East London – All our local tips

The Bedroom Bar, situated in Shoreditch’s pulsing pulmonary, Rivington Street (only a few minutes’ stroll from Old Street tube), runs a finely-tuned precipice in east London between the bloated bankers of Old Street and their drainpiped boho compatriots creeping in from the artier corners of Hackney and Hoxton.

Happily, there’s something for everyone here- especially as the Bedroom carries the successful Comedy Café as its subterranean sister venue. Cheap pints-a-plenty for the hard-up, and a cocktail list to enliven even the most hardy HBOS punter mean this place is one of the few locations where suits and students can rub shoulders in drunken joy.

Add in the fervent Indian décor- inclusive of giant Ganesha- and the dimly-lit corridors and plush sofas here are more than conducive to a bit of hanky-panky. The great and the good from London’s underground chilled house and techno DJ echelons flock here Bedroom each weekend, too: music, cocktails and giant elephants – what more do you want?

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Bedroom Bar | Bars, Music
62 Rivington Street | East | +442076135637
Thu 19:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 19:00 – 02:00

This Brick Lane (check Brick Lane article) staple has been around for years, and serves as a remnant of the area’s Jewish past. While the bakery is not somewhere you would want to hang out long for – the bright white lights give it a clinical feel – the bagels are ridiculously cheap and very tasty, so it’s worth a visit.

A bagel and cream cheese will only set you back a mere 90p and they are made the proper way, by boiling then baking, creating the dense chewy consistency which is so more-ish. This makes a much welcomed change from most bagel store chains, who essentially serve bread rolls with a hole in the middle. Other fillings include smoked salmon, chopped herring and hot salt beef. Donuts and pastries are also made fresh daily.

Service is super quick and it’s open 24 hours, so after a night out on Brick Lane you can wander in for a bite, and find throngs of like-minded party-goers doing the same.

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Beigel Bake | Snacks | Bagel & cream cheese £ 0.90
159 Brick Lane | East
24 hours daily

Beyond Retro has far surpassed the cult status it used to have a couple of years ago: now it’s a full-blown destination for the stylish shopper on a shoestring. Annoyingly found a fair little walk down Cheshire Street (just off Brick Lane – there is a branch in the West End but it’s disappointing), you’ll have long thought you’ve gone the wrong way before you find it. However once inside, you’ll either feel like a kid in a toy store or, if you’re like me, a little daunted by the sheer number of tat, class, crap and fashion gold.

Sifting through racks and racks of old t-shirts may not be your idea of fun, but there are genuinely some great items to be snapped up; especially in the coats section – leather jackets for 40 quid anyone?

There may be fewer basement bargains nowadays – the prices have upped slightly with the reputation – but make no mistake: Beyond Retro is London’s vintage king. If the shopping wasn’t enough, the shop also lays on gigs and events, though these seem to be few and far between. Anyhow, if you’re coming to Brick Lane (which you really should) then Beyond Retro must be near the top of your list.

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Beyond Retro | Shopping
110 – 112 Cheshire Street | East | +442076133636
10:00 – 18:00 daily

The area around Liverpool Street Station in East London was once associated with poor slums and the scene of the crime for the Jack the Ripper murders. Whilst the Ten Bells still stands, the pub that Jack’s victims drunk at, the area itself is now very popular with London’s edgy and artistic crowd.

After a short walk from Liverpool Street Station, you’ll come across the Old Spitalfields Markets (105a Commercial Street) which are open every Sunday. Whilst these markets are definitely worth a peak, keep wandering towards Bricklane where you’ll find the Old Truman Brewery (91 Bricklane).

These are one on my favourite markets as this is where up-and-coming designers set up shop every Sunday selling a unique variety of handbags, clothes and jewellery. There’s also a few vintage clothing stores and chic boutiques dotted around the area, which is a refreshing change from the usual high street clothing stores.

Whilst Bricklane has always been synonymous for its many curry restaurants, it now has a reputation for its warehouse art exhibitions and trendy clubs and bars. So, before your East London experience is complete, be sure to head to the Vibe Bars beer garden for a drink or two before stumbling across the road to 93 Feet East (150 Bricklane) for some late night groovin.

Whilst this place is sweaty and jammed, it has become an East End institution well known for its eclectic mix of live music and its intimate atmosphere.

