The Selby at 69 Colebrooke Row

The unassuming facade of London’s 69 Colebrooke Row belies the alchemy that occurs inside; it’s here that owner Tony Conigliaro applies the science of molecular gastronomy to cocktails. The “1950s Italy” interior combined with its high-tech activities proved irresistible to Todd Selby, whose cult blog The Selby documents creative individuals in their personal spaces and has recently expanded into culinary realms. “Rather than hitting you over the head with scientific processes they are focusing on having a "chill" experience,” Selby says of 69 Colebrooke Row, which he shot exclusively for NOWNESS. Upstairs Conigliaro keeps gadgetry usually found in a chemistry lab: centrifuges, Rotavapors, Soxhlet stills and homogenizers. “I was always someone to ask ‘how does it work and why does it work?’” explains the art student turned avant bartender. Whether distilling a horseradish-infused vodka for the most sublime Bloody Mary, ageing Manhattans for several years or recreating cocktails lost in history, such as Proust’s favorite tipple (as detailed in Brillat Savarin's Magistères Restaurants), Conigliaro’s aim is clear: “We take the structure of cocktails apart and rebuild them.” For a secret drink recipe, click here.