The latest drink list at Rita Cocktails in Milan pays tribute to Italian design from the second half of the twentieth century. Called Rita Design Collection, it features 19 cocktails inspired by the work of Bruno Munari, Ettore Sottsass, Achille Castiglioni, Gaetano Pesce, Franco Moschino, Vico Magistretti and others.
Rita Design Collection, the New Drink List at Rita Cocktails
Founded on 12 December 2002, Rita Cocktails has long been one of Milan’s benchmarks for quality drinking. And when you hold a position like that, updating a menu can’t be a routine exercise. It calls for ambition, substance and creativity. Rita Design Collection was born from exactly that mindset. Its inspiration comes from a completely different field — design — yet one that shares those same guiding principles.
The new drink list also carves out space for a theme that’s become increasingly relevant: non-alcoholic options. They’re named after modes of transportation — a nod to the idea that you shouldn’t drive after drinking. There’s Graziella, after the bicycle designed by Rinaldo Donzelli, and 250GTO, a reference to Enzo Ferrari’s legendary Ferrari.
What to Drink with the Rita Design Collection
Take Arco, named after the lamp designed by Pier Giacomo and Achille Castiglioni and presented in 1962. The cocktail blends whisky, tequila, jasmine syrup, elderflower liqueur and pear. The garnish is a candy shaped like an arch.
Ultrafragola is the mirror created by Ettore Sottsass for the third edition of Eurodomus in 1970. The drink bearing its name combines two different strawberry textures with vodka and cream. It presents a range of colors, echoing Sottsass’s mirror, and is ideal for those who enjoy a soft, moderately alcoholic drink.
On the non-alcoholic side, there’s 250GTO. Its name recalls the Ferrari 250 GTO, designed by Enzo Ferrari for the International Gran Turismo Championship and unveiled in 1962. The cocktail leans into the iconic red tone through non-alcoholic red vermouth, joined by cinnamon syrup, aquafaba, yuzu juice and grapefruit.
A Dialogue Between Cocktails and Design Objects
“We wanted to tell the story of our drinks through elements and objects already familiar to our guests—pieces that carry positive memories or personal associations. Turning to the signatures of Italian and Milanese design came almost naturally and gave us both inspiration and a framework for developing each recipe. We studied dozens of works from those years, not only from design but also from fashion and automotive,” says Andrea Arcaini, Bar Manager of the Rita Group.
“We built a cocktail for each one, starting from the name and connecting context, technique, glassware and garnish. The liquid was conceived to let the object and the drink speak to one another.” In Rita Cocktails’ vision, the drink list itself “is a small design object.” The photography and editing are by Luca Meneghel, while Cecilia De Conti handled the texts, illustrations and graphic design.
Images courtesy of Rita Cocktails
