One of our favorite bars in Rome is a five-minute walk from the apartment. The Gin Corner, Rome’s first “gin joint,” opened in 2013. During the pandemic, Hotel Adriano, which houses The Gin Corner, decided to do some renovations, so it did not reopen until after Italy lifted the lock down. We waited for The Gin Corner to reopen. And then we waited some more. When we emailed the proprietors in mid-2023, they politely responded that it would reopen at the end of the year. 2023 came and went, however; so did 2024.

Fast forward to May 2025. We’re walking down a street (not The Gin Corner’s), on a mission to acquire light bulbs. Unexpectedly, there was a **NEW** The Gin Corner. It looked gorgeous inside!

That evening, we headed straight for The Gin Corner. Turns out, it had just opened a few weeks earlier. And, it’s great. Every bit as good as the prior iteration, as well as larger, airier, more elegant, and entirely inviting.

We settled into a plush couch and ordered G&Ts… and breathed a sigh of happiness that The Gin Corner was back.

The evening we visited happened to also be a special event for the establishment, to which we were quickly invited by the staff. A talented bartender, the amiable Mauro Mahjoub, was hosting a Negroni tasting. Of course, we had to stay and try them!

Mr. Mahjoub was a superb host, an enthralling storyteller, and an engaging personality. He stopped and spoke with all the guests, making sure everyone felt special and taken care of. And his Negroni recipes were innovative and delicious.

The Gin Corner apparently also has a new panoramic terrace/rooftop bar. We did not get to visit it that evening. That will have to wait. But, having waited 5 years for The Gin Corner to reopen, we can definitely wait a little while to try out the terrace!

As it says on their website, “the gin love story continues.” Well, so does our affection for The Gin Corner.