocktail set to take with you camping or on picnics, the Sky Fish Cocktail Travel Set has it all and more. This set includes two cocktail shakers, a double jigger, a Hawthorne Strainer, two liquor pourers, a stainless steel muddler, a mixing spoon, ice tongs, a corkscrew, a bartender knife, and a wood bar board. With pockets for each tool, it's easy to stay organized. 

Best of all, everything is packaged in an insulated bag (just add ice) that has a Bluetooth speaker, another necessity when drinking around a campfire. With room for three full-size bottles, you can make a wide variety of cocktails with this kit, even in the middle of the woods. One downside here is that you will need to provide your own drinkware.

What’s Included: 26-ounce cocktail shaker, 16-ounce cocktail shaker, double jigger, Hawthorne Strainer, two liquor pourers, stainless steel muddler, mixing spoon, ice tongs, corkscrew, bartender knife, wood bar board, Bluetooth speaker within insulated bag | Bottle Storage: 3 | Size: 16.54 x 5.91 x 12.6 inches

Best for Martinis

Franmara martini travel bar set with case.

Perfect for martini lovers

Extra padding to avoid breakage

Includes lock

Not for all cocktails

For all martini lovers, here is a travel case for you. Whether you like this classic cocktail with gin or vodka, dirty or dry, this case has you covered. While you’ll need to supply your own gin, vodka, or vermouth, this kit contains everything else you need to bring your favorite drink on the go. It includes two martini glasses, a stainless steel flask for easy alcohol transportation, a jigger, a funnel, and an 8-ounce stainless steel shaker. It even includes two reusable olive spears to dress your martini the way a bartender would. 

The travel case itself has a black exterior and a velvet interior—an elegant look that belongs in an upscale martini bar. The kit locks up with two keys for safe travels. Just don’t forget the olives.

What’s Included: Lockable box, flask, jigger, funnel, shaker | Bottle Storage: None | Size: 7 3/4 x 8 x 7 inches

Best for Gifting

Aberdeen oak travel bartender kit.

Very complete set of tools

High quality

Easy to clean

Doesn't include glasses

Struggling to figure out a birthday or holiday gift for the cocktail lover who already has every possible tool on their home bar? Give them the gift of cocktails on the go with this attractive and functional set from Aberdeen Oak. Featuring eighteen different cocktail tools all wrapped up in a canvas carrying bag, this is a thorough kit that's versatile enough to create all manner of cocktails, so you don't even need to know your gift recipient's favorite variety of tipple.

The Aberdeen Oak Travel Bartender Kit includes a printed cocktail guide, so it's also ideal for aspiring bartenders who might not have all of their favorite drink recipes fully committed to memory yet. Best of all, the kit is delivered in a handsome blue cardboard box, which makes wrapping a cinch.

What’s Included: Boston shaker, muddler, ice tong, bottle opener, mixing spoon, peeler, jigger, Hawthorne strainer, julep strainer, pour spouts, corkscrew, citrus squeezer, canvas travel bag | Bottle Storage : None | Size: 19.7" x 12.4" x 0.1"

Viski Travel Bar Tool Kit

Stainless steel and wood tools

Good for on the go

Attractive design

Could use more tools

Tools must be handwashed

Do you travel with bar tools or like to take them on vacation? The Viski Travel Bar Tool is small and portable, but mighty. It comes with a Cobbler cocktail shaker, Hawthorne strainer, jigger, bottle opener, muddler, and bar spoon. Packaged in an attractive canvas storage bag, you can roll everything right up. With a storage compartment for each tool, clean-up is nice and fast.

This set is so compact, you can even bring it in a tote bag, weekender or suitcase. While there aren’t a ton of extras, tools, or space for bottles, the basics are certainly covered.

