Café Oto

I like the vibe of this place- open, airy, lots of tables and couches and other assorted seating. It's located on a back street up near Dalston Junction, which is nice because you can sit outside without inhaling bus exhaust or getting run over by said bus.

They have good coffee and tea and apple ginger juice in pretty bottles. The people who work there are very forgiving of hours spent on their free Internet. My only gripe is that it's nice to have a food option should one get hungry ( and let's be honest, I'm pretty much always hungry).

Apparently they'll be getting real food soon. For now, my poor stomach will have to be content with cookies, mini quiche thingies, croissants, and the like, as well as excitingly flavored chips. And by chips I think I mean crisps. And by flavored I think I mean flavoured. Look how hard I'm trying! If I get killed by a bus looking the wrong way crossing the street I will be very angry with you, London.

Thank God the street outside Cafe Oto is bus-free. I'm safe for now...

This cafe is a Hackney council supported venue working to promote new, underground and international music and culture within the community and as such deserves a big pat on the back. The great thing about Dalston is that over the years it has seen the development of many new cultural projects and is home to creative collectives who truly contribute something to the vibrant melting pot of people living in the area.

Cafe Oto has a jam packed programme of musical treats over the coming months, mostly featuring international artists I have never heard of which is not only exciting to me, but proof that the cafe is working successfully towards their goal of getting exposure for talented non commercial artists.

The atmosphere here hums with creativity, it is large and light with a grand piano and free WiFi. It's a little off the beaten track and a great place to relax or work over a couple of beers or a nice cake.

Amazing place with a beautiful feel.
Great coffee with cool cats drawing, reading and just chilling out.
Feels like a coffee shop should.
Keep it a secret and all will be golden

This place is an odd but definitely enjoyable mix of hipster coffee joint, blissed-out tea haven, and Japanese snack and liquