Napier’s hospitality venues are putting the Negroni centre stage this September, with 18 bars and restaurants across the CBD and Ahuriri taking part in Napier Negroni Week.
Running from 21 to 27 September 2026, the event will feature more than 30 variations on the classic cocktail and will culminate in a street party on 27 September.
Hosted by Napier City Business Association, the event has been timed to coincide with International Negroni Week, the Campari-led global celebration of the cocktail.
Napier City Business Inc General Manager Pip Thompson said the number of participating venues had grown, giving visitors plenty to work through across the week.
“As Anthony Bourdain said, it’s the perfect drink, but it can hit you like a freight train,” Thompson said.
“We are thrilled at the number of entries this year, but they certainly should not all be imbibed on one night. Take the week, take it easy, sip slowly and enjoy.”
The judging panel from the 2025 event will also return, with winemakers Gordon Russell and Amy Hopkinson-Styles assessing entries across Classic and Riff categories.
Hastings Street bar and tap room Rogue Hop will be one of the venues to beat after taking out last year’s Classic Negroni category. Its winning drink used spirits from local producer Hastings Distillers and was recognised by judges for its balance, presentation and temperature.
Italian eateries Casa and Vinci’s shared first place in the Negroni Riff category. Casa entered a Dessert Negroni incorporating cherry juice, while Vinci’s presented a White Negroni.
Russell said judging extended beyond what was in the glass.
“Each entry needs to perfect its texture, its balance and its taste,” said Russell.
He said the overall venue experience also mattered, including the welcome, service, atmosphere and music.
“Those are the elements that encourage people to get out and into our venues here in Napier.”
That broader hospitality focus is part of what organisers are trying to build around the event. Rather than concentrating activity around a single venue, Napier Negroni Week gives participating operators a shared reason to encourage customers to move around the city and try different bars, restaurants and styles of Negroni.
A digital and printed map will guide customers through participating wine bars, cocktail bars, pubs and fine dining restaurants.
Organisers are also linking the cocktail event back to Napier’s established Art Deco identity.
“For decades, people have flocked to our stunning Art Deco festival and admired our deco history and architecture. But what people sometimes forget is that cocktails were connected to this time period too. You might step out to go to a dance, listen to jazz, and enjoy a cocktail or two,” said Thompson.
The event gives Napier operators another opportunity to build hospitality traffic around a recognised international occasion while giving the city a local point of difference.
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