What’s Included: Canvas bag, Cobbler cocktail shaker, Hawthorne strainer, jigger, bottle opener muddler, bar spoon, muddler | Bottle Storage: None | Size: 4.6 x 11 x 5 inches

For a large and in charge setup that holds a wide range of bar tools, glasses, and up to three bottles, we recommend the Legacy by Picnic Time Hamilton Portable Cocktail Bar . If you're in charge of tending bar on an upcoming camping trip, the Sky Fish Cocktail Travel Set will transport your supplies from A to B.

What to Look for in a Travel Bar Set

A well-stocked travel bar should contain everything you need to make your favorite drink. Maybe that’s as simple as a bar spoon, shaker, and jigger. If you’re looking to seriously entertain on the go, opt for a travel bar packed with everything from Hawthorne strainers to corkscrews to olive spears. 

“I suggest purchasing a bar tool bag that has slits that fit most tools, including strainers, jiggers, bar spoons and shaker tins,” says Ashly Levi , bartender and mezcalier at Miss Agave. “If you don’t have one available, you can store the jigger, smaller bar spoons, bottle openers and julep strainers inside the tins to keep it all together."

Portability

Consider how portable your travel bar is. Working bartenders may want a roll-up bag, so they can tote their tools from home to shift (this is also a great option if you’re headed to a hotel or party where all your bar tools will be needed). Boxed options are great for train travel or picnics and do a great job of protecting the contents, but they can be cumbersome to carry. 

Bottle Storage

Some travel bars are outfitted to carry just a small flask, while others have the capacity to store up to three or four of your favorite bottles. Pick a travel bar accordingly. If you simply want to sip a dram on the go out of decent glassware, the former type of travel bar will suffice. If you’re looking to craft Negronis, martinis, or other cocktails, consider a travel bar with a capacity that can hold all your ingredients.

What is included in a travel bar set?

A travel bar will include all the tools you need to craft cocktails on the go. Depending on the size of the bar, that can include a shaker and jigger or a full spate of bar tools. Often the travel bar set have space for bottles, too. 

How portable is a travel bar set?

Travel bar sets are designed to be toted around. Some will be like small, hardshell suitcases complete with handles and locks. Some come in the form of a backpack, while others are rolled up and can be carried around like a briefcase.

Why use a travel bar set?

Travel bar sets are excellent in a range of situations; bring one on a picnic, take it on your next vacation, or pack it for your next backyard drinks. These tiny bars also double as an excellent option for those living in small spaces and don’t have room for a full setup.

How do you clean a travel bar set?

"To keep your bar tools clean, simply rinsing and washing with warm water and a bit of Dawn soap can do the trick when you’re on the go,” says Levi. “You can bring this in a travel-size container. The key is to dry it all really well using a microfiber towel, which is easy to keep on you when traveling.”

Some of the other experts we consulted get extra points for the unique methods they employ to keep their bar tools sparkly, such as Ervin Machado , Certified Sommelier and Beverage Director at Big Time Restaurant Group. "I use soap and water to clean my tools on the go," he says, "but I always polish them with vodka for extra shine."

Kate Dingwall  is a sommelier and spirits writer. She has been writing about the bar and spirits world for five years and has her BarSmarts and WSET certification. She loves a good martini—wherever she may be.

This roundup was updated by Amanda Lauren , an experienced lifestyle writer who loves a good cocktail no matter where she is. She prefers bourbon to vodka.

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The Traveler Bar and Brasserie hosts its opening wine tasting event

Gainesville locals gather to enjoy glasses of wine in good company at the new establishment.

Wine glasses were filled and emptied over exchanged tales and travel stories. Laughter filled the room as strangers would find good company in each other over a mutual love for wine.

Wine connoisseurs and novices alike celebrated the grand opening of Traveler Wine Bar and Brasserie in Downtown Gainesville Aug. 31. The new project, spearheaded by 50-year-old visionary Maude Wilson, hopes to revolutionize the way locals experience and understand wine tasting. 

The Traveler Wine Bar and Brasserie, which has taken inspiration from previous projects, has opened a new location downtown. While similar in its offerings, the Traveler differentiates itself with a new goal: a more expansive food menu with a more intimate feel.

