A new season at Morgana Cocktail Club in Taormina brings together three parallel transformations: a cocktail programme created by Bar Manager Stefano Giummarra, a new business direction and a redesigned interior inspired by symbolism and renewal.
Balancing the Classics with Contemporary Mixology
Stefano Giummarra works within one of mixology’s most delicate spaces: finding harmony between timeless classics, contemporary technique and Sicily’s native ingredients. It’s an approach that demands restraint as much as creativity, where even the smallest adjustment can tip the balance.
Morgana’s new menu embraces that challenge. Among the highlights is a Margarita made with tequila, fresh Sicilian lemon juice, orange liqueur and a raspberry salt rim. Agave spirits — one of the defining categories of today’s cocktail landscape — also take centre stage in Cocorita, a signature combining tequila, mezcal, watermelon cordial and chilli-infused honey.
Another standout is Nayra, which blends gin with elderflower liqueur, rose, cucumber and lemongrass into a bright, aromatic serve.
A New Premium Identity
Founded in 2001 by Guido Spinello and Christian Sciglio, Morgana Cocktail Club has long established itself as one of Taormina’s defining nightlife destinations.
In 2025, the venue became part of Bella Repertoire, the hospitality, entertainment and destination management company founded by the same partners. The transition marked a new phase for the bar: expanding the business while preserving the personality that made Morgana distinctive in the first place. The direction set for the 2026 season suggests that balance has remained firmly intact.
Stefano Giummarra Leads the Renaissance of Sicilian Mixology
Morgana’s evolution reflects a broader transformation taking place across Sicily. Not long ago, much of the island’s cocktail offering was driven by seasonal tourism, with menus dominated by familiar, often muddled drinks and little emphasis on craftsmanship.
Today the landscape looks very different. High-quality cocktail programmes have spread well beyond luxury hotels — including many in Taormina — into independent bars embracing modern techniques while drawing on Sicily’s remarkable biodiversity. Citrus fruits, almonds, pistachios, regional spirits and local produce have become the foundations of a more distinctive island identity.
An Octagon Looking Towards the Sky
The new season also introduces a refreshed visual identity. Red becomes the defining colour of 2026, accompanied by Alessandro Florio‘s gold-leaf décollage works and a new architectural language developed by designer Salvatore Musumeci around the octagon.
Across Arab, Norman and Christian traditions, the octagon has long symbolised the passage from the earthly to the divine, representing regeneration, renewal and transformation. It is an idea that resonates naturally with hospitality. Throughout history, moderate drinking has often been associated with conviviality, contemplation and moments of elevation — a theme found in ancient rituals as well as in the writings of celebrated cocktail author Charles H. Baker Jr., whose The Gentleman’s Companion remains a landmark of drinks literature.
Whether or not Stefano Giummarra‘s cocktails inspire moments of revelation is for guests to decide. They certainly offer a compelling new way to experience one of Sicily’s longest-standing cocktail destinations.
Images courtesy of Bella Repertoire