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Bricklane | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Shopping, Restaurants (Various, however mainly Bangladeshi) | Average meal £ £5.00-£20
Bricklane | East
Markets open Sun, most clothing stores daily, 93 Feet East: Mon – Thu 17:00 – 23:00, Fri 17:00 – 01:00, Sat 12:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:30

During the day people bring their laptops or books and work, read and drink coffee sprawled over one of the many mismatched sofas or lounge chairs. At night tea candles are lit and hot drinks are swapped for alcoholic drinks as people unwind and meet friends in what was once the Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane (check the Brick Lane article). Now that it’s wintertime, people who swamped to the outside picnic benches and the alleyway still venture out, but there is a much more cosy feel inside.

The boho and versatile venue opens at a very early 06:00 for breakfast and soups, jacket potatoes and sandwiches are on offer for lunch and dinner. Live music attracts a younger crowd with indie bands on Tuesday and jazz on Wednesday. Bands play in the smaller room at the back on Sunday and a dj spins tunes on Friday and Saturday.

Cocktails made with fresh fruit are available on the weekend and all year round you can grab a burger or corn on the cob from the grill stand outside. Tables and benches outside in front are great for people watching or smoking.

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Café 1001 | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks, Restaurants (intern.)
1 Dray walk, 91 Brick Lane | East | +442072479679
Mon – Sat 06:00 – 00:00, Sun 06:00 – 23:30

Brick Lane offers a multitude of choice in terms of bars and nightlife but Casa Blue sticks out, not least because of all the fairy lights and candles glowing from within.

A lacquered wooden panel of peacocks is hung next to a watercolour painting of a naval fleet. 50’s memorabilia is plastered wearily to the wall. While the predominantly red kitsch bric-a-brac decor means your eyes don’t know where to settle, the kooky collection of plastic chandeliers, hanging baubles and blinking strings of light make a unique setting.

Even though the music ranges anywhere from the Beatles to Manu Chau, the tunes are familiar and well-chosen. There are comfy plus sofas and yummy cocktails. Food is also available. While the menu is limited, the house specialty comes in platter form – international mezze for two or more people. For only £5 each, sharing platters come with a selection of hot and cold tapas and you can choose Mediterranean, Indian or Greek cuisine.

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Casa Blue | Bars, Snacks | Cocktail £ 6.00
228 Brick Lane | East
Sun – Thu 12:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 03:00

I first found out about Columbia Road while walking around nearby Spitalfields Market one Sunday lunchtime, years ago. I kept noticing people strolling around the stalls, clutching huge bouquets of the most beautiful flowers of every size and colour, like a prize they’d won at a fair. Intrigued, I enquired as to the whereabouts of what I though must be the world’s most well-stocked florist and was directed to this narrow little street located near to Brick Lane.

Even if you aren’t set on buying any of the dazzling variety of flowers and plants on offer, it’s worth taking a trip to Columbia Road just to soak up the atmosphere. Each Sunday the street is transformed into a treat for the senses, a vibrant combination of colour and fragrance. Dozens of stalls line the road and the air is filled with hollers of ‘three for a fivah’ as vendors beckon you to their stalls. I take very little convincing to part with my cash in exchange for a bunch of delicately coloured roses of a posy of anemones. When you’ve had your fill of flowers, there is also a collection of sweet shops, vintage boutiques, gallery shops and cafes.

The market gets very busy, especially on sunny days, so be prepared to shuffle along with the crowds. Get there early to avoid the crush, or even better, arrive at around 14:00 just before closing and pick up some great flower bargains.

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Columbia Road Flower Market | Shopping
Columbia Road | East
Sun 08:00 – 15:00 (ish)

If you’re looking for a genuine East End caff with hearty food and a warm welcome, then look no further! This family run café has been the social hub and favourite place of locals, cabbies, old-school gangsters (apparently the Kray brother’s favourite), and many a famous face for decades. Whether long-standing regular or first time visitor, you’ll always receive the warmest and friendliest welcome in London and be made to feel at home.

E. Pellicci has been open since 1900 after the Pellicci grandparents moved over from Tuscany in the late 19th century. Owner Nevio Pellicci was born in a room above the café and worked from boyhood until he passed away in 2008; very much missed, his photo hangs above the counter. Pelliccio’s is now run by son Nevio Pellicci Junior with the help of all the family on the counter and Mamma in the kitchen. The café closes in August when the family all head back to their roots for a month in Tuscany.

The atmosphere at Pellicci’s is brilliant, with good-natured banter between staff and customers. Inside is a Grade II listed, wooden art-deco interior; it gets pretty cosy with all the tables close together and you’ll end up sharing yours with fellow customers, but that’s all part of the fun. Choose from delicious fry-ups, roasts or proper home-cooked Italian dishes; and of course there’s espresso based coffees and mugs of tea aplenty. Mamma also makes all the puddings, which include jam roly-poly and cherry and apple pie.

