FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Two of Fairhope’s most celebrated restaurants are raising a glass for a good cause this week. The Hope Farm and Little Bird are taking part in Negroni Week, the international cocktail fundraiser that runs Monday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 27, with specialty drinks that will help support Slow Food, a nonprofit devoted to food education and to policies that promote access to good, clean food.
Negroni Week Fairhope participants will be pouring a combined five specialty cocktails, three at The Hope Farm and two at Little Bird. The drinks are available throughout the week at each restaurant.
For the people behind the bar, the cause is a natural fit.
“Slow Food aligns with our goals as a restaurant,” said Lane Ezell, beverage director at The Hope Farm. “Their mission statement is they envision a world in which all people can enjoy food that’s good for them, good for those that grow it and good for the planet. So, that aligns with our vision as a restaurant.”
The Negroni Week Fairhope Cocktail Lineup
Each restaurant has created its own menu of drinks for the week. Here is where to find them:
- The Hope Farm, 915 Nichols Ave.: Fragaria Vesca, Silk Road and Hidden Banana
- Little Bird, 404 Oak Ave.: The Summer Tanager and Mother Jones
Ezell encouraged locals and visitors alike to stop in and sample the specials.
“Just come in and try,” Ezell said. “It’s for a good cause. We’ve got some really amazing cocktail specials that are going to blow you away.”
What Is Negroni Week?
Negroni Week was launched in 2013 by Imbibe magazine as a celebration of one of the world’s best-known cocktails and a way to raise money for charitable causes. Campari, the bitter Italian aperitivo that gives the drink its signature red color and bite, is a sponsor of the event.
The idea is simple. Bars and restaurants register to participate, make a charitable donation and feature classic Negronis or creative variations on the menu during the designated week in September. What started with roughly 120 participating venues has grown to thousands of bars and restaurants around the world.
According to organizers, Negroni Week has raised more than $5 million for charitable organizations since its founding.
The classic Negroni is one of the simplest cocktails to remember: equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred over ice and typically garnished with an orange peel. Its simplicity has made it a favorite canvas for bartenders, who often swap in different spirits, bitter liqueurs or seasonal ingredients to create their own versions. That creative tradition is on full display during Negroni Week, when participating bars show off their own twists on the formula.
Where the Money Goes
Since 2022, Slow Food has served as the official global giving partner of Negroni Week. Funds raised by participating bars and restaurants support Slow Food USA and Slow Food International through the Slow Food Negroni Week Fund.
The fund supports networks, individuals and programs working to strengthen local food systems, develop regenerative practices, support fair economies and advance equity in the food and beverage industry. Its recent grant programs have included:
- Education scholarships that send beverage professionals interested in sustainability to major industry gatherings such as Tales of the Cocktail, Terra Madre Americas and the Slow Wine Fair
- Innovation awards ranging from $3,000 to $10,000 for community-based projects that involve partnerships between organizations, including at least one from the beverage sector
- Slow Food exchanges that connect hospitality professionals with farmers and other producers through field experiences and networking events
Slow Food describes its mission as building a world in which all people can access and enjoy food and beverages that are good for them, good for the people who produce them and good for the planet. In the United States, the organization works through more than 100 local chapters on projects ranging from school gardens and farmers market support to food policy advocacy. Its programs include the Ark of Taste, a catalog of endangered foods and food traditions.
A Farm-to-Table Restaurant That Grows Its Own
For The Hope Farm, the Slow Food connection goes beyond the cocktail menu. The restaurant grows much of its own produce on site, and guests can see the growing spaces for themselves.
“You can actually go tour the spaces that we grow everything in,” Ezell said. “So, a lot of restaurants will say that they’re farm-to-table but, they’re sourcing from local farms and stuff, and we do that as well but this is really unique because a lot of restaurants don’t have like a space where they’re actually growing produce and things on site, where you can actually go see where your food’s coming from.”
Founded in 2020 by Robert and Bentley Evans, The Hope Farm offers indoor and outdoor seating, live music and an event venue on its Nichols Avenue property. The complex also includes The Barn, a daytime cafe serving coffee, pastries, breakfast and bistro-style lunch, and The Cellar, a wine collection of more than 400 bottles focused on natural, sustainable, organic and biodynamic wines from small producers.
A Nationally Recognized Beverage Program
The Hope Farm’s drinks have drawn national attention. In 2024, the restaurant was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category, and its beverage program has also been nominated for a Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award, one of the cocktail industry’s best-known honors.
Little Bird, the Oak Avenue restaurant operated by the same ownership group, has been collecting accolades of its own. Led by five-time James Beard semifinalist chef Bill Briand, the coastal Southern restaurant was recently named to a national list of America’s 50 best restaurants for 2026. The restaurant’s bar, the Ginny Bar, is named for Briand’s late mother and her fondness for gin martinis.
How to Take Part
Participating in Negroni Week is as easy as ordering a drink. Here is what to know:
- Dates: Monday, Sept. 21, through Sunday, Sept. 27
- The Hope Farm: 915 Nichols Ave., Fairhope; dinner service Tuesday through Sunday, with daytime hours on weekends
- Little Bird: 404 Oak Ave., downtown Fairhope; open daily for lunch and dinner
- Beneficiary: Slow Food, through the Slow Food Negroni Week Fund
Because hours can vary, guests may want to check each restaurant’s website or social media pages before visiting. Those looking for other participating bars can search the venue finder on the official Negroni Week website.
As always, guests who plan to enjoy cocktails are encouraged to drink responsibly and arrange a safe ride home.