Oro Bistrot: mixology becomes storytelling on the terrace of the Imperial Forums
“Back to the Bar” is the new drink list by Daniele Zandri: a journey through forgotten classics and contemporary techniques
Not just a view. Six floors above history, with a view that encompasses the Imperial Forums, the Altar of the Fatherland, and the dome of St. Peter’s, Oro Bistrot reinforces its identity as a complete gastronomic destination. Alongside the cuisine of chef Natale Giunta, it is now the cocktail bar that marks a new phase of the project, thanks to the vision of bar manager Daniele Zandri.
Oro Bistrot: Arriving in 2023 after significant experience in luxury hotels and high-end establishments, Zandri has created a mixology offering with a distinct personality: choosing Oro Bistrot not only for the view, but for what happens in the glass. A job that involves being present in the dining room, engaging with guests, and continuous creative evolution, which today finds its full expression in the new drink list.
A return to the future of mixology
The new menu is entitled “Back to the Bar” and is based on a clear idea: returning to the essence of mixed drinks. Just as in the kitchen, the power of simple dishes made with excellent ingredients is being rediscovered, so too at the bar, the future lies in reinterpreting the great classics, often forgotten, brought back to life with balance and contemporary techniques.
Zandri’s work starts with in-depth historical research covering the late 19th and mid-20th centuries: little-known recipes that are fundamental to bartending culture, tasted first in their original version and then analyzed together with the team to understand their structure and potential for evolution. This is where the modern intervention comes in: lowering the alcohol content, infusions, clarifications, and new textures, while keeping the link with the original drink intact.
The list consists of eight signature drinks, each inspired by a historic cocktail. This is the case with Brewery N.1, an evolution of Tipperary N.1 based on Irish whiskey: the original recipe is transformed into a drink that pays homage to Ireland through beer, maintaining the cultural reference but changing the structure and drinkability. Or the Stingless, a reinterpretation of the Stinger—a famous mix of cognac and crème de menthe—made smoother here thanks to an infusion of mint and tarragon and a blueberry yogurt clarification that softens the pungency evoked by the original name.
There is also a tribute to popular drinking culture, as in the Flaco, inspired by the Mexican Batanga: from a rough and strongly alcoholic cocktail, traditionally served with a knife to mix it, it becomes a more elegant and slender version, both in the glass and in taste. The story is told through a spectacular and edible detail that recalls the Mexican bartender who made it famous, transforming the drink into a true storytelling episode.
Among the most representative creations is Tenshi no Kao (“angel face”), a Japanese reinterpretation of Angel Face, a historic cocktail rarely subject to twists. A technical and cultural challenge that becomes one of the most popular drinks on the list, symbolizing Zandri’s approach: respect for the original recipe and creative freedom in its evolution.
Oro Bistrot: Aesthetics, storytelling, and a new low-alcohol culture
Each cocktail is designed not only for taste but also for aesthetics: glasses with light lines, great attention to colors, and decorations that are never invasive contribute to creating a visual experience consistent with the elegance of the setting. Even the names follow a narrative thread, playing with translations, contrasts, and ironic references that help the waiting staff transform the service into a story.
The underlying philosophy is one of more contemporary and conscious mixology, where drinkability is central. Many historic drinks were created as powerful after-dinner drinks (but balanced for the methods of the time); here they are reimagined to meet current tastes, with lighter and more harmonious structures, suitable for enjoying throughout the evening.
Great attention is also paid to the non-alcoholic offering: four drinks that apply the same creative and narrative method, inspired by historic recipes and working with tea, roots, and botanical extracts. This is a way of offering aromatic complexity and technical dignity even to those who choose not to consume alcohol, without sacrificing the cocktail bar experience.
On the terrace of the NH Collection Fori Imperiali, the Oro Bistrot bar becomes a destination within a destination: a place where the history of mixed drinks meets contemporary sensibility and transforms into a liquid narrative, to be discovered sip by sip, with Rome at your feet and a new way of looking at the past… to drink the future.
