FIRST LOOK | Inside The Brand New Alchemist

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THE Living Ventures owned brand is well known for its almost scientific approach towards creative cocktails as well as an all-day dining menu, mixing classic dishes with modern global influences.

Pap-proof terraces... handbag hooks... pampered pooch bowls? Oh Cheshire

Until now, Alchemist has been a city centre brand, with venues in Manchester, Leeds, London, Liverpool and Birmingham, but this will be the brand’s first move into suburbia.

Alchemist is on London Road, the main thoroughfare through Alderley village, taking over the site which was, until recently, Grill on the Edge.

Mark Burville, Senior Operations Manager for the Alchemist talked us through some of the changes they’ve made and explained how different it will be to its last incarnation. “This will be an all day offering,” he said, “we’ll be open from 9am for brunch, moving through to serving lunch, then dinner and nibbles. The restaurant has been designed to seamlessly transform into more of a late night drinking venue as the evening progresses.”

They see it as quite a grown up venue which manages to be vibrant and relaxed at the same time. They will have DJs and music, but people will still be able to come in for good conversation.

“Everyone’s welcome,” says Mark, “we made sure we kept a village, community feel; a ‘third place’ between work and home so people can feel free to pop in just for a drink or celebrate a special occasion.”

One immediately apparent change is to the whole front of the building which is now glass-fronted to create more light. Before his death earlier this year, Living Ventures founder Tim Bacon worked closely with interior architecture and design company Macauly Sinclair to help realise his vision for the site and they’re also currently working on the upcoming MediaCity branch of Alchemist.

The trademark island bar is centre stage, perfect both for people watching and taking in the signature theatrics of drink making. The glass frontage is made up of bi-folding doors, designed to open up in warmer weather. Outside there is a heated and covered terrace area with room for twelve covers. Clever wooden planters box the area off slightly and make it somewhat paparazzi proof – these are the things you need to consider when opening in Alderley Edge.

Dogs are welcome in the outside bar area – and specially branded dog bowls have been provided for pampered pooches to sip from. There are also special hooks under each table so those with handbags that cost the same as a small car, don’t have to park them on the floor.

The conservatory area at the back remains, but it’s had a revamp. Whisky and port coloured leather seats give it a classic, upper class New York restaurant feel. Seating is comfortably close, to reflect a more community atmosphere, as they expect that many of the guests from the village will know each other; something less expected in city centre venues.

The walls are decorated with eccentric trademark Dan Hillier prints which always make for a talking point. Vaguely medical trinkets line the glass shelves. Cold white light is banned and amber filters create a warm glow together with candles to provide a convivial atmosphere. Alchemist is well known for obsessive levels of attention to detail, such as specially designed salt and pepper pots, with customers welcome to order complimentary bottles of Alchemist branded mineral water.

Upstairs is an additional bar area with booths, tables and chairs (with an emphasis on comfort) as well as standing area for ‘vertical drinking’. Instead of it being two distinctly separate floors, there is a mezzanine so people can look down and also enjoy great views down the high street. There is more of a pub feel upstairs and the flexible space for 55 will lend itself to larger parties or private hire.

Cocktails at Alchemist are unashamedly complex. The menu is laid out like a periodic table divided into various sections covering classics, fruity, creamy and serious with a good selection of non-alcoholic drinks. A seasonal list of special winter cocktails will be introduced on Nov 21 as well as a week of special drinks to celebrate Thanksgiving (in Cheshire? I suppose many round here have a lot to be thankful for).

To get super cosy, there will also be a list of special alcoholic hot chocolates with a kick like a reindeer - it might be a good idea to decide what you want before you get there by looking online, just to save time. Those who prefer might be interested to know that there is a lesser known premium list of wines on offer for between £50-£150, each carefully decanted into conical flask before serving.

The original Spinningfields’ Alchemist kitchen was tiny with just two fryers, but the brand has developed a varied menu of globally influenced comfort food with something for everyone. Food is now a big part of business with £5 million a year being spent on food across four sites.

Accessible, all-day dining starts with the breakfast menu which includes proper butties, American waffles and various topped English muffins. For lunch and dinner, fajitas are popular, as is their signature dish of chicken in basket served in wire chicken coup which has been on the menu since the beginning. Various ramen dishes combine health with comfort, but this being Alchemist, a bit of dry ice hidden in the broth creates drama. New dishes include avocado and charred corn salad and crunchy vegetable bhajis with mint yoghurt.

After our tour we perched at the bar to enjoy a bit of theatrical mixology from barman Jamie who created our drinks with the aid of various Bunsen burners, tubes, drips and mysterious powders. Beyond The Kale should be a popular one with a healthy mixture of blended kale, vodka and lemon juice which probably refreshes the liver as quickly as it damages it. We also tried Bubblebath; a frivolously pink and misleadingly lethal mixture of gin, Aperol, Chambord, lemon, apple and something they refer to as 'Fairy Liquid'.