A fantasy-themed bar brings the magic of chemistry to life

This post is part of "Boldly Growing," a Science of Fiction series about the future of food production (and on occasion, the magic of mixology). Check out the rest here.

Magical potions that heighten your senses, change your appearance or trick your crush into thinking they're crazy about you are a mainstay of popular fantasy, from Harry Potter to The Legend of Zelda. But if magic is simply science we don't understand, aren't potions just clever applications of chemistry and physics?

That's how bartender, chemistry enthusiast and aspiring wizard Dave Duckworth sees it, which is why he founded The Cauldron, a fantasy-themed gastropub that brings the magic of molecular mixology to life. After opening its doors in London and New York City in 2018, in May The Cauldron opened its newest location in Philadelphia's gayborhood. The bar, where servers wear wizard's robes and glittering, rainbow-lit unicorn busts dispense drinks into cups, blends Harry Potter vibes and hands-on chemistry demos in a way that Duckworth hopes will entertain and inspire.

"Really our whole ethos is about bringing magic to life," Duckworth told The Science of Fiction. "It’s about taking what people have seen in the fantasy movies, in books, and in their imagination, and making it possible in front of them."