Why You Need to Visit Koze in Saltburn

Tell us how Kōzē came together.

J: I have a hospitality background and I own Signals. We had this opportunity to look if we wanted this unit that had become available and do something cool with. We’d thought for quite a while that Saltburn was lacking somewhere that did nice wine and we thought let’s do something about that.

N: We thought we’d take the unit before anyone else got it!

What was the vision behind Kōzē?

N: All the things that we like! We’ve been to lots of different places, different countries and we’ve got all of these different things that we like and wanted to recreate it ourselves. Kōzē to us means sitting and having a conversation with people, and we wanted it to have that cosy feeling.

J: It was this Mediterranean feel-good vibe we were going for. We wanted people to feel like they were on their holidays, and with us opening last summer it just felt like the perfect time.

How have you changed with the seasons?

N: We’ve really tapped into the events. We’ve done wine tasting, we’ve done autumn wreath making, we’ve done Christmas wreath making. We’ve managed to change with the seasons and have created quite a unique events space – all of our events sold out. 

Tell us about curating the wine list.

N: We work with lots of different merchants. Again it’s all the different wines that we like, and where we have been and tried a lot of wine.

J: We were very lucky as well because we had a customer called Stewart who was popping his head in while we were doing the renovations and said he had been a wine merchant for years. We actually ended up approaching him and he’s our sommelier (he likes to call himself the wine guy). We’re interested in wine anyway but it’s a real boost to have Stewart come on board. I can say I really fancy putting a sparkling Albariño on the menu and he’ll magically produce one. We get quite a lot of people asking about pét nat which is natural wine, so we’re looking to do something more natural wine-led. We do a lot of organic wine and vegan wine too.

N: There’s something for everyone and it is really cool. 

Do you have a wine that’s particularly exciting you at the moment?

J: Its got to be the Harlot sparkling English wine – it’s such a cool brand. It’s really accessible, and appeals to younger people who want to spend on something a bit nicer without breaking the bank.

N: And it’s very Instagrammable!

Do you have any top hosting tips?

N: Use really good quality charcuterie. Make sure you’re happy with what you’re getting. We’ve got customers who try things whenever we have something new in and then we get feedback – that’s how a lot of our menus and wines are decided on. If someone comes in and says “I had this bottle in the US five years ago, can you source it?” We’ll try our best.

J: Be willing to try something new. We’ve had the luxury of working with suppliers who have really good quality ingredients, and the managers are ex chefs, so they’re constantly giving good ideas and recommendations. I think for people it’s about sourcing good stuff, and not being afraid to try something different. 

What’s new for 2025?

N: We have introduced bottomless raclette on Sundays, with tickets available online for two-hour slots!