Oslo is going through a natural wine / Japanese mood at the moment and Merkur is a lovely little local bar in St Hanshaugen than beautifully combines the two.

Merkur is tucked away on a residential street and the bar has a relaxed atmosphere with small groups and couples enjoying natural wines, sakes and Japanese-inspired cocktails. I can happily sit here reading for a few hours or bring some friends for good conversations over a couple of glasses of red. In particular the release of each year’s Beaujolais in November is something I try not to miss.

In terms of food, Merkur doesn’t have a kitchen but they do have a little hob behind the bar that they sometimes fire up to create a small number of dishes by guest chefs/bar staff, check out their Facebook for the latest updates.

Merkur is stylish, understated and tasteful – not the spot for a riproaring night out, but if you want to try some good wines with some locals, then Merkur is one of my favourites.