Art of Italicus Aperitivo Challenge 2025

The prize

This year's global winner will earn the coveted title of Italicus Bar Artist of the Year 2025 and embark on an exclusive mentorship programme that includes access to the most prestigious bar industry events worldwide. The winner will have the opportunity to work alongside the talented Lorenzo Antinori, from the celebrated Bar Leone in Hong Kong - ranked #1 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2024 and #2 globally. Lorenzo will use his innovative approach to help inspire and guide participants throughout the competition, with his unparalleled passion for the aperitivo culture and storytelling through cocktails.

A new way to Spritz

"The spritz, is synonymous with the aperitivo tradition and has enjoyed global popularity thanks to its light, refreshing character and versatility" says Roberta Mariani, Advocacy Director for Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto. "As appreciation for the spritz continues to grow, Italicus leads the way, championing quality, diversity and artistry in the aperitivo movement."

This year's challenge invited bartenders to innovate while honouring the timeless appeal of the spritz. Participants are encouraged to draw inspiration from any art medium, including painting, sculpture, music, architecture, or fashion to create a Spritz that embodies creativity and sophistication while demonstrating the versatility of Italicus and its distinctive bergamot essence.

National Finalists

UK
Andres Villagomez - Side Hustle/Nomad, London
Samuel Plumb - Sterling Bar, Manchester
Lorenzo Barra - Archive & Myth, London
Dionysios Tzorouchof - Twice Shy, London
Callum Lister - Common's Club, Edinburgh
Daniele Fierro - The Guards Bar & Lounge at The Raffles Hotel, London
Jelena Bulatovskaja - Sexy Fish, London
David Purkiss - Lab 22, Cardiff

USA
Kevan Ash - The Roosevelt Room, Austin
Dragan Milivojevic - Papercut, Austin
VictorUceda-Vereau - Bar Kaiju, Miami
Juan Jose Pulgarin Morales - Maple and Ash, Chicago
JasonTrevino - Double Chicken Please, New York City
Joseph Venezia - Marcelino's, Boston
Daniel Torres - Funke/Bar Funke, Beverly Hills
DavidLozano - ORO |Miami
Angel Ricardo Rodríguez Herrera - Bijou, CDMX

France
Connan Henry-Madden - Un Bar avec des Formes pour Nom, Bordeaux
Donovan Chouari - Bar 1802, Paris
Polina Kirdohlo - Bistro Renee, Nice
Miguel Teixeira - Renard Bar, Paris
Nicolas Bracq - Le Prechoir, Rouen
Anthony Teyssier - Mimo, Lyon
Lucas Nardin - Red Poppy, Paris
Archie Lees - Tribe, Courbevoie

Italy
Valerio Izzo - Shub, Sorrento
Marco Colasanti - Depero, Rieti
Vincenzo Palumbo - L'antiquario, Napoli
Nausica Vitali - Pastificio San Lorenzo, Rome
Alia Melis - Rita's Tiki Room, Milano
Edoardo Bullio - Romeo Cocktail Bar, Verona
Giorgia Fornaciari - Stravinskij Bar at Hotel De Roussie, Rome
Ivan Forcieri - Libertine |Montecatini Terme

Spain
Almudena Castro - Dr.Stravinsky, Barcelona
Cristina Raulea - Naked and Famous, Sevilla
Vincenzo Amorese - Bad Company 1920, Madrid
Ainara Fernández - Cream Coffee & Cocktail, Almeria
Maurizio Santo Carlea - Soho House, Barcelona
Lewis Kay - Two Schmucks, Barcelona
Angel García - El coleccionista, Madrid
Carlos Mendoza - Selvatico la minilla, Las Palmas De Gran Canaria

Hong Kong
Luna Fukuhara - Gokan, Central
Tsz Ting Adela Au - To Autumn, Tuen Mun
Shing Fei Lee - Dio West Kowloon, Kowloon
Harveer Singh - Champagne Bar Grand Hyatt, Wan chai
WongChung Hang Jackie, Quinary, Hong Kong
Chaser, Wai Yim Lo - Red Sugar, Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
Wing Yi Law - Ohm... Cafe and Bar, Hong Kong
Cheuk Fung Lee - Soho House, Hong Kong

Hungary
Mirjam Szabo - Tuk Tuk Bar, Budapest
Péter Gelencsér - Black Swan, Budapest
Bence Stadler - Virtu Restaurant, Budapest
Máté Főnyedi - Hotsy Totsy, Budapest
Nazif Ezer - Türkız Budapest, Budapest
Péter Kovács - Blue Fox the Bar, Budapest
Bence Németh - Higgi the Tiki, Győr
Jánoczki Ádám - Beerstro Steakhouse, Budapest

Germany
Jan Sporleder - Bar Seibert, Kassel
Chiara Dzemajlji - Toddy Tapper, Cologne
Adelina Schefferski - Hamburg
Tomislav Martinek - Nightflight Bar, München
ClaraSchoper - Zephyr Bar, München
Carsten Fuchs - Petit Frere, Köln
Dimitrios Demertzis - Bar Montez, Munich
MarioSchulz- Bar Montez, Munich

New Zealand
Jack Driver - Regent, Wellington
Eliot Youmans - Bedford Soda & Liquor, Auckland
Michael Jones - NoLoPlus, Wellington
Dewi Barbieri - Amano, Auckland
Cal Ross - Panacea, Auckland
Dayyana Dimitrova - Jacuzzi, Auckland

Wild Card
Noemi Marras - Widder Bar, Zurich

About the challenge

Launched in 2018, The Art of Italicus Aperitivo challenge celebrates the belief that bartenders are artists, offering them a platform to showcase their creativity, experiment with innovative ingredients and techniques, and the versatility of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto.

National and global finals

National Finals will take place between May and June, where eight shortlisted bartenders per country will have eight minutes to present their creations to a judging panel. Each bartender must deliver at least four consistent serves of their cocktail. Winners of the National Finals will advance with an all-expenses paid ticket to the Global Finals.

The Global Final will be held in Europe at the beginning of July (date to be confirmed), where national winners will compete to be crowned Italicus Bar Artist of the Year 2025.

Supporting U.S. charity: Another Round Another Rally

In the U.S., Italicus is proud to collaborate with Another Round Another Rally, a non-profit organisation providing support for hospitality workers through educational programming and financial aid.