Loki is one of Birmingham’s real treasures. Essentially a wine merchant where you can also enjoy a few drinks, it has gained recognition outside the city with plaudits from both the wine industry and the national news media.
The owner, Phil Innes, is a true wine expert and is almost always around to offer advice. What makes Loki special beyond simply selling wine by the bottle is that it also allows self-service tasting and sampling by the glass. This is done with the help of dispensing machines and a Loki card, which can be topped up with cash and spent on whichever drinks you choose.
But don’t expect cheap plonk – these are luxury vending machines. Each machine – one for white, one for red and one for rose – is loaded with a selection of quality wines. Peruse the descriptions, decide what to sample and pop your card in to be served a glass (£4 on average).
The downstairs is small and intimate, with bottle-lined shelves along the walls, while upstairs there’s seating room with views of the Victorian Great Western Arcade.