You are looking sharp in your Neem recycled shirt, so before your reservation at a sustainable restaurant, why not indulge in a drink or two at a sustainable bar? Yes, really. Within the bar industry, words such as ‘closed-loop and ‘low-waste’ are just as important as they are in the worlds of clothing and food. With global acclaim there aren’t many cities now that don’t offer a green thinking option.
Here’s a selection of establishments to raise a conscientious glass, hopefully with a zero waste hangover.
HIMKOK, Oslo
Feel right at home in your Neem ZQ Merino T-shirt at HIMKOK - officially the world’s most sustainable bar. HIMKOK uses almost exclusively local ingredients from seaweed gathered by divers to foraged Scandinavian fruit. Not only is the bar environmentally sustainable; it’s socially sustainable too, offering pension, paid holidays and a working day no longer than 8 hours. Local sourcing is at the bar’s heart, despite the growing season in Norway being one month. Rhubarb replaces imported citrus, fruit wines are fermented from frozen strawberries and mead brewed from local honey. With its own on site distillery, HIMKOK can produce 80% of their own spirits without leaving the premises or the need to import one drop.
Nine Lives, London
A neighbourhood bar nestled in London’s Bermondsey Street that has a zero-waste policy – a perfect match for the Neem recycled shirt or biodegradable T-shirt. In their own words, ‘the name Nine Lives refers to an ethos of salvation – unveiled treasures, nothing wasted, everything lovingly sourced and selected with intention’. Amen to that.
Penicillin, Hong Kong
Founded in 2020, Penicillin is Hong Kong’s first scrap-less bar. All ingredients are recycled or up-cycled and locally sourced. The owners Agung Parbowo and Roman Gale, along with their wives Laura Parbowo and Katy Ghale, wanted to create a venue that aims to leave the Earth in a better state for their children. No food is a waste, and the most popular cocktail remains One Penicillin, ‘a climate-positive cocktail that would make Sir David Attenborough proud’. Working alongside closed-loop spirit distributors, each cocktail that is enjoyed plants a tree in Borneo as part of a huge re-forestation pledge.
Bisou, Paris
There is no menu to peruse at Parisian bar Bisou. Each cocktail is created based on the customer’s preference and the (French produce only) ingredients that are in season and in stock. Each drink is crafted to individual preferences and mood making each visit completely bespoke. Waste is minimised by dehydrating leftover ingredients for cocktail garnishes.