What's a Negroni Sbagliato & Where in Lubbock Can You Order It?

There's usually a trend with celebrities telling the general public what their favorite food items are and fans going nuts to try it. A recent interview with two stars from the hit HBO show House of the Dragon has left many fans hot, bothered, and genuinely thirsty.

Actor Emma D'Arcy was asked by her co-star Olivia Cooke what their drink of choice was, and the answer threw the internet into a frenzy. D'Arcy, in their soft airy voice, says "Negroni...Sbagliato...with Prosecco in it." I had not heard of this drink that Princess Rhaenyra of House Targaryen was so fond of, so I decided to see where in Lubbock I could order it. This turned into a pilgrimage.

I scoured the internet for almost two hours, calling every single (open) bar and fancy restaurant in town with no luck. I did find a few places that had Negroni, but not Negroni Sbagliato. That is, until Lady Luck herself smiled in my favor.

Rave On, the restaurant at The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts, has the ingredients to make a Negroni Sbagliato and I'm about 99 percent sure that they're the only place in all of Lubbock that can make the drink that's fit for Westeros royalty.

A Negroni Sbagliato is different from a regular Negroni in that it replaces gin with Prosecco, which is a sparkling wine. I, of course, had to give it a try to share the experience. Because I'm not much for drinking, I was able to honestly judge this drink.

I asked my new buddy Kyle, the bartender at Rave On, to make this drink and it's flavors were something that anyone could fall in love with, whether their last name be Snow or Targaryen. Amazing job, Kyle.

The drink was deep red garnished with an orange slice (you could choose an orange rind instead). I got it on the rocks. The drink was bitter, sweet, smoky, dry, with hints of citrus, which were hard to tell apart from the drink and the smell of the orange garnish. This drink is something that I could imagine a young Mrs. Claus sipping before she met Santa Claus. It has this toasty taste that slowly seduces you into drinking more.

I found that the dry taste from the vermouth and bitterness from the Campari began to blossom as the ice melted, which allowed the flavors to dance on my taste buds.

The drink is a little pricey, but when I stood up from my chair I knew that it was worth it when I felt mistress Negroni Sbagliato creep up on me trying to tell me to sit back down. It was strong.

I suggest drinking this while standing, or at least getting some food to go with it. Perhaps a steak? This drink is certainly a special one. Since I've only been able to find it at this one location in Lubbock after making dozens of calls, it's safe to say that I'll be returning to Rave On for another Negroni Sbagliato with Prosecco.

The video of Emma D'arcy and Olivia Cooke talking about the Negroni Sbagliato with Prosecco can be seen below.