The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant is a UK-based, multi-venue bar and dining chain (founded 2009) that operates experiential cocktail bars and restaurants in cities including London and Leeds, serving adult consumers seeking creative cocktails, all-day dining, group events, and branded merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersKnutsford, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant does
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant is a privately-held UK hospitality chain founded in 2009 and headquartered in Knutsford, operating a multi-venue portfolio of theatrical cocktail bars and restaurants across UK cities including London (Victoria), Leeds and additional urban locations. Its core proposition centers on creative, 'rare substance' cocktails crafted by trained mixologists branded as 'mystic acolytes' alongside all-day dining menus, with the cocktail experience explicitly positioned as theatrical and experiential rather than commodity bar service.
The company's revenue model is diversified across five streams: on-premise food and beverage sales at physical venues, online retail of branded merchandise (glassware, shakers, ready-to-drink cocktails, recipe books, artwork prints), gift card sales, experience-led bookings (cocktail masterclasses, private events, graduation bookings, bottomless brunch), and home delivery through a Deliveroo partnership. Distribution mixes owned physical venues and an owned e-commerce storefront with third-party reservation (OpenTable), event-booking (Designmynight), and delivery (Deliveroo) channels. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is transaction-based for venue bookings, with quote-based pricing for events and private hire.
Commercially the group targets a horizontal consumer segment — adults 25–45 seeking elevated, Instagram-shareable cocktail experiences plus a secondary group-events use case for celebrations and corporate bookings. Underlying technology is intentionally thin and undifferentiated: the company runs a standard marketing-and-analytics stack (Google Analytics, Hotjar, Meta/TikTok/Pinterest/YouTube pixels) and integrates off-the-shelf booking and delivery platforms rather than operating any proprietary core technology. A £21.6M facility from Santander UK in January 2018 is the only disclosed capital event, with no subsequent funding, M&A, or public listing activity documented.
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
- Legal name
- The Alchemist
- Website
- https://thealchemist.uk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant is a UK-based, multi-venue bar and dining chain (founded 2009) that operates experiential cocktail bars and restaurants in cities including London and Leeds, serving adult consumers seeking creative cocktails, all-day dining, group events, and branded merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bar & Restaurant Hospitality
- NAICS
- Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers (THAFALAJ)
Keywords
Where The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Knutsford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- On-premise dining and bar sales: Revenue generated from food and beverage sales at physical restaurant venues including creative cocktails and all-day dining menus.
- E-commerce and retail products: Online shop selling merchandise including glassware, cocktail shakers, ready-to-drink cocktails, recipe books, and artwork prints.
- Gift cards: Sale of gift cards for use at venues, providing upfront cash flow and driving future customer visits.
- Experiences and events: Revenue from cocktail masterclasses, private events, and special experience bookings.
- Delivery and takeaway: Food and cocktail delivery services through Deliveroo platform partnerships.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Venue bookings and table reservations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Alchemist is a UK bar and restaurant chain that runs multiple physical venues offering creative cocktails (with theatrical presentation), an all-day food menu, and bookable experiences including bottomless brunch, cocktail masterclasses, and graduation/private events. It also sells branded merchandise (glassware, cocktail shakers, ready-to-drink cocktails, recipe books, artwork prints) and gift cards via its own e-commerce shop, and offers delivery through Deliveroo.
Product overview
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant is a UK-based bar and dining chain offering a portfolio of hospitality experiences. The core offerings include creative cocktails and all-day dining served across multiple venues, supplemented by special experiences like Bottomless Brunch, Cocktail Masterclasses, and Graduation Bookings. The business extends its brand through an e-commerce shop selling merchandise including specialty glassware, cocktail shakers, ready-to-drink cocktails, recipe books, and artwork prints. Gift cards provide another revenue stream, allowing recipients to experience the brand at any venue.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Creative Cocktails & All-Day Dining Signature cocktails and an all-day food menu served at the chain's UK bar and restaurant venues for walk-in and booked guests.
- Bottomless Brunch Limited-time brunch experience offering unlimited drinks alongside the food menu at The Alchemist venues.
- Cocktail Masterclass Bookable group experience where guests learn to make and serve theatrical cocktails alongside The Alchemist's mixologists.
- Graduation Bookings Special-event booking package for graduates and their groups to celebrate at The Alchemist venues.
- The Alchemist Gift Cards Prepaid cards redeemable at any Alchemist venue, available for purchase through the company's own channels.
- Specialty Glassware Branded specialty glassware (including lightbulb-shaped glasses) sold through The Alchemist's online shop for home bar use.
- Cocktail Shakers Professional cocktail shakers sold through The Alchemist's online shop for home cocktail-making.