Attendees of the “Wine Tasting 101” event gathered around the bar, which sat in front of a decorated wall of wine. Each guest, greeted by name, was served a glass of wine and cheese and crackers to complement it. Most attendees had developed a relationship with Wilson in previous years, and those who had not, were welcomed with open arms.

“When someone walks in and if they've been here before, we call them by name. We make sure that they know how special they are,” Wilson said.

One of the newcomers, Betty Braun, a 60-year-old Gainesville Fire Rescue Paramedic, had no idea what to expect before attending the tasting event.

“I came in nervous and as soon as I started talking to people, I just felt at home,” Braun said. “If you don't know anything about wine, you would feel very comfortable here. If you do know anything about wine, then you would feel comfortable here, too.”

The Traveler is building its foundation around the community that supports it. As a new establishment, it is interested in receiving feedback for everything from the menu items they will serve to the wine tasting events they will host. 

The dark and moody bar and brasserie will host several events, weekly, monthly and annually. Every Thursday, it hosts themed tasting events. These tastings are open to all ages, except for completely wine based ones like its most recent event “Wine Tasting 101.”

Many attendees of the weekly tasting events are also members of the Traveler’s Wine Club. The Wine Club offers members a monthly subscription box of two wines, one red and one white, along with information about its taste and origin.

Three of the long-term members, Josh Steele, a 39-year-old University of Tennessee professor, Imanol Suarez, a 35-year-old UF assistant professor, and Tony Maurelli, a 71-year-old UF professor, reap the benefits of their wine club membership by attending all the weekly tastings free of cost. 

“What I appreciate about what [Wilson] does is she makes the experience very accessible,” Steele said. “A lot of [the] time you go to wine tastings, there's this expectation that you're bringing all of this knowledge with you, but she's willing to start at ground zero and really helps someone build a liking for wine.”

Each tasting comes with the six wines of the evening and a gourmet cheese snack plate to ensure attendees are branching out and exploring different taste combinations. 

“You start learning what you like, what you don't like and why you don't like the things that you don't like,” Suarez said. “It's a great event to make new connections and relax yourself because it feels so intimate.”

The tastings were continued from the other locations that The Traveler Bar and Brasserie was born out of, giving members an opportunity to explore the familiar tastings in a new environment.

“It's going to be really an interesting change from the other two locations,” Maurelli said. “But it's the same expertise that Maude brings to the wine tastings. She knows her wines."

The Traveler Bar and Brasserie’s collection provides customers with a worldwide flavor experience. Their collection is a culmination of wines from multiple distributors, featuring both well-known and unique bottles.

“If someone comes in and they want something specific, I try to have at least one of what they're looking for,” Wilson said.

While their wide collection comprises wines from diverse regions including California, Bordeaux and Piedmont, Italy, all their bottles have one quality in common: sustainability. 

“These are smaller producers that spend more time and create a product that is a little bit more true to winemaking,” Wilson said.

Oftentimes, their wines are vegan and organic too. 

“We want to make a minimum impact on the planet, but maximum impact on your experience,” Wilson said.

Sharon Carr, a 62-year-old Gainesville local, has been wine tasting for over 15 years at wineries around the world. She appreciates that The Traveler offers the same experience so close to home.

 “Each [bottle of wine] brings a richness and a variety because of the soils and the climate and so forth. It's just really interesting to see how people are able to bring that to Gainesville,” Carr said.

The Traveler Bar and Brasserie’s initial event proved to be an incredible success, leaving attendees with satisfied appetites and optimism for their new favorite spot.

“I really like their plan and their goals for bringing in the different tastings from the different countries” Carr said. “Gainesville has a really diverse population and I hope they support this area because it's going to be a really special thing.”

Along with weekly tastings, The Traveler hosts monthly events with higher end entrees and paired courses with different wines not on the regular menu. The monthly events are by reservation only with limited seating, but members of the Wine Club have first access.

Contact Molly Seghi at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @molly_seghi .

Molly Seghi is a first-year journalism major at UF and a Fall 2023 Avenue Reporter. When not writing or journaling, she can be found at a live music event or working on her podcast “An Aural Account.”

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Los Angeles wine bars: A Decanter guide

• California wine travel

Los Angeles has long been a drinking town, from the heady first days of Hollywood’s fledgling movie industry to the mid-century Rat Pack era of Manhattans and Martinis. Cocktails rather than wine have ruled the scene, despite Los Angeles ‘ status as the southern anchor city of America’s largest wine-producing state.

When wine bars started appearing in the early aughts, beverage directors focused on the higher end of the market; recommendations for fun, democratic places to sip and learn or simply relax were, admittedly, according to those in the industry, too few and far between.

Today, the Los Angeles wine landscape has been flipped on its head, with dozens of new spots opening in the last few years tailored to their most important clients: their neighbours. The city must be tackled in sections, thanks to its notorious sprawl and commensurate traffic. Community has become the key driver in successful business models, especially in the era of high rent, inflation and heavy competition.

You cannot conquer LA in a day. Nor should you try.

Here’s a guide to the city’s latest wine spots, spanning a plethora of neighbourhoods.

DWWA results out 19 June! Be the first to know: Subscribe to the DWWA newsletter

Melanie wine bar.

This dark and moody date spot in Beverly Grove attracts residents from nearby Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and The Grove. An excellent wine list by Stephen Sherry encompasses small producers, overlooked regions and offbeat grapes like Romorantin and Hungarian Hárslevelű, as well as hard-to-find Grenache by Santa Barbara ’s A Tribute to Grace. Glasses range from $15-25, with bottles in the $70-120 range. A full-service dinner menu to encourage drinkers to linger enhances the offer, while a wine club and bi-monthly Saturday night tasting class fosters friendship between denizens.

Wi fe and the Som m

In 2021, Christopher Lucchese and Christy Lindgren Lucchese opened a retail wine shop in the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Glassell Park, just northeast of downtown LA. A response to demand from their neighbours wishing for better dining options replete with good wine. The duo expanded the concept into a wine bar and restaurant. Chris works as the wine director, selecting small producers, family wineries and low-intervention wines for a diverse customer base that spreads awareness through word-of-mouth.

The wine list, which ranges from $10 glasses of easygoing fizz to $40 Coravin  pours, plus rare vintages by the bottle, changes frequently with the menu and season. At any point in the day, you’ll find Angelenos with their dogs hanging out on the front patio, others relaxing beneath the vines on the sun-dappled back deck, or in-the-know sommeliers sidled up to the zinc-wrapped circular bar inside.

Glassell Park’s Wife and the Somm, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Wife and the Somm

Tabula Rasa Bar & S hop

This popular spot in East Hollywood’s Thai Town opened in 2016 and is owned by Zach Negin and Nicole Dougherty. Though billed as a neighbourhood bar, there is a strong lean towards the natural wine world, and the venue hosts RAW Wine festival afterparties and winemaker events which attract the LA beverage industry crowd.

For an expensive city, daily happy hour offers a superb deal with $9 wines by the glass, helping novices and budget drinkers feel at home amidst a cellar deep with old Burgundy and grower Champagne. One local critic declared the vibe ‘chicly battered’, though you can spin your own interpretation of the bohemian space spanning two outdoor patios and a dark, sultry interior come night. The pair also own a sister retail shop in North Hollywood.

Tabula Rasa. Credit: Tabula Rasa

Buv ons Natural Wine Bar + S hop

Founded in December 2021 by Alicia Kemper, Buvons focuses on small-production, natural and low-intervention wines served in an elegant yet low-key spot in the Zefaria neighbourhood of Long Beach. Kemper pours mainly French producers from the regions of Champagne , Jura , Burgundy , Loire and Savoie with a small selection of ciders and beers. Buvons attracts a mix of locals as well as wine drinkers willing to trek across town and traffic in search of her rare and allocated bottles. An outdoor garden and patio shared with sister project Mangette lets hungry patrons pair French café fare with crisp mountain whites made from Altesse and Jacquère.

