"Open for: Lunch, aperitivo, and dinner Price range: $$ Anyone who’s enjoyed an aperitivo lately can thank Bar Basso, an institution that helped expand quality predinner cocktails beyond the walls of sophisticated international hotels. In 1967, Mirko Stocchetto, a barman who had worked at Harry’s Bar in Venice, took over the space, at that time a neighborhood haunt. A year later, while preparing a Negroni, he accidentally swapped gin with prosecco, unintentionally creating the Negroni sbagliato (literally “wrong”), which soon became a classic cocktail and symbol of Milanese hedonism. Bar Basso remains popular with the art and fashion crowd (especially during fashion week and design week), as well as with local retirees enjoying a predinner drink. Vibe check: There’s excellent people watching from the outdoor tables, if you arrive early enough to snag one." - Elizabeth De Filippo-Jones
