1 hour, 5-6pm
Before the evening service, at the bar of the 17th-century vaulted cellar.
Masterclass · Old Nice
Cocktail masterclass with Marco Stella
One hour behind the bar of our vaulted cellar with Marco Stella, a bartender whose career runs from the Mandarin Bar in London to the Anantara Plaza Nice and Maona Monte-Carlo. You make 2 of his creations at his side; a third is served by Marco to finish.
5pm sharp, for one hour. Book and pay at least 48 hours ahead; free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
In Italian, French or English.
Masterclass with Marco Stella
3 to 10 people
Your group alone up to 10, or two small groups of up to 3. Minimum €360 (3 people).
€120 per person
Includes the 2 creations you make, all ingredients, the creation Marco serves to finish, and his hosting.
Italian, French or English
Marco hosts in your group's language: tell us which by replying to the confirmation email.
Marco Stella
Originally from Puglia, Marco Stella learned the trade at hotel school, then behind bars in London, Barcelona and Hong Kong, before settling on the French Riviera. Today he is an independent bar consultant in Nice: cocktail menus, staff training, masterclasses and private events.
He also judges at the London Spirits Competition, where panels of trade professionals blind-taste spirits (2020 and 2022 to 2025 editions).
Follow Marco on Instagram (@marco.stella.bar)
London · 2014-2020 — Mandarin Bar, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
Bartender, then head bartender of the bar of this Knightsbridge hotel, open since 1902 on Hyde Park, in a setting by Adam D. Tihany. In 2019 the Mandarin Bar's menu was one of the six finalists for the "Hotel Drinks List of the Year" award of the British trade magazine Imbibe. In 2019 and 2020 Marco also sat on the blind-tasting panels of the trade magazine The Spirits Business.
Barcelona · 2016-2018 — Marea Baja, then Old Fashioned
Head bartender of Marea Baja, the bar opened in autumn 2016 on the 23rd floor of the Colón tower, at the foot of La Rambla, below chef Enrique Valentí's Marea Alta restaurant. Then senior bartender at Old Fashioned, a small cocktail bar opened at the end of 2012 on Carrer de Santa Teresa, in Gràcia, by two bartenders, Luca and Bruno.
Hong Kong · 2018 — PDT Hong Kong
PDT Hong Kong opened in January 2018 on the mezzanine of The Landmark Mandarin Oriental: twenty-five seats and a phone-booth entrance, the first permanent outpost of the New York bar PDT (Please Don't Tell), No. 1 on The World's 50 Best Bars list in 2011. Marco spent four months there in 2018, the year PDT Hong Kong was named best hotel bar at the Bar Awards Hong Kong and Macau, then at the Time Out Hong Kong Bar Awards.
Nice · 2020-2022 — Miamici, Holiday Inn Nice
Head bartender of Miamici, the trattoria and cocktail bar opened in 2019 at the foot of the Holiday Inn Nice, on boulevard Victor-Hugo, with a terrace planted with orange and lemon trees.
Nice · 2022-2023 — Anantara Plaza Nice
The former Hôtel Plaza, on avenue de Verdun facing the Jardin Albert-Ier, reopened in December 2022 after four years of works: a five-star hotel, the first Anantara in France. Head bartender at the reopening, Marco wrote its "Voyage Anantara" menu, a dozen cocktails drawn from his travels, from Bangkok to Nice, served at the rooftop bar facing the Baie des Anges.
Monte-Carlo · 2023-2024 — Maona Monte-Carlo
The Société des Bains de Mer opened Maona in July 2023 in the cove of the Monte-Carlo Beach, an Art Deco hotel from 1929: it takes the name of a club opened there in 1962, and in the evening an open-air cabaret recalls the Riviera of the 1960s. Head bartender of its Bar Sauvage in 2024, Marco created the Mauresco there with Giancarlo Mancino, vermouth maker and the SBM's drinks consultant for Maona.
Nice · since 2024 — Independent bar consultant
Cocktail menus, staff training, bar openings, masterclasses and private events.