Come for breakfast and you’ll want to keep topping up your tea and stay all afternoon!

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E.Pellicci | Restaurants (Italian/British) | Main course from £ 5.00
332 Bethnal Green Road | East | +442077394873
Mon – Sat 07:00 – 17:00

The east end’s vintage stores are hardly a best-kept secret to the fashionistas of Shoreditch, Hoxton and the like. But beyond Beyond Retro and Absolute, there is one tucked away treat to be had on the wrong side of Brick Lane.

The East End Thrift Store, unbeknown to all but the best of bargain buyers, is almost impossible to spot at first – you’ll have to get off at Stepney Green tube and stroll down the busy main road for a few minutes before you get close. But poke your nose down the right alley and you’re met with a brazen homage to all things old and cheap.

And that doesn’t mean bad. There are tons of treats on each peg; coats with no name, ties with no brand, and of course the obligatory wooly jumper rack. Charmingly unpretentious, cute 50s rock ‘n’ roll soundtracks your way round this backstreet beauty, picking out tees for a couple of quid or an old bomber for a fiver.

So if you want your vintage London experience with a twist, it’s worth the short trip eastwards to pick and choose in one of London’s unsung heroes.

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East End Thrift Store | Shopping
Assembly Passage | East | +442074239700
11:00 – 18:00 daily

There’s a reason Electricity is chocked full of revellers every weekend – it’s the perfect reason to get all your mates to Bohemian Shoreditch without a murmur of discontent. Somehow, amongst all the art-houses and backyard gig venues, Electricity manages to draw a pretty wide range of people with its unassuming style, good music and all-out fun dance floor.

Upstairs it’s more of the same, frankly, with dimly-lit Boho benches and couches filled with pretty girls and boys an their rosé wine. There’s a good selection of lagers ranging from Kirin to Paulaner, but it’ll cost you – pints are priced between a respectable £2.70 and a pocket-busting £4.30. Bar staff and quick and efficient, so although the bar looks about five-deep, you’ll only ever be waiting for a couple of minutes at most. If you want to line your stomach before all that reverie, there’s a decent selection of decent (not much more) food which, sadly, costs about the same as most good pub grub these days.

But it’s downstairs between Wednesday and Saturday that Electricity sparks into life. The blackened basement is bedecked with a groovy (!?) huge tiled dance floor which can get even the laziest clubber on their feet. Combine that with various great DJs spinning anything from modern electro to (the best) good ol’ 50s rock n’ roll legends. You’ll probably move on to Cargo or 333, but Electricity Showrooms is a Shoredtich classic.

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Electricity Showrooms | Bars
39A Hoxton Square | East | +442077393939
Check listings on website for opening times

Taxidermy and bric-a-brac aren’t the surroundings I’d usually pick for a cocktail bar, however this place not only pulls it off, it does it in style! Situated in an old meat packing factory, this kitsch establishment is a favourite with the fashion and media world. Even Madonna, the material girl herself, had a birthday here.

Its location, down a gritty East London street, combined with the unusual choice of stuffed animals and dolls is a stark contrast to the glamorous clientele draping off the ornate sofas. All of which creating quite a surreal experience.

The cocktail list is impressive, as is the care and attention put in to making each drink. The Lotus Position, blended with vodka, Mozart White, strawberry puree, mimosa syrup with orange flower water goes down very easily, as does the Adam and Eve, a tempting combination of vodka, blueberries, fig liqueur and lime.

To best enjoy your night, call ahead and reserve a sofa and take in the fabulous surroundings.

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Lounge Lovers | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Cocktails from £ 7.00
1 Whitby Street | East | +4402070121234
Tue – Thu & Sun 18:00 – 00:00, Fri 17:30 – 01:00, Sat 18:00 – 01:00

Enter a world of wonder at Montezuma’s in Spitalfields, where you can take a bite from brightly coloured stacks of chocolate bars called Surf Nut, Whoopee, Jungle Fever, Space Hopper and Gourmet Gorrilla to name a few.  Mr Wonka would be proud to rest his top-hat here.

If calories are not an option, then how about one of their 1kg slabs of hunking great chunks of chocolate stuffed variously with nuts, marzipan and cocoa bits?  No? Ok, how about foot-high jars of big chocolate buttons, in white, milk or dark chocolate?

