Hugely popular cafe, bar and club off Brick Lane, where life is just one long barbecue party.

The Venue
Cafe 1001 is housed in a cavernous converted warehouse on Dray Walk, a secluded courtyard off Brick Lane opposite the Truman Brewery. Transport links can be found on nearby Whitechapel Road, Commercial Street and Liverpool Street. The outside seating area covers the entire street and is made up of wooden picnic tables and a large sheltered barbecue station, whilst the indoor part of the cafe is screened off by large panes of glass, affording some exposure to natural light. This area is comprised of a small dining space, complete with another food station and coffee counter (which doubles up as a bar when licensing laws allow), and a much larger bar area up a flight of stairs. Located at the back of the building, this set-up can accommodate a large number of customers in booths, with decadent banks of cushions and leather sofas and armchairs, all distributed liberally around the room. Generally quite poorly-lit in comparison to the ground floor, this area makes do with antique lamps, spotlights and a single cast-iron window to create an alluring, intimate atmosphere, and is decorated with posters on the supporting columns, huge paintings by local artists, and a large second-hand ‘book orphanage’ which customers are free to browse. The club space is situated at the back of the building, and is opened at night providing a dance floor for cool kids and mashed-up revelers to bust some moves. Overall the imposing warehouse architecture, complete with ducts and conspicuous pipes, is used to the venue's advantage.

The Atmosphere
From the first morning cup of tea, through the after-work rush and early-evening mingling, all the way to the wee hours of the morning, the atmosphere on Dray Walk is never less than exceptional. Especially in warm weather, the many seats and banquettes of the cafe are invariably lined with the nicest clientele you'll find in London – usually fairly young, European, and would-be bohemian - and the revelry is allowed to continue unchecked way past most people's bedtimes, as it is quite far removed from residential zones. The staff are accommodating, the service is excellent.

The Music
The music is lovingly and painstakingly selected: spending an afternoon at Cafe 1001 is like having your own tailor-made alternative radio show broadcast over the speakers. The back room plays host to an excellent pool of talented DJs and live bands almost every night, with no cover charge – it is also available for private hire. Musically, Cafe 1001 scores big brownie points for its music policy - dubstep, Detroit techno, minimal house, DnB, electronic oddities and lashings of bass-heavy reggae are pretty much standard offerings.

The Food
All food is freshly prepared on site. What's more, helpings are plentiful and reasonably priced: a full English breakfast is £4.50, whilst for lunch and dinner there is a large selection of kebabs, salads, sharing platters, burgers, falafel, sandwiches, corn on the cob and pizzas. Overall, rustic but satisfying and cheap fare (£2-£5), some of it is prepared on the vast barbecue grill outside. The venue also specialises in home-made cakes and pastries, which go marvelously with a coffee in between meals.

The Drink
Before the main bar opens, choice of drinks is limited to cans of Red Stripe and Kronenbourg purchased at the outside barbecue (£3.20), and cocktails and spirits from the downstairs counter, a large jug of Cosmopolitan or Pimms costs £10, should you be so inclined. In the evening though, normal service is resumed, and a full range of beverages can be purchased at affordable prices, with pints, shooters and ‘spirits and mixers’ costing around £3.20. And of course, tea and coffee is available throughout in all shapes and sizes.

The Last Word
Justifiably popular, effortlessly cool and reasonably priced, Cafe 1001 is a genuinely great place to hang out from dawn 'til dusk (and beyond).

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