Stanley’s Wet Go ods

Since opening in 2017, Stanley’s Wet Goods, a wine bar and bottle shop in Culver City, has become synonymous with the European natural wine scene. John Stanley and Michelle McDermott serve as wine directors, sourcing for the enormous 600 bottle list which patrons can enjoy on-premise for a $25 corkage fee. The modern, airy space transitions from a mellow remote work vibe during the day into a lively spot filled with young professionals at night. Whether seated at the bar, at a communal table or on an outdoor patio, don’t miss Mediterranean-inspired dishes like Turkish eggs or mortadella and provolone served on tender, salty focaccia. If you take your cues from the popular vote, order the beef and ricotta meatballs or a cheese and charcuterie board.

Offhand Wine Bar

Opened in 2022, Offhand Wine Bar stands as the Santa Monica bricks-and-mortar offspring of the music and wine collective Westside Winos. The latter, founded in 2019, began as a group effort between Khalil Kinsey, Justin Leathers and Teron Stevenson to host pop-up wine tastings that quickly grew into collaborations with winemakers and restaurants, bars and hotels. The team’s lighthearted approach to wine education, rooted in inclusion and accessibility, led to opening a laidback bar where they could put their ethos to the test in a permanent space. Pops of orange and photos of vintage cars punctuate the simple, bright space, providing an aesthetic complement to a wine list that draws mainly from West Coast minimalist producers. Music and a sense of community keep the neighbours coming back.

From left: Khalil Kinsey, Teron Stevenson and Justin Leathers of Offhand Wine Bar. Credit: Offhand Wine Bar

Part Filipino restaurant, part natural wine bar and 100% fun, Lasita operates in an unexpected location for a buzzy destination spot: a two-storey 1970s Chinatown strip mall called Far East Plaza. Founded in 2021 by wine director Chase Valencia, executive chef Nico de Leon and CFO Steff Valencia, the venue has welcomed guests from destinations as far-flung as Mexico City, France and Spain, thanks to its eclectic wine list, loud music and the juicy, aromatic chicken inasal and luscious lechon that recently earned Lasita a national media nod. Lasita has a very diverse staff and customer base introducing new audiences to wine.

Given the bold flavours, acidity and spices laced through the cuisine, wines tend towards the playful with light, bright and mineral-driven profiles from the likes of Languedoc-Roussillon, Catalunya and Rias Baixas. Dishes are served family style in the dimly lit room, the setting inspired by convivial European gatherings and the rich hues of sunsets over Manila.

Vintage Wine + Ea ts

From Riesling and Hip Hop to Tarot and Tempranillo nights, Vintage Wine and Eats founders Rebecca Rose Phillips, Joe Barker and Peter Brill remain steadfast in their commitment to making wine fun and approachable. Located in Studio City, the bar entertains everyone from wine nerds who geek out over soil types to neophytes eager to learn. Though not dogmatic about their selections – you won’t find bottles from mass producers – Rebecca Rose Phillips, who serves as the wine director, shoots for thoughtful, intentional wines, many from the nearby bounty of Santa Barbara County producers. Inside, the décor echoes America’s farmhouse chic obsession, with flowers, plants and mint green accents giving it an elegant, cosy touch.

Vintage Wine + Eats. Credit: Vintage Wine + Eats

Opening in May 2023 in the Melrose Arts District, Stir Crazy defies strict definition as either a wine bar or restaurant. Modelling it after the late 19th and early 20th-century European all-day cafes, founders Mackenzie Hoffman, Harley Wertheimer and Macklin Casnoff sought to establish an intimate space of eight tables that encourages lingering through soft lighting, warm woods and materials meant to patina rather than fatigue.