How the hour unfolds
Marco welcomes you behind the bar and guides you step by step. No lecture: the shaker is in your hands within the first minutes.
Two of his creations
You make 2 of Marco's cocktails yourself, chosen by him from his creations. Each comes in an alcohol-free version on request.
A bartender's technique
Shaking, stirring, measuring, ice: what he practiced from London to Monte-Carlo, shown one move at a time.
How a creation is built
The starting idea, the balance of flavors, the house-made preparations behind it: how a recipe takes shape.
A creation served by Marco
To finish, Marco serves you one of his creations, included in the price. You are welcome to stay for the evening service.
Price and booking
Dates open until October 31.
One price per person, paid when you book, at least 48 hours ahead. The masterclass takes the cellar's 5pm slot: a day booked for it does not host the house workshop.
2 of Marco Stella's creations you make yourself · 1 creation served by Marco to finish · All ingredients · Professional glassware · Hosting by Marco, in Italian, French or English
Secure online payment with Stripe. You immediately receive a confirmation email with the date, time and address. Every booking covers at least 3 people, so the masterclass is confirmed as soon as you pay.
In the press
Some articles are for the newspaper's subscribers only.
Nice-Matin, 2023 — “Marco Stella artiste du shaker”
Profile, from his time at the Anantara Plaza Nice
Nice-Matin, 2023 — “Le Mauresco de Marco Stella au Maona Monte-Carlo”
The Mauresco, created at Maona with Giancarlo Mancino
Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, 2024
Press release on Maona's reopening, introducing its head bartender
Yonder.fr, 2023
The reopening of the Anantara Plaza Nice and its "Voyage Anantara" menu
Difford's Guide, 2020
The "Bartenders at home" series, with the Mandarin Bar in London
Frequently asked questions
What language is the masterclass in?
Italian, French or English: Marco hosts the hour in your group's language. Tell us which by replying to the confirmation email.
How is it different from the house mixology workshop?
The house workshop, at €50 per person, is led by a bartender from our team, in French or English, and is booked 24 hours ahead. The masterclass, at €120 per person, is led by Marco Stella with his own creations, in Italian, French or English, and is booked 48 hours ahead. Both last one hour, at 5pm, for 3 to 10 people, and end with a creation served at the bar.
Is there an alcohol-free version?
Yes, on request: each of the 2 creations can be made without alcohol. Let us know by replying to the confirmation email, or write to us before the date.
Can I cancel or change my booking?
Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before the masterclass (full refund). Between 48 and 24 hours, you receive a credit valid for 3 months. Less than 24 hours before, or for a no-show, nothing is refunded, but we can reschedule in case of force majeure (documented illness).
When does the masterclass take place?
At 5pm on the days the bar is open, on the dates open in the booking calendar, at least 48 hours ahead. Further dates will be announced on this page.
Allergies or intolerances: are they taken into account?
Yes, if you tell us before the masterclass by replying to the confirmation email: food allergy, pregnancy, intolerance. The recipes are then adapted, at no extra cost.
Contact
The house mixology workshop, €50
Cocktail class 5-6 pm in a vaulted cellar, Old Nice: mix 2 cocktails, one house creation served at 6 pm. €50 each, 3 to 10, daily, confirmed on payment.
Cocktail menu in Nice
House creations, great classics and alcohol-free cocktails, served beneath the vault of a 17th-century cellar in the heart of Nice's Old Town.
Dirty Martini in Nice
Gin or French vodka, olive brine and three Lucques olives (a green olive from the south of France), with or without dry vermouth.
EVG & EVJF (bachelor/bachelorette) in Nice
One address for bachelor and bachelorette parties alike: a 17th-century vaulted cellar at 16 rue Benoît Bunico. You'll find the house creations and the evening's program (karaoke, drag show, jam session), and the cellar can be booked privately. No set package, no humiliating dares: you set the tone, we look after the setting and the cocktails.
More to explore
Bachelorette, Hen & Stag Parties in Nice
Hen or stag party in Nice: reserved table for up to 20 in a 17th-century cellar, karaoke, house creations; up to 50 on private hire.
