A new Cicchetti & cocktail bar is set to open in Edinburgh’s New Town. Ciao, a stand-alone bar within Rico’s Ristorante on North Castle Street, will look to celebrate Italy’s iconic cocktail – The Negroni – as well as Italy’s more informal dining style with Cicchetti served all day with an affordable lunch menu.
The Italian cocktail has seen a renaissance thanks to a recent TikTok craze, and now the social media trend has translated into real life, with bartenders across the country making more negroni-based cocktails than ever before.
Set to open in November 2022, Ciao aims to broaden the capital’s food & cocktail scene by welcoming a new generation of drinkers. The 26-seat cocktail and cicchetti bar will be open five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday to begin, aiming to attract city centre workers, the New Town community, and international visitors.
Ciao’s lunch and light bites menu is more casual and affordable, and there will be a full bar menu available all day, giving diners more options while Rico’s serves more formal refined fine-dining Italian cuisine.
Ciao is part of young restaurant entrepreneur Stefano Pieraccini’s Rocca Group, which includes Rico’s Ristorante, The Broughton on Edinburgh’s Broughton Street, and The Seafood Ristorante in St Andrews. All three of Rocca’s restaurants are included in this year’s Michelin Guide.
Stefano Pieraccini said, “Rico’s will benefit from Ciao’s distinct identity. The bar has always been a lovely space, but it hasn’t been used to its full potential since Rico’s opened last year. With the decision and investment to give the bar area its own identity (Ciao), I believe it will add value to the space and offer something unique to the city.”