Sundays are for menu inspiration when the team buys produce at the Hollywood Farmers’ Market to complement shareable dishes like crudo, marinated anchovies, cheese, charcuterie and delicious, fresh bread. An expansive wine list of classical and modern selections from small growers and producers runs from $45-$600 a bottle and $13-$18 by the glass. An ethos of sustainable management extends to its staff: Stir Crazy opens only for dinner service Monday through Friday, taking the weekends off. In essence, it’s an evening café for quaffs and nibbles with friends.

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Drinks designed with local ingredients and house-infused flavors to capture the season - in a glass.

Prickly aSh martini

Green Sichuan peppercorns (berries from the Prickly Ash) are muddled with gin, fresh lime, and agave nectar.  Served up.

Green Man Martini

Matcha tea martini with choice of whiskey or vodka and oat milk.  Served up with a Matcha Pocky.

Créme Brûlée

A luxurious drink of vodka, amaretto, orange liqueur, and vegan vanilla cream topped with sweetened aquafaba with torched turbinado.

Love Potion

Sangue di Giuda Italian red wine, rum, orange liqueur, chili pepper Demerara syrup on ice with orange zest.

Florida Margarita

A blend of fresh citrus compliment tequila and a rich orange liqueur, agave nectar, and a black salt rim on ice.

Amaro and Vermouth cocktails

Cocktails using the finest Amaro and Vermouth from around the world.

Pasubio and Ginger

An amaro with flavors of blueberries and alpine herbs with ginger beer in ice with orange zest.

Vesper Americano

A gin martini with a dash of vodka and Coccchi Americano served up with lemon peel.

House Manhattan

Antica di Torino sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters adds to our house whiskey served up with lemon and Amarena cherry.

Zero-Proof Cocktails

Booze-free concoctions for any time.

Smoked Sage Martini

A citrus based martini with sage syrup and aquafaba served up in a glass smoked with dry sage.

Lemon and agave nectar with soda water and aquafaba on the rocks.

Ginger Beer Margarita

Black salt rim with citrus and agave nectar with ginger beer.

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I'm a Wine Writer, and Rome Has Some of the World's Best Wine Bars — Here Are 8 Of My Favorites

T+L's Wine & Spirits Editor shares his guide to Rome's finest wine bars, from the old-school to the cutting-edge.

Camilla Glorioso

A good wine bar can provide the answers to many vital questions. 

For instance, after my wife, Cecily, and I dropped off our daughter, Marie, at her dorm in Rome in the summer of 2022, because she had decided that going to college in the Eternal City seemed more appealing than doing the same in Newark, Delaware — go figure — we wandered aimlessly in the August heat for a span of time, then found ourselves sitting, somewhat emotionally unmoored, at a tiny wine bar near the Piazza Navona. Having your only child leave home is a weird experience. “What do we do now?” my wife asked me. The question pertained pretty much to our entire lives, but all I could think of to say was, “Have a glass of wine, I guess?”

Enoteca Il Piccolo , happened upon in that odd moment, has become one of my favorite Roman wine bars. I’ve since discovered that it’s a favorite of many friends in the wine business as well, both for its selection of primarily (but not solely) natural wines from small producers and for its unreconstructed, untouristy, deeply Roman vibe. The inside is tiny, dark, and cozy; outdoors there are mismatched tables where, if the temperature is not nine million degrees as it was when we went back this past summer, you can sit amid a mix of guests, half of whom seem to have come out of a 1950s black-and-white Italian film and half of whom are decidedly younger. Have some bruschetta, some mortadella, some olives. Pick a glass from the short list, or a bottle from the wall inside (the inventory is wide-ranging, both Italian and international). Figure out your life.

The truth is that in Rome, wine bars — or enoteche — can be almost anything: old-school places like Il Piccolo, with its simple menu of salumi, bruschetta, and panini; places that are more restaurant-y yet still traditional; and places that amp up the ambition of the food substantially while still serving small plates designed to go with wine. My cookbook-writer friend Katie Parla, who has lived in Rome for years, described the latter trend: “The enoteca used to be where you had a glass of wine or maybe a grappa, and maybe a bite with your friends, and that was it. Now, more and more, you see these enoteche run by groups of young people who’ve either trained abroad or have a kind of awareness that you can have real cuisine at a wine bar.”

