I went to the Nottingham Forest bar in Milan — this is what it’s actually like
The bar serves quirky cocktails and doesn't have a Forest flag in sight...
I went to Milan for a few days on holiday, and while I was there I couldn’t resist going to the famous Nottingham Forest bar.
I’ve delved into how I found the bar in terms of atmosphere and the cocktails it served. It is actually an incredible bar with quirky drinks galore.
While this isn’t a Nottingham cocktail bar, if you are a local abroad in Italy, I highly recommend visiting. For more food features and guides, subscribe to The Notts Edit to receive our articles in your inbox for free.
I went to the quirky Nottingham Forest cocktail bar in Milan
Words and photos by Eve Smallman
I hadn’t planned my trip to Milan just to go to the Nottingham Forest bar — in fact, it was only after booking that I remembered that it existed. I had seen pictures of it on social media, as it’s named after the city’s Premier League football club. However, those pictures only showed it during the day, while most bars in Milan come alive at night.
When I arrived, I was surprised to find that it is a cosy bar that is like Aladdin’s cave inside. It was decked out in tropical plants, natural textures, and sumptuous seating — not a Forest flag in sight.
It turns out that this isn’t actually named after the football club — The Athletic interviewed the bar owner Dario Comini, and he said it’s named after a bar on the island of Antigua, which specialised in rum. Dario was inspired to bring this concept to Milan — and so Nottingham Forest was born. That being said, he did tell The Athletic he often gets merch from Forest fans (we didn’t bring any with us, unfortunately!).
We sat outside as the inside was absolutely heaving, and queues of people lined up to go inside as the night went on. Clearly it was popular with locals and tourists alike. And, after seeing the menu and trying the cocktails myself, I understood why it was so popular.
First of all, the menu was absolutely packed with different cocktails. I would say there were at least 100 different ones on the menu, including ones with different varieties. Each one was 14 euros, which I thought was a reasonable price considering just how much work went into each one.
My partner Sam and I had two drinks each — I mean why would we stop at one after making the trip to the Nottingham Forest bar? There was a Nottingham double made with gin, aperol, and bitters, but I decided to be a little more adventurous.
I had one that came in a bath tub, complete with bubbles and an adorable little duck. It was a lot of liquid, and tasted slightly herbally and florally — exactly how you’d expect a delicious bath to taste. Sam went for the Colombo (named after the TV detective), which came complete with a chocolate cigar and was served under a very Instagrammable glass cloche.
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For seconds, I saw a group of people with tea cup cocktails, and decided I’d have a little English nod too — so I (un)subtly gestured and made a mental note to swot up on Duolingo for my next trip abroad. This was fruity and delicious, and it even came with a little black thong — I didn’t take this back with me, as I didn’t know where it had been! Meanwhile, Sam had the leave for Milan which included gin, vermouth, and a rhubarb foam.
Whether you’re a Nottingham Forest fan or not, the Nottingham Forest cocktail bar is worth making the trip to if you are in the area. There is a cocktail for everyone, the interior is cosy and inviting, and you’ll get to take a cool photo. What more could you ask for?
While we were in Milan, we also visited Herbert Kilpin at his resting place at Milan’s Famedio, which is a tomb in the Cimitero Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) where Milan’s most influential and significant people are buried.
There was something very moving about having both seen his humble birthplace on Mansfield Road and seeing his grand place of rest. Kilpin was the founder of AC Milan and very much founded Italian football. Sam wrote a piece about Kilpin, which has more information about him.
Herbert Kilpin was a founding father of Italian football — and he was born on Mansfield Road in Nottingham
Nottingham’s sporting history is filled with heritage and legends — but did you know that a key father of Italian football is from our fair city?
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