A £50 voucher for Kilo Ziro bar had been floating around above my horizon of ‘far-off thoughts’ for some time, a constant temptation – I just needed the right excuse to dip into Digbeth and use it up!
So the eve of the Euro Final Cup, good weather and a mate wanting a catch-up in Brum was that perfect excuse I had been looking for.
Brought to you by the creators of The Clean Kilo – award winning zero waste shops, Kilo Ziro opened in Digbeth with a key focus on reducing waste and carbon footprint. It is the UK’s First Zero Waste Café Bar & Taproom serving a selection of organic, natural & biodynamic wines by the glass via the self-service ‘Wine & Fizz Refills’ tap wall – you can also fill a bottle to take home and bring it back for refill next time!
Local craft beers and ciders are available on tap via refillable stainless-steel kegs – super fresh pints whilst supporting the best of local brewers and reducing carbon miles.
The team work with Suzanne at Artisan Epicurean, a private chef in Harborne, to curate a zero waste inspired menu.
Kilo Ziro selects their producers and suppliers based on locality, sustainable ethos and quality – meaning that you will not see your average corporate brands. Expect to find a range of spirits locally distilled in the West Midlands and independent companies who champion reducing their impact on the environment such as certified carbon negative rums, gins, whiskeys.
The mindfully crafted cocktail menu uses their selected spirits combined with innovative methods of reducing waste and lowering carbon footprint. From rice paper printed passion fruits to eliminate a carbon-heavy fruit shipped across the world to be used a garnish, to reducing the amount of lemon and lime waste by experimenting with critic mixes and creating home-made flavoured syrups with leftover fruit rinds.
Locally made Afternoon Tea is also a popular choice. A collaboration with other exciting independent businesses.
It is such a fab place to sit and watch the world go by, Digbeth really is SUCH a melting pot of people right now.
We arrived around 3pm on a Saturday and the bar inside was busy. With tables and chairs outside we chose to sit in the sun. Being a Saturday, and with the high expectations of the England footie squad playing the final Sunday, as you would imagine it was a bit rowdy on the street with some passing twat trying to steal my pint, ha! A walk around central areas in Birmingham on a Saturday afternoon these days, is a slight culture shock, swarms of stag, hen and bottomless brunch parties are out getting wasted mid afternoon.
The menu was full of tasty snacks and light bites and we enjoyed a wine and cider whilst pondering over the options. It is such a fab place to sit and watch the world go by, Digbeth really is SUCH a melting pot of people right now. There was also a wedding taking place next door creating a vibrant positive vibe.
It’s worth noting Kilo Ziro is as much a foodie place as it is a bar (I’ve also caught some great live acoustic music here). The team work with Suzanne at Artisan Epicurean, a private chef in Harborne, to curate a zero waste inspired menu. All options are sourced as locally as possible by collaborating with local bakers, selecting the best of British cheese and even creating a circular economy with the local potato farmer and crisps producer.
With this in mind, we placed our order with the extremely friendly member of staff who talked us through the menu.
..star of the show was the arancini. These delicate little balls of peperonata risotto with, bread crumb and vegan aioli send your taste-buds body-popping into another world..
Items arrived the same time and first up we tried the Pulled Mushroom Bao. This is woodland mushroom and carrot flavoured with garlic & hoi sin sauce in a deliciously soft bao bun. I loved mushrooms and this was divine, packed with rich flavour.
Roasted squash falafel & tahini garnished with maple & cumin zero waste pumpkin seeds was up next and complimented the richness of the Mushroom Bao. But star of the show was the arancini. These delicate little balls of peperonata risotto with, bread crumb and vegan aioli send your taste-buds body-popping into another world, these could have been ordered three times over – 10/10 for taste. Just the very best snack imaginable.
And of course, three selected British cheese platter with olives from the Moseley Farmer’s Market, locally made basil and chilli infused rapeseed oils, served with locally baked bread was the perfect accompaniment for all the above. So good we had a goody bag to take away.
For afters we shared some local potato farmers- Just Crisps made in Staffordshire and a white chocolate topped cake. Salty, sweet and all washed down with the remnants of our drinks.
If you are yet to try Kilo Ziro, please take my advice and check out their website: https://kilozirobar.com/
It is a stunning art deco style wine & cocktail bar inside, and the team genuinely care about the products they serve, and their customers. We need more of this not just in Digbeth but in the city generally.
Will be back soon.
Words by Nick Byng for Grapevine.