Quirky Ziferblat

A few weeks ago, we found an interesting hangout place. One where you could eat as much cereal any time of the day without being judged, drink as much tea or coffee your bladder can handle and play board games to release your inner competitive side (or the inner kid in you). A concept originating from Moscow, Ziferblat: where "everything is free, except the time you spend" 

Japanese food for lunch (not Ziferblat)

A friend and I decided to meet up in MCR town to eat at a restaurant, chill and do some shopping. The initial plan was to actually start a project, but due to the weather and the time constraints, we had to postpone our 'project'. I also bumped into another friend and us three spent the majority of the day together around Manchester.

I'd say it was a half-spontaneous day, as my friend and I decided to walk around town and look for a good place to sit, talk and chill. We headed for the Northern Quarter. When in MCR, one must go to the place filled with vintage shops, quirky cafés and the occasional collectors stores, from vinyl records to comics. It is a place where old meets new and classic meets edgy. From the entrance of Ziferblat, it instantly made me turn my head and walk back. Quite literally actually. The unusual front view with the dark colours and bright bunting displayed at the top, definitely stood out as it contrasted against the other venues on the same street. The usual people to be seen through glass windows, sitting and chatting in twos or in groups were absent in this particular location.

The typewriter font of the signs, the interesting graphic and the handwritten 'schedule of the week' were already early signs of something rather different. You also have to press a button to be 'buzzed' in.

Entering through the glass door, my friend and I came across a Welcoming elevator.

Ziferblat is a concept originating from Moscow, Russia, founded by Ivan Meetin in 2011. The idea was to create a space for freeminded people to relax or to express their interests. It's not a café, it's more of 'chill place'.

"Everything is free inside; Except for the time you spend"

As what their moto says, everything inside is literally free in terms of food and drink. You simply pay for the time you spend there, in minutes. Think of it as like you are hiring space. Edge Street Ziferblat charges 6 p per minute.

Walking inside, you get an overview of the layout and instantly see the sofas. Some elaborately patterned and some in plain leather. We were greeted by the hosts and they laughed at us because they were looking through the monitor and wondering why my friend and I spent ages at the front. We were trying to figure it out OK? 

It is an open plan room filled with sofas and armchairs scattered around the place, thus giving a relaxed but collective feel to it. On the side is a long table with a selection of various snacks, which I believe to vary depending on what the hosts bring or what they have, such as biscuits, chocolate bars, brownies, cakes and fruits. There is a coffee machine that serves black coffee, latte, espresso and cappuccino, which is "heaven" for coffee addicts who need their top up of caffeine, as quoted by a coffee addict friend. There are also tea bags and cute teacups, thus you are able to have unlimited tea and coffee. To the side of that, there are jars of cereals, which means you can have a bowl of Coco Pops anytime of the day without anyone judging you. At least, that's what I did and felt. The fridge had the basics, such as milk, squash, butter, yogurt and fizzy drinks. 

It is basically like home. You take what you feel like having and then you can either relax, read a book or play some board games - you can even use the space to study! There is also a table for playing chess, a piano and you can bring in your own vinyls to play music. Moreover, there is a place specially put together for meeting and talking to new people and other places for a nice chat with a friend. Then you can come back for more snacks! That sounds like a great plan, doesn't it? What is more is that, numerous activities take place in Ziferblat throughout each day of the week. The schedule is written on the front display of the outside entrance and on one of the boards in the main room. Activities such as: open mic night, crafts, guitar lessons, etc. so this is definitely something you may want to consider trying out if you live near Manchester or if you happen to be on time for one of the sessions.

Au revoir.

I enjoyed this quirky find. Nowadays, people are always looking for something new or something that is different from the mass norm. People like to go to places with character or a place where they can really be themselves. "Different" is what people want and that is what Ziferblat offers. From the small touches of nostalgic board games to the books scattered around, it really is something one considers to be "Quirky". It is not different in terms of what it actually offers and presents, but it is different in the way that it brings in the simplicity of a relaxed atmosphere and a place encouraging individuality or productivity, together making it unique from other places.

I recommend that if you visit Manchester in the UK, take a look around the Northern Quarter and visit Ziferblat for yourself. Oh, and when you do take a look, tell them I said "Hello!".

I visited:

23 Edge Street

Northern Quarter

M4 1HW

Everyday 10:00-22:00