Pizza and cocktails, perfectly paired – the concept at Dry Milano is both deceptively simple and brilliantly executed. These two delicious elements are no doubt the stars of the show, but there’s much more to this contemporary Italian bar, from the faultless Italian hospitality to the cool interior design, and much more besides.

The experience in this bustling bar is impeccable, starting with Leccino olives and homemade tomato bread chips on arrival, leading to that harmonious coming together of next-level pizza and perfectly-matched drinks, all accompanied by a chilled house music soundtrack.

The setting is both industrial and minimalist, yet unerringly classy, with communal brass tables – custom-made for the venue – that leads to interaction between guests. A rotating exhibition of artwork changes every three months, and there are video projections on the walls. There are outdoor tables too, with heating lamps for chillier evenings.

Inside, Neapolitan-style pizzas, based on authentic Italian recipes, are cooked in a traditional Naples wood-fired oven. To pair with these, the signature cocktails here are all low in alcohol, and low in sugar too, allowing them to enhance the pizza without overwhelming it. The cocktail selection changes seasonally, and draws on the bar’s organic garden in Parco del Ticino. With sustainability in mind, ingredients are also made from produce from the kitchen that would otherwise have gone to waste. And while there’s a healthy respect for tradition here, the approach to cocktail creation is decidedly forward thinking, with a variety of cutting-edge techniques and equipment in use.

An emphasis on inclusive hiring practices has led to a team that’s diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity – most of the managerial positions are held by women from outside of Italy. The ethos here is embodied by the colour of the LEDs used in the bathrooms – pink for men and blue for women. Dry Milano is involved in a number of initiatives such as the Animenta Project dealing with eating disorders and a cocktail dedicated to Ada Coleman, once head bartender at the Savoy, helps to raise money for Donnexstrada, which is focused on gender violence.

The team is supported in a variety of ways, from ongoing training, to rewards such as concert tickets, aimed at building community among the staff. For industry events, the team often attend together, at the company’s expense. The bar itself has been designed with the physical wellbeing of staff in mind, and a psychologist is available to the team should they require it.