Related: How to Spend One Perfect Day in Rome

For me, the exemplar of this movement is RetroBottega , one of the hottest spots in Rome. A 10-minute walk or so from Il Piccolo, it’s an entirely different experience — and yet, also not. Despite its setting in a 16th-century town house, the design is distinctly modern: black barstools, blond wood, moody lighting. The ever-changing menu from chef-owners Giuseppe Lo Iudice and Alessandro Miocchi is hyper-seasonal — on Mondays, when the place is closed, the staff often takes foraging trips to Lazio or Abruzzo.

When I was there last, I was blown away by their spaghetti verde, aglio, pecorino e peperoncino . It’s a plate of brilliant green pasta (wild spinach and green garlic shoots are used in the dough) adorned simply with thin slices of vivid red peperoncino and liberal amounts of grated pecorino. A glass of Greco di Tufo from the cult Campanian producer Quintodecimo was a stellar accompaniment. But any number of wines from the extensive list would have worked just as well. As Livia Alyson Careaga, a Rome resident who handles the Italian portfolio of an American wine importer, said, “The team cherishes the idea that you’re there to try something new, to try a special glass, even if the occasion is simply to meet up with friends and have a beautiful wine together.”

If you’re a natural-wine aficionado, head across the river to Trastevere. Skip the student bars, which are jammed with revelers, and make a beeline instead to Latteria Trastevere . I’ll quote Katie Parla again on this one, since it’s where we met for a drink the last time I saw her. “I mostly hate drinking in Trastevere,” she told me, “but Latteria has one of the greatest wine lists in the city, and it’s sitting there in plain sight among a bunch of tourist traps.” 

Have some bruschetta, some mortadella, some olives. Pick a glass from the short list, or a bottle from the wall inside (the inventory is wide-ranging, both Italian and international). Figure out your life.

The best thing to do is snag a wooden table outside, order something refreshing — I had a glass of Grillo from the Sicilian organic producer Masseria del Feudo — and accompany it with some of the cheeses that owner Antonio Cossu brings in from Sardinia, where he grew up. Add some beef tartare and (miracle of miracles, because they’re bizarrely rare in Italy) a fresh green salad, and you will achieve happiness. Parla said, “You can come here for a quick aperitivo, and before you know it you’ve hunkered down and are spending the whole night.” I can attest that this is true.

Back near Campo de’ Fiori, L’Angolo Divino is another do-not-miss. Owner Massimo Crippa’s encyclopedic knowledge of wine is manifested in his bar’s similarly encyclopedic list, which ranges from obscure low-intervention bottlings to classics and sought-after rarities. Inside, the old wooden-beam ceiling and brick walls make it feel like a historic wine cellar, and in some ways it is. Crippa’s grandfather founded the business in 1946 as a classic vino e oli — a place you’d go to fill jugs with olive oil and wine for the week. “These were very Roman places, a very old tradition,” Crippa said.

Related: 10 Facts About Rome's Trevi Fountain

The last time I was at L’Angolo Divino, Crippa poured me three different orange wines — my favorite was a Barraco Altomore Grillo from Sicily — which I drank with a bowl of olives, some mortadella, and some fresh farmer’s cheese. I asked Crippa about the bar’s name. “Well, it’s really because we’re located on a corner, at an angle of the streets,” he said. “But I also like the word divine, because wine is cultural, it’s religious, and it goes back to the time of Jesus Christ. I like to think people come here and feel a little of that. On the other hand, a lot of people just think my name must be Angolo.”

When I asked my friend Federico de Cesare Viola, the editor of the Italian edition of Food & Wine, how to define a Roman wine bar, he laughed. “In a way, there isn’t a definition — for Rome, almost anywhere can be a wine bar if you decide it is.” This seems to me a distinctly Italian way of defining something: driving in Italy, for instance, is simply using a vehicle to get from point A to point B; whether streets or laws or speed limits are involved is purely a personal choice. 

