The Alchemist

For Battersea’s twenty- & thirtysomethings who want to party, but don’t fancy a full-on club, The Alchemist is where to be on St John’s Hill. Groovy wallpaper, a big bar & good-looking bar men adorn the interior, but by 9pm at the weekend, the decor is all rather irrelevant; there are so many people packed in here that the surroundings melt away. Still, if you want to celebrate your birthday by drinking cocktails & dancing to great tunes with your (& everyone else’s) friends, this bar is a great venue to do it. Noise levels prohibit much conversation inside after about 10pm, but at the back is an attractive little beer garden. While the kitchen can’t turn base metal into gold, it can conjure up a few pastas & burgers.