If you ever wanted to know what it feels like to be in a potions class at Hogwarts, then you need to head to The Cauldron.

It’s a pretty magical experience.

It’s not specifically Hogwarts themed, but instead it has more of a general wizarding vibe, with hints of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and even perhaps a bit of Merlin.

First you get your wands and then you make your way to your potion stations where you’ll find your robes. You can eeek with excitement at wearing a robe and get yourself into true wizard form!

You get a welcome drink of choice before you start and these are delivered to you via a ‘Lord of the Rings’ style map on the wall, or if you’re downstairs, through the mouth of a dragon…. After you’ve got yourself settled, you need to choose the two potions you’ll be making between the 2 or 3 of you at the table (be warned – 2 out of the 3 potion options are gin based and I’d probably avoid the Botany Broth unless you like taste of peach schnapps…).

You make one cocktail at a time and they’re all done in very different ways. A couple of them use dry ice, one uses a cauldron, one uses fire and another uses a whirlpool style spinning action! You also use your wand to activate certain features at the table, so there’s obviously real magic involved. The servers also really add to the atmosphere as they never drop character and are there to help you out with certain parts of your cocktail experience too.

Included in the cost of your ticket you get the welcome drink plus the two cocktails. However, they also offer further drinks for extra money if you feel like you fancy more. It was such a fun experience and I definitely recommend it as something different to do for a birthday or other special occasion!

The Cauldron // 79 Stoke Newington Road, London, N16 8AD 

(There are other branches, I believe, in Ireland, Scotland and the USA.)