The Cauldron review: We made potions at London’s Harry Potter-inspired cocktail bar
Welcome to The Cauldron, where you can don a cloak and create your own potions (all edible, of course). Here’s everything you need to know about the Stoke Newington cocktail bar.
The RadioTimes.com team were lucky enough to be invited to make mystical and magical cocktails at The Cauldron in East London.
The Cauldron began as a Kickstarter project to open the world’s first wizard pub right here in London, and it now has multiple locations across the world. Hundreds and thousands of mere muggles now have the opportunity to try the immersive cocktail making experience.
And it truly is a unique experience, and one we think you should try! Particularly as the spooky season is now in full swing. Here’s what we thought of it.
Buy The Cauldron experience for two for £75 at Virgin Experience Days
What happens at The Cauldron?
When we arrived at The Cauldron in Stoke Newington, we headed down a flight of stairs and immediately got transported to a different, magical world. London high street? We don’t know her. We’re wizards now.
We were shown to our potion making table and given cloaks and a wand between us. We sat opposite a decapitated unicorn head amongst other bizarre objects on the wall (disclaimer: the unicorn head isn’t real), and on the table was a plasma ball, some wooden boxes and various riddles. There’s actually a mystery prize if you guess all of the riddles correctly, but although the RadioTimes.com team are very talented in other ways, riddle solving is not our forte.
A complimentary welcome drink awaited us; a lovely lychee cocktail which was poured from a giant icy tube in the ceiling… Next, we picked our poison. We opted for two alcoholic drinks: a gin-based cocktail and a tequila-based cocktail, however you can choose non-alcoholic drinks, as well as vegan and gluten-free ones.
To whip up the potions, you’ll need your wand, the instructions booklet and a magic touch. Luckily for us, we had all three.
Our first potion bubbled and the second potion was poured into a smoky glass - but not before we completed a fire ritual where we cursed our enemies… We don’t want to give too much away, but the illusion of actual magic is created when you create your drinks, and it was a lot of fun.
Although The Cauldron is not affiliated with the Harry Potter franchise, this spellbinding bar does an excellent job of keeping the wizarding magic alive.
For more magical-themed things to do, check out the best London walking tours, where we’ve included a Harry Potter experience. Also, here are the best immersive experiences in London.
Buy The Cauldron experience for two for £75 at Virgin Experience Days
Is The Cauldron in London worth it?
In our opinion, The Cauldron is absolutely worth going to.
In the two-hour experience, you’ll enjoy three cocktails and a complimentary (smoking) shot, and there’s plenty to keep you entertained, too, like making the potions and trying to crack the riddles. There’s also the option to buy more drinks if you fancy it.
The lengths The Cauldron has gone to to make the experience magical is fantastic. As well as the cloak and wand, the décor and music is completely on-brand, as are the people who work there.
Buy The Cauldron experience for two for £75 at Virgin Experience Days
How to get to The Cauldron
The Cauldron is located on 5d Stoke Newington Road in East London.
What’s the nearest tube to The Cauldron? It is Dalston Junction. From the station to The Cauldron, it’s a few minutes walk along one road.
Buy The Cauldron experience for two for £75 at Virgin Experience Days
How to book The Cauldron
The Cauldron would make an excellent gift for a Harry Potter-obsessed friend, and at Virgin Experience Days, there’s the option to add a personalised voucher and message card to your order if you’re buying for a friend.
Buy The Cauldron experience for two for £75 at Virgin Experience Days
Looking for more activity inspiration? Then be sure to stay up to date with our Going Out section. For other unique gifts, check out the best London experience gifts.