I’ve found the girls in the office are quite partial to the geranium Dainty Dollops. That’s right, you read it, geranium oil scented discs of chocolate that smell of flowers.

If you’re looking for something a bit more traditional they do their own large-size chocolate bars that you would associate with brands such as Green & Blacks and Lindt.  There’s also truffles in the cabinet and little bags of somethings lining the walls of the shop.

If you’re gonna fall off the wagon, make sure you fall outside Montezuma’s sweet-smelling doors.

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Montezuma’s | Shopping, Snacks | Single chocolate bar £ 1.25
51 Brushfield Street | East | +442075399208
Mon 11:00 – 16:00, Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

Located in Elys Yard, just before you reach Bricklane (see the Bricklane article), is an old red double decker bus. From a distance this bus may appear to be illegally parked, however closer up you’ll notice that the bus has been converted into a fully fledged vegan restaurant.

There is seating outside the bus, however the best seat in the house, or in this case, the bus, is on the top deck. Surprisingly the ambience is quite romantic up top, with candles and coloured cushions strategically placed whilst chilled- out music plays through the bus.

I went on a rainy night which made my visit even nicer as the rain poured down the windows my friend and I both agreed that it would have been a nice if we were on a date! To add to the novelty, the bus shakes when people move around and our extremely tall waitress was unable to stand upright whilst taking our orders. However she didn’t appear to mind.

Being a vegan restaurant, meat lovers will probably want to head elsewhere, however in saying that, everything was tasty, particularly the vegetable tempura.  Definitely worth a visit, even just for a drink and to enjoy the unusual novelty of being at a restaurant on a bus.

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Rootmaster | Restaurants (Vegan) | Bottle of wine £ 12.00
Bricklane | East | +447912389314
Mon – Sat 11:00 – 23:00, Sun 11:00 – 22:30 | Kitchen closes at 21:30

If you know anything about art and you’re coming to London chances are you’ve heard of Banksy. Yes? Well, the Bristolian behemoth spawned (or rather grew alongside) such other graffiti art notables as D*Face, Eine and Sickboy – all of which are well worth checking out. And Stolenspace, along with some other east end venues (Shoreditch’s Tramshed and Stella Dore to name a couple) houses an impressive gamut of these pioneering arty-types’ work and regularly pops up with an exciting showing to whet the appetites of London’s social set.

The building itself is a rather drab, Orwellian concrete slab adjoining the trendily revamped Truman Brewery, to the Big Chill bar (a no-go zone – toyish cans of Tiger beer for £2.50?!?!) and the excellent Rootmaster (check the Rootmaster article). But what other sort of venue would you expect to house great urban artistry? Dulwich Picture Gallery this ain’t.

Keep one eye open on the gallery’s website for opening nights and special events; they’re free and, like most east end exhibitions, carry a huge amount of alcoholic clout for free. Hold tight, pretend you like what you see and you could be staggering away full of enough beer to cost about 50 quid next door! Drinks aside, going home with a arty piece of cool Britannia is surely the best gift to take home from London. Seeing such a vibrant scene in full swing is a gift enough for me – until I get some money…

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Stolenspace Gallery | Art & culture | Free
Dray Walk, 91 Brick Lane | East
Mon – Thu11:00 – 19:00

Okay, so Taylor Taylor is a bit image-obsessed. The free drinks coup is a gimmick and the stylists do look like they’ve stepped straight off the Starship Enterprise. But this is Shoreditch; what do you expect?

Let’s stick with the motif of pretension and run. Because Taylor Taylor – l’enfant terrible of London’s high-end hair stylists – is a gilded Willy Wonka factory to east end glamour. And I love it.

I’m writing primarily about the brand’s Commercial Street (just off Spitalfields market) HQ rather than its Cheshire Street kid sister. This is where you’ll find the body-length birdcage, the lavish king-size mirrors and, of course, the underground gold-leaved hair washing citadel that’ll have you thinking you’re about to be sacrificed to the god of vanity. What could be more OTT than having your head massaged in a room that looks like it was lifted from Babylon’s hanging gardens?

A portion of your fee is going to all this background noise. And it’s not the cheapest at around £39 a cut. But you won’t find anything much cheaper in town so why not look at all the pretty things while you’re being pampered?

The cut I got was nothing short of fantastic, too – a real one-on-one thrashing out of what I wanted before giving me something much better than the hair-by-numbers junk you’re likely to find at your local Toni & Guy. Make it worth a bit more by swigging on cocktails and beer and there’s your value. Sort of.

