Rome’s grand terraces learned long ago that a view alone is no longer enough. At Il Giardino Bar at Hotel Eden, which opened in 1889 and is now part of Dorchester Collection, the panorama remains a compelling reason to head to the sixth floor. This season, though, the real news is on the menu. “Roma nel Tempo”, the new cocktail list by BarManager Flavio Specchioli, traces pivotal moments in the capital’s history through seven drinks, translating more than a century of Roman events and landmarks into liquid form.
Roma nel Tempo and the Signature Cocktails Inspired by the Eternal City
“L’Alba di Pietra”, inspired by the Breach of Porta Pia, builds its robust structure around a whisky blend and single malt, red vermouth and alcoholic extracts of calisaya cinchona bark. “Sun… Set!”, celebrating Rome’s establishment as the capital of Italy, brings together gin, maraschino liqueur, sherry and fake lime, topped with a grapefruit soda whose hues evoke the colors of sunset. “Eden Lumina”, dedicated to the year the hotel opened, takes a softer, more celebratory turn. Vodka meets Bourbon vanilla, passion fruit liqueur and nectar, and yogurt, with Champagne providing the finishing lift.
The mood shifts with the cocktails devoted to 20th-century Rome. The signature “La Grande Bellezza”, for instance, captures the colors of a Roman sunset through a tamarind-infused rosé aperitif, paired with mezcal and a few dashes of mandarin bitters.
Giardino Bar’s Food Menu
Alongside the signatures are new alcohol-free drinks, a wine selection and a food menu spanning tapas, caviar, raw seafood, small pizzas and focaccia, designed to carry guests from aperitivo through the late evening. After all, a place called Eden comes with certain expectations. The view still plays its part, but the new menu suggests that paradise can also come in a glass.
The article first appeared on Coqtail – for fine drinkers. Order your copy here
In partnership with Hotel Eden
Images courtesy Hotel Eden
