For years I thought this was an innocent café bar – which it is until you walk to the back and are confronted with probably the messiest scene of your life. Has been known to make people sick. If you go don’t mention it to your work mates unless you want your P45.

Delve into one of Shoreditch's scabholes, as coined by Walter Stern who directed Bloc Party's epic 'The Prayer'. Not quite as skunked out and dark as pre-smoking ban, this Truman Brewery boozer is the magical part of the Brick Lane big 3 which also encompass the adjacent Big Chill Bar and opposite 93 Feet East.

Packed full of some of the most colourful characters you will see anywhere in London, eat your chilli jerk chicken mid December and watch the skinny jeans tighten around mid August. The back room on Sunday, with luridly sticky red armchairs which are rarely used as the minimal sets are always electric. Crowds always enthused, comes, don't miss!

Always crowded in summer - everyone in Brick Lane seems to appreciate some barbecue along with a Red Stripe when it's sunny, right? It's nice inside too - go upstairs for big comfy sofas, cushions, candles, DJs and cool people. But avoid it on weekends, specially at night: the music is way too loud for anyone to be able to communicate or eat (without having bad digestion). And the room in the back sometimes smell like bleach.

The food and drink is all very good in this place, and they often set up a barbecue outside which is great because everyone likes a barbecue. And it's definitely worth a visit, if only for the delicious home made cakes. Sitting could be a bit comfier though, and the music is always too loud for my taste, but then i am a bit of a grandma...

I absolutely love this place, whatever kind of mood you're in, it'll sort you right out. You can sit outside, take in the smell of the bbq and warm up by the heaters. If you fancy lounging around, then it's filled with sofa's, tables and tea lights. The price of food and drink is really reasonable, I shared a tuna salad for £3 which you get a whole baghette with and was really satisfied. Nothing is over-priced, even the beer. The decor is nice, the music is varied and right at the top, at the back is a mini-club with dj's playing all day. It's a great place to chill out.

1001 is the kid of place that will make you fall in love head to heels. there;s nothing you cannot do in such a place.
you can go for breakfat, you can relax and surf the web with your laptop, you can eat cake and drink tea, sit on the popular terrace, dance all the evening through, or go nuts in their 24 hours non stop parties that run once or twice a month.
full of regulars, 1001 is a place that begs description beacuse is all about the magic dust puffing when you are there. the most original and authentic place in london, that is still for free,and still underground.
once you have tried you will never left and will make 1001 your place for everything,

This place is brilliant! There is a little cafe bit downstairs as suggested by the name where you can get cakes and sandwiches and salads. There is also a bar here, I know that a double JD and coke was £5 - not too bad for London prices.

They have a bbq outside selling scrummy burgers with loads of different relishes which I loved. These were £3.50. There is LOADS of seating outside to chill out and have a cigarette. You can meet loads of people here which is quality.

Upstairs they have a big chill out area with loads of comfy sofas and chairs. There are some toilets in this bit too. People are just generally standing about chatting. Then there is an amazing back room - I went on a friday and it was drum n bass music - loads of fit guys. There' s a big bar in there aswell. And more amazingly comfy seats.

There is like a little hole in the wall where the DJ spins from and everyone was going mental on the dancefloor. It closed at 2am. The bouncers were really nice and the bar staff were funny.

I love this place and spent New Years Day here as well - was brilliant!

You must love music to be here!!! This place is so lively that you won't get bored. Due to its fame, weekends are always rammed - try weekdays instead then, you won't miss anything anyway as they have good music too. Grab food and drink from downstairs first. BBQ outside is such a bargain but I'm not impressed with those canned lagers just because they are too warm. I tried cakes twice and still don't love them either.

Apart from that, it's all about atmosphere that wakes you up and shakes your body. Cosy seats that make you feel like home rather than sitting in a bar. You might have to squeeze yourself with someone when it gets busy. I wih they could do better for the toilets too.

Cafe 1001 is one of the most charismatic places I've been to in London. It's based in Dray's Walk; part of the Old Truman Brewery complex and is always pretty heaving at the weekend. There's a fantastic BBQ right outside or a Jamaican jerk chicken stall a little further up, so there's not far to go for food! The entrance feels like a pretty normal cafe, but the moment you get upstairs the vibe kicks in. I guess it's a bit like a house party in a ridiculously big well decked out flat, with a separate dance room too. I've been to some wicked midweek sets here too - the atmosphere is brilliant. They've gone down the route of serving magical cans of Red Stripe, rather than draught beers - although they still come in at a premium. The only whine I have is that they close at that annoying time when you want to keep on partying but will miss the tube to get anywhere else.