📷 2
Photos
Shot by a City Insiders curator.
Nottingham Forest
★ 4.0(1 review)Bar
quirkyintimatetheatrical
About the Vibe
Nottingham Forest is the kind of place that makes you feel like you've stumbled into a mad scientist's tropical living room — red walls, trailing plants, and curiosities from the owner's travels crammed into a tiny space on Viale Piave. Since 1970, this has been one of Milan's most beloved cocktail institutions, and the team behind the bar are genuine pioneers of molecular mixology. The menu runs over 100 drinks deep, all at a flat €14, and the presentations are theatrical without being silly — we're talking cocktails served in miniature bathtubs with rubber ducks, in flower pots, and in boxes that open like gifts.
Why it's worth it
Over 100 theatrical cocktails at a flat €14 — served in bathtubs, flower pots, and boxes — in a tiny red-walled tropical hideaway since 1970.
Highlights
theatrical cocktailsflat €14 pricingmolecular mixologysince 1970
Before you go
Arrive before 8pm on weekends to skip the queue — the space is tiny and there are no reservations. Groups of more than four will struggle to fit.
Known For
- •Theatrical cocktail presentations (Bathtub with rubber duck)
- •Over 100 cocktails at flat €14 pricing
- •Molecular mixology pioneered by owner Dario Comini
- •Tropical hideaway decor with travel artifacts
Best For
date nightcocktail enthusiastssmall groups (max 4)
1 review
City InsidersEditorialMarch 30, 2026
Milan's Quirky Cocktail Legend
Nottingham Forest has been pushing the boundaries of cocktail culture in Milan since 1970, long before "mixology" became a buzzword. The moment you push through the door on Viale Piave, you're swallowed by a tiny, dimly lit space dripping with character — deep red walls, lush greenery, and shelves cluttered with oddities the owner has collected from decades of travel. It feels less like a bar and more like the inside of someone's eccentric imagination. The space is genuinely small, so you'll likely queue on weekends, but that's part of the ritual.
The cocktail menu is enormous — over 100 options, all priced at a reasonable €14 — and this is where Nottingham Forest truly shines. The drinks are theatrical without crossing into gimmick territory. The "Bathtub" arrives in a miniature tub with bubbles and a rubber duck; others come in flower pots, paper cups, or wooden boxes that you open like a present. The bartenders, led by owner Dario Comini, are among the pioneers who introduced molecular mixology techniques to the international scene, and you can taste the precision behind the showmanship.
A few practical notes: there are no reservations, so arriving early on weekends is smart. Groups larger than four will genuinely struggle — the space simply can't accommodate them. Come with one or two friends, order something you've never seen before, and let the bartenders do their thing. This is a place that earns its legend status.
Lire en français
Le Nottingham Forest fait partie de ces adresses milanaises qui ont façonné la culture cocktail bien avant que la « mixologie » ne devienne à la mode. Dès que vous franchissez la porte du Viale Piave, vous êtes happé par un espace minuscule, tamisé, saturé de caractère : murs rouge profond, plantes verdoyantes et étagères chargées d'objets hétéroclites rapportés des voyages du propriétaire. On se croirait davantage dans l'esprit déjanté de quelqu'un que dans un bar à proprement parler. L'endroit est vraiment petit, alors attendez-vous à faire la queue le week-end, mais ça fait partie du rituel.
La carte est colossale — plus de 100 cocktails, tous à 14 euros — et c'est là que le Nottingham Forest se distingue. Les boissons sont théâtrales sans tomber dans le gadget. Le « Bathtub » arrive dans une baignoire miniature avec bulles et canard en caoutchouc ; d'autres sont servis dans des pots de fleurs, des gobelets en papier ou des boîtes en bois à ouvrir comme un cadeau. Les bartenders, menés par le propriétaire Dario Comini, comptent parmi les pionniers qui ont introduit les techniques de mixologie moléculaire sur la scène internationale, et ça se sent dans la précision derrière le spectacle.
Quelques conseils pratiques : pas de réservation, donc arrivez tôt le week-end. Les groupes de plus de quatre personnes auront vraiment du mal à se faire une place — l'espace ne le permet tout simplement pas. Venez à deux ou trois, commandez quelque chose que vous n'avez jamais vu, et laissez les bartenders faire leur magie. C'est un endroit qui mérite amplement son statut de légende.