In that spirit, I have to add Salumeria Roscioli to my favorites list. Among other things, it has the distinction of being the only place that’s been recommended to me by both wine professionals and poets (I can’t count the number of sommeliers I know who rave about it, honestly; the poet, though, was the late Mark Strand, who got there long before any of the wine experts). 

Salumeria Roscioli exists in a nebulous realm somewhere between a shop full of amazing artisanal salumi and cheeses, a wine bar, and a full-on restaurant. (In recent years it’s also been discovered by many, many people, so definitely make a reservation well in advance.) The food is sublime, particularly the pastas: the oxtail ravioli and the cacio e pepe aren’t to be missed, but first get an order of the house-made salame rosa, an old-school version of mortadella, with pickled vegetables to snack on while you peruse wine director Maurizio Paparello’s massive, two-volume wine list. There are hundreds of choices, but if it’s in stock, snag a bottle of Stella di Campalto’s ethereal Rosso di Montalcino (or her even more alluring Brunello, if money is no object).

Twelve months had passed since that moment when, suddenly aware that our only child had left home, my wife and I sat at Il Piccolo wondering what on earth to do with ourselves. Everything was different now; and yet here we were, a family together, just the same. 

Keep in mind that there is also Rimessa Roscioli , a few blocks away (very wine-centric as well), the excellent (and endlessly Instagrammable) maritozzi pastries at the next-door Roscioli Caffè , and the family’s original bakery (source point for all this) right around the corner. Oh, and the newly opened Roscioli R-House , in Trastevere, which is essentially a one-room hotel, or a short-stay apartment, or, as this is Italy, whatever you decide to call it. Either way, it’s a totally charming non-hotel hotel option for those needing a place to sleep.

Don’t discount hotel bars while in Rome, either. First — I’ll admit it — sometimes the desire for a great cocktail wins out over the need for wine. In those instances, you’d be remiss not heading to the fairly fabulous Stravinskij Bar , in the oasis-like courtyard of the Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte Hotel. The hotel is just off the Piazza del Popolo, which typically means mobs of visitors; at Stravinskij, though, you are serenely unaware of the madding crowds, a sensation not in the least lessened by the bar’s Roman G&T, accented with celery shrub, sage, and black pepper.

But for wine, and some of the most stunning sunset views in the city, head to the Mater Terrae Bistrot Bar on top of the Bio Hotel Raphaël , a Relais & Châteaux property in the historic center where my wife and I took our daughter for a drink, a year after dropping her off at school that first summer. She was about to start her sophomore year, sharing an apartment with friends and embracing life as a student in Rome. 

As the name suggests, Bio Hotel Raphaël is focused on organic cultivation, from its vine-covered façade to the vegetarian and vegan menus and the selection of organic and biodynamic wines in the restaurant and bar. Anna Spanu, the young sommelier who runs the program, is an excellent guide. At her suggestion, we had a bottle of Sergio Mottura’s lovely Poggio della Costa white from Umbria. That was followed with a glass of an even more elusive dessert wine: Buca delle Canne, from the natural wine producer La Stoppa. With its amber sweetness, it was a fine thing to sip while looking out over the Roman rooftops.

A version of this story first appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of  Travel + Leisure  under the headline "In Vino Veritas ."

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Super cute little hole in the wall cocktail lounge in downtown Gainesville! This place just opened a few months ago, but I hope it stays open for years to come. Very small bar area with only 3-4 seats, but there is more seating in the back and outside. Good, chill music flowing through the place just like the drinks. The bartender was very nice and made terrific drinks and even offered to spice up the spicy drink more if needed, which I loved. Price point was on point, not overly expensive for a place like this, so don't let that scare you away! Can't wait to spread the word and return with more friends! Love the vibe and can't wait

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Cute little hidden wine bar in downtown Gainesville. Not much seating inside but plenty of outdoor seating. Great wine selection and decent prices. Great for date night.

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