Birthday in Nice
Celebrate your 30th, 40th or 50th in a vaulted cellar in Old Nice: a table for up to 20 or the private cellar up to 50, karaoke some nights, cake welcome.
Team building in Nice
Team building in Nice, 17th-century cellar: cocktail workshop, music quiz, karaoke, drag show on quote. Private hire on a minimum spend, VAT invoice.
Afterwork in Nice
Team afterwork in Nice, 17th-century cellar: reserved table for up to 20, or private hire on a minimum spend. House creations, live music.
Private cocktail bar hire in Nice
Private-hire Les Folies in Old Nice: vaulted cellar or the whole venue, on a minimum spend, up to 50 guests. We reply within 24 hours.
Event venue in Nice
Venue for workshops, talks, theater, acoustic concerts, exhibitions and ticketed events in Nice. Comfortable seated cellar capacity up to 35 guests.
Mixology Workshop in Nice
Cocktail class 5-6 pm in a vaulted cellar, Old Nice: mix 2 cocktails, one house creation served at 6 pm. €50 each, 3 to 10, daily, confirmed on payment.
Alone in Nice Tonight? Play Cards with Locals
Alone in Nice tonight? Come from 6 pm to play cards with locals at Les Folies d'Edmonde, then stay for the night's program. Vaulted cellar, no cover.
Valentine's Day in Nice
Valentine's Day in Nice, in a 17th-century cellar: a table for two beneath the vault, low light and quiet music. Free bookings open in January.
Halloween Night in Nice
Halloween in Nice Old Town: drag, horror cabaret and themed DJ sets every year around 31 October, in a 17th-century cellar. Dates and booking online.
New Year's Eve in Nice
New Year's Eve in Nice in a 17th-century cellar: DJ, midnight countdown and house creations. Table for up to 20, or private hire.
Nice Old Town nightlife
Nice Old Town after 6 pm: the alleys, the local bars, where to eat, then a cocktail bar with karaoke and live music until 12:30 am. Not a nightclub.
Cocktail bars on the French Riviera
Cocktails on the French Riviera: a 17th-century cellar in Nice Old Town, 20 min from Monaco and Cannes. House creations, karaoke, live music, open nightly.
Best Bars in Nice
Five bars in Nice, from the Old Town to the Port, by what you're after: cocktails, wine, beer, live music or a lively night. A guide by a local bar.
Music Trivia in Nice
Music trivia in Nice in an Old Town cellar: name the song or artist a DJ plays. Three rounds, prizes to win, weekly: the date is on the events page.
Stand-up Comedy in Nice
Stand-up Nights at Les Folies d'Edmonde: a comedy night once a month in a Nice Old Town cellar, five to six local comedians, in French. Tickets online.
What to Do in Nice When It Rains
Rainy day in Nice? Find indoor activities, an Old Town itinerary, then cocktails, mocktails and events in a vaulted cellar from 6pm.
Karaoke in Nice
Karaoke on stage in a 17th-century cellar, Nice Old Town. Several nights a week from 8:30 pm, with a host, no fixed night. Dates and booking online.
Drag show in Nice
Drag show in Nice at Les Folies d'Edmonde: two nights a month with drag bingo, singing, lip-sync, real dance shows and an LGBT-friendly cellar.
Cocktail Bar in Nice (Old Town)
Cocktail bar in Nice Old Town: vaulted cellar, house creations, classics, French and Riviera spirits, themed nights and private hire.
Small Wedding Nice
Hire a 17th-century cellar for your intimate wedding in Nice: up to 50 guests, minimum spend, no room fee, late closing available. Reply within 24 hours.
Dirty Martini in Nice, France
Dirty Martini in Old Town Nice, France: gin or French vodka, olive brine, 3 Lucques olives, extra dirty on request. €14–19. Open daily, 6pm–12:30am.
Practical info
Address
16 rue Benoît Bunico, 06300 Nice, France
Hours
Every day: 6:00 pm – 12:30 am
Payment methods
Cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro), contactless, Apple Pay, Google Pay, cash