- Ready-To-Drink Cocktails Pre-mixed signature cocktails (e.g., Dead Red Zombie) sold through The Alchemist's online shop for off-premise consumption.
- Cocktail Recipe Book Cocktail recipe book sold through The Alchemist's online shop, enabling customers to recreate signature drinks at home.
- Artwork Prints Branded artwork prints (including legal-themed prints) sold through The Alchemist's online shop as branded home and gift décor.
Companies that use The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- DeliveroominorDelivery partnership enabling customers to order food and cocktails for home delivery through the Deliveroo platform. Cookies from Deliveroo appear on the website for order processing and tracking.
- DesignmynightminorEvents booking platform partnership used for venue hire, private events, and experience bookings. Cookies from Designmynight are added during the final booking process.
- OpenTableminorRestaurant reservation platform partnership for table bookings. OpenTable cookies are used for booking functionality and session management.
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- All Bar One: Mitchells & Butlers UK cocktail bar chain with ~50 sites. Comparable to The Alchemist on cocktail-led all-day dining, urban locations, and similar demographic, though positioned more toward mainstream than theatrical/craft.
- Dirty Martini: Premium UK cocktail bar chain operating primarily in London and major cities. Directly comparable to The Alchemist on craft cocktail focus, evening/night-out occasion, and upscale bar positioning.
- Be At One: UK cocktail bar chain founded in 1998 with 30+ venues focused on creative cocktails and trained mixologists. Direct competitor to The Alchemist on cocktail-led experience, urban multi-site footprint, and 25-45 demographic. Now part of Stonegate Pub Company.
- Loungers plc: Listed UK operator of Lounge cafe-bars and Cosy Club restaurants across 200+ sites. Comparable to The Alchemist on UK multi-site all-day dining/bar proposition, neighborhood/community positioning, and similar demographic, though with a more casual, less cocktail-led format.
- Slug and Lettuce: Stonegate-operated UK cocktail bar chain with 70+ sites. Comparable to The Alchemist on UK-wide cocktail bar multi-site model, group occasions (Bottomless Brunch), and value-positioned cocktail-led all-day dining.
- Revolution Bars Group: Listed UK bar operator (AIM) running Revolution and Revolución de Cuba brands. Comparable to The Alchemist in multi-site UK bar positioning, cocktail-led proposition, and 18-35 demographic focus. Provides public-market read on UK bar chain economics.
- The Cocktail Club: UK cocktail bar chain known for creative, theatrical cocktail presentations similar to The Alchemist. Competes directly on cocktail experience differentiation, group/celebration occasions, and urban UK locations.
Emerging players
- Hawksmoor: UK premium restaurant group known for distinctive branding, cocktails, and experiential dining. Comparable to The Alchemist on creative cocktail craft, theatrical service elements, and strong social media-native brand presence, though focused on premium steakhouses rather than bar-led format.
Broad incumbents
- Wagamama: UK-headquartered branded casual dining chain with multi-site national presence and delivery partnerships. Comparable to The Alchemist at the broad level of UK multi-site hospitality, all-day dining, and delivery integration, though not cocktail-led.
Others
- Drinksmiths / Funkin Cocktails: UK-based cocktail mixer/producer supplying venues and retailers. Relevant to The Alchemist as a potential partner or competitor in the ready-to-drink cocktail extension; comparable RTD/e-commerce positioning to the Alchemist's online shop.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant social profiles
Digital presenceThe Alchemist Bar & Restaurant financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant
What does The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant do?
The Alchemist is a UK bar and restaurant chain that runs multiple physical venues offering creative cocktails (with theatrical presentation), an all-day food menu, and bookable experiences including bottomless brunch, cocktail masterclasses, and graduation/private events. It also sells branded merchandise (glassware, cocktail shakers, ready-to-drink cocktails, recipe books, artwork prints) and gift cards via its own e-commerce shop, and offers delivery through Deliveroo.
Is The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant a public or private company?
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant founded?
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant was founded in 2009. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant based?
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant is headquartered in Knutsford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. On-premise dining and bar sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce and retail products, gift cards, experiences and events and delivery and takeaway.
Who are The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are All Bar One, Dirty Martini, Be At One, Loungers plc, Slug and Lettuce, Revolution Bars Group and The Cocktail Club. Hawksmoor is listed as an emerging player. Wagamama is listed as a broad incumbent. Drinksmiths / Funkin Cocktails is listed as an others.
Does The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant.
What industry is The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant in?
The Alchemist Bar & Restaurant's product category is Bar & Restaurant Hospitality. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAJ, Spirits/Cocktail Bars Operated by Producers. Its NAICS code is 722515 and its SIC code is 5810.