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Taylor Taylor Salon | Relaxing | Ladies £ 60.00
137 Commercial Street | East | +4420773772737
Mon – Wed 10:00 – 20:00, Thu 12:00 – 21:00, Fri 10:00 – 19:00
Sat – Sun 10:00 – 18:00

After a trip to Tayyabs, it’s easy to see why the wall is plastered with framed awards and rave reviews. Most Londoners know the best curries are not found on self-proclaimed curry capital Brick Lane, and those in the know believe Tayyabs, within walking distance, is one of the best.

The no frills Pakistani restaurant is always bustling with an English and international crowd, truly reflecting the rich multicultural makeup of London. Tables are set close together to accommodate the steady flow of people and waiters seamlessly weave between them, providing efficient and fast service.

The food is less heavy than most ghee-filled Indian or Pakistani dishes and the delicately flavoured lentil and baby aubergine curry (dhal baingun) is a must. The fresh mango lassis come by the glass or in jugs to share and are a delicious accompaniment to the meal. Powerfully spiced sizzling grilled meats are a specialty. Although they don’t serve alcohol, you are free to bring your own. There is no corking charge.

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Tayyabs | Restaurants (Pakistani/Indian) | Dhal Baingun £ 5.00
83 Fieldgate Street | East | +442072479543
12:00 – 00:00 daily

This once derelict house was bought by the Late American artist, Dennis Severs. Severs had been inspired by ‘Old England’, so he renovated the house to reflect the 18th and 19th centuries. Eager to share his passionate creation with the public, Severs then opened his house up to visitors.

However with no signage outside, the house looks like any other Victorian townhouse. Although once inside, it’s quite a different story, as I felt I had entered a time capsule and had been ejected out somewhere between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Spread out on four floors, each of the ten rooms tells a different story. Props such as the remains of half eaten toast and cups of tea make the visitor feel as someone just left the room. Whilst the more permanent structures, such as the uneven floors, low beamed ceilings, antique furnishings and the smell of gas from the fire places lingering through the air allows the visitor to visualise and smell yester-year.

To enhance your senses, attend a ‘Silent Night’ candlelit viewing on a Monday evening. The flickering of candles leave you feeling as if your presence is being observed by the occupants of the house, which of course are only as vivid as your imagination will allow.

Since Severs death in 1999, funding to keep the house open has been limited, therefore Severs intricate interpretation of centuries gone by can only be kept alive for as long as people continue to visit this special little place.

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The Dennis Severs House | Art & culture, Relaxing | ‘Silent night’ £ 12.00
18 Folgate Street | East | +442072474013
Mon evening & 1st, 3rd Sun & Mon of the month 12:00 – 16:00

The Dolphin Pub is the kind of place you feel you have to explain its appeal before admitting to liking it, as from the outside the pub looks very much like an old mans watering hole and the interior screams tacky Victorian, if you can imagine such a thing.

However hit this place on a Saturday night for a drink or two and you’ll find yourself there till the early hours, dancing and singing along to handbag house intermittently mixed with karaoke favourites. Yes, the music selection is what keeps the crowd’s infectiously good vibe going, as one minute you’re gyrating to cheesy dance classics and the next minute someone has taken the microphone and is singing along to the best of the worst karaoke tunes. However the crowd doesn’t seem to care whether you hit that note, just as long as the music keeps playing and the bar keeps serving.

If you’re in need of resting your feet, or vocal cords as it may be, they have a decent sized outdoor terrace where you can eye up the outrageously trendy and alternative types that flock to this pub. Like so much of East London, the most unlikely of places always attracts the trendiest of crowds, therefore West End glamour types may not be impressed. However this unpredictably fun pub has the knack of removing inhibitions and class distinctions as the night wears on and the intoxication levels increase.

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The Dolphin Pub | Bars, Music | Pint £ 3.00
165 Mare Street | East | +442089853727
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 02:00, Fri 16:00 – 04:00, Sat 12:00 – 04:00, Sun 12:00 – 02:00

There’s a lot right with Victoria Park village – and there are plenty of drawbacks. Beautiful little bistros lining the street, ample shopping and a glut of gorgeous ale houses are within crawling distance of Victoria Park.

However, as with most upmarket London suburbs you’re going to come across your fair share of la-di-da media middle managers, overpriced food and tardy service. The latter is spectacularly true of the Empress’ illustrious next door neighbours at Fish House – where I’ve waited over half an hour before being served without a hint of a smile.

