Table Ten at TUCCI for a Nostalgic Negroni

Name: Count Mario Tucci Negroni
Ingredients: ice cubes; 1 oz. Campari; 1 oz. gin; 1 oz. sweet red vermouth; 1 orange peel twist; 1 oz. (a splash) Champagne

Max Tucci reflects on his father's love a Negroni in this nostalgia inspired tribute that includes a family recipe.

By Max Tucci

10:00 AM EST on March 4, 2026

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The Count Mario Negroni, garnished with orange and basil, honoring a cocktail that became part of the Tucci story.

My father loved a Negroni, and during his run at Delmonico’s, it was his cocktail of choice. In Florence, our ancestral homeland and a place rooted in our history, my family has a very rich history with Harry’s Bar. My father in his Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 convertible, white with blue racing stripes, would pull right up front to Harry’s, roof down and park right by the front door. It was an absolute magnet. Locals and tourists alike surrounded the Shelby, while my father was sipping his Negroni with his pal Leo of Harry’s.

Today, at Delmonico’s, in honor of Mario Tucci, we serve the Count Mario Negroni and Count Mario Manhattan. If Delmonico’s isn't a quick Uber away, then stay tuned, as I will soon be publishing a new book: The Delmonico Way Cocktail Book, 200th Anniversary Edition (Rizzoli New York). You will be able to recreate the legendary Delmonico’s bar at home. At TUCCI, we serve a variety of Negronis, including the "Strawberry Negroni," featuring Awayuki Strawberry Gin, Bitter Bianco, Dry Vermouth Liqueur, and Luxardo Bitter Bianco. Each Negroni will transport you from 643 Broadway to cocktail time in Italy.

Elegant dining room at TUCCI New York with red velvet drapes, round tables and chandelier lighting. — Inside TUCCI New York, where Table Ten has become a gathering place for memory, legacy and the perfect Negroni.

Table Ten at TUCCI is my favorite table. It is a special table adored by guests such as Clive Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Brenda Vaccaro, Dennis Basso, The Pasta Queen Nadia Caterina, Carson Kressley, Ashley Longshore, Harry Slatkin, Laura Geller and Wendy Williams. This is where my mother and I sit, sipping Negronis while reminiscing about the man we both loved so deeply—her beloved husband, and my babbo.

It is in these moments that a strong desire comes over me to pack my bags and fly to my villa in Firenze, "Villa TUCCI!"

Enjoy the recipe for this timeless classic, found on page 41 of my bestselling cookbook The Delmonico Way: Sublime Entertaining & Legendary Recipes from the Restaurant That Made New York (Rizzoli).

Count Mario Tucci Negroni

Recipe by Max Tucci

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Servings

servings

Ingredients

ice cubes
1 oz. 1 Campari
1 oz. 1 gin
1 oz. 1 sweet red vermouth
1 1 orange peel twist
1 oz. 1 (a splash) Champagne

Directions

Place ice cubes in a frozen balloon glass.
Pour Campari, gin, and vermouth over the ice cubes.
Garnish with the orange twist.
Add a splash of Champagne and serve, making sure to capture the gradient effect of the pour.