Café 1001 forms part of a pedestrianised eating and shopping strip that recalls nothing so much as Friday afternoon at the Glastonbury Festival, as food stalls and barbecue grills compete for attention with record stores (Rough Trade’s expansive shop) and watering holes (the Big Chill Bar is at the opposite end of the stretch).
The entrance to the café welcomes a friendly bohemian crowd who gather to check emails by day, then glug lager and catch a DJ after dark. Most take their cans in with them, climbing the short staircase to a loungey area (not unlike a glorified sixth-form common room) and a music space at the back.
There are other drinks, among them standard cocktails (£6.50-£7) and top-notch fresh juices. Food involves salads, soups, burgers, bagels and own-made cakes, served from early morning until late at night.