However the Empress stands head and shoulders above every other establishment in the area. A fantastic food menu is complimented by the intricately art-deco interior, resplendent with grand colonial murals and quirky chandeliers.

The lemon sole was nothing short of spectacular; its crushed potato and in-season asparagus accoutrements work perfectly with the subtle Hollandaise and an added side of cauliflower (real) cheese. The brunette had trout; melted in her and my mouth while still exuding all the tastes of the North Sea. Service was just the right side of smiley, without being smarmy, and quick, too – take that, Fish House: better decor, service – and fish! And for the same price, just over a tenner a meal.

It may not be the most beloved of bank balances, but the Empress of India is more than a gastropub; it’s a first date.

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The Empress of India | Bars, Restaurants (Modern Cuisine) | Main meal £ 12.00
130 Lauriston Road | East | +442085335123
09:00 – 23:00 daily

Maybe it’s the location (parked just a few minutes’ walk from Electricity Showrooms) or maybe it’s the shady surroundings, but Hoxton’s excellent Macbeth is still left well alone by the masses and swooped upon almost exclusively by rag-tag fancies living down the road.

But we should all be going there, for this ignominious backwater is home to some of the best live nights a fiver can bring; if you can ignore the boudoirish scarlet decoration for long enough. There seem to be hundreds of buzzing nights laid on, the best couple being Bronze Club, a feverish fealty to the best new acts run by pantheons of pub pop Golden Silvers (Gold, Silver, Bronze – geddit?); and Plan B Magazine (the best British sound rag), where great young artists can be seen in their prime for less than a pint five minutes away. The drinks ain’t too expensive, if not the best in town.

So instead of settling for all that glitters on Shoreditch’s glam high street, take a stroll towards the light and sample some genuine Hoxton heroin chic.

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The Macbeth | Bars, Music | Entrance from £ 0.00
70 Hoxton Street | East
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 12:00 – 00:00

Also a favourite haunt of my East-End based friends; you’d be forgiven for thinking the existence of this place was a myth on first trying to find it. This much loved pub sits on its own, as the result of WWII bombing, in Mile End Ecology Park on the edge of a canal. Approaching in the dark, you’d be forgiven for thinking it might be closed too, as the low lighting glows dimly through the opaque windows.

But open it is, and once inside you are treated to an interior that has barely altered for nigh on half a century: bronze wallpaper; antique plates, red curtains and many pictures of big-haired local jazz musicians (I’m hoping from the 80s!). I love that they still put ashtrays on all the tables, in some show of defiance, even if they can’t actually be used. Old school jazz bands play live every weekend, when the place is packed full of old and young, having a good old-fashioned time of it.

They say patience is a virtue, and it’s a virtue you’ll need here as the bar man or lady potters to and fro, getting your drinks. It’s very fitting that the drinks are rung up on the most old-fashioned till I’ve ever seen in use. This place ain’t gonna go changing for no one, but that’s what makes it so great, and if you accept that and go with it, you’ll have a grand time.

My parting tip: don’t ask for tap water!

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The Palm Tree | Bars | Pint from £ 2.40
127 Grove Road | East
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 02:00, Sun 12:00 – 01:00

To look at it from the outside you’d be forgiven you’d stepped back in time to a Victorian workhouse. And inside the theme rarely strays; with chipped wood panels and oddly ornate lighting it could well be a seedy sixties strip joint.

Well, you’d be right, kind of. By week Ye Ole Axe – beloved and be-hated in equal measure by its Shoreditch siblings – is still an institution of dubious reputation (it has naked ladies in it). But it’s at the weekend when it gets interesting. For the uninhibited pound-in-the-jar madness that rules Monday through Thursday equates to one of the most manic, subtle-as-a-hammer nights you’ll find this side of Solom.

Friday night means Love Me Do – an endless stream of rock n’ roll hits from the sixties and beyond, where shoegazers meet drunken fools in a heady mix of dancing and all-round fun. Think Beatles, Stones, Elvis, Holly. No nonsense, no nuance.

Saturday night, however, brings Rockabilly Rebel – to my knowledge the only night in central London you can while the hours to The Trashmen or The Cramps all night. An anomalous homage to sweat and switchblade haircuts, the place drags in all those who’ve missed the Cargo or 333 boat. So lower your standards – and your hair – and you’ll be shakin’ the twist quicker than Chuck Berry can say Rock n’ Roll.

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Ye Olde Axe | Bars, Music | Entrance £ 5.00
69 Hackney Road | East
Fri 00:30 – 06:00, Sat 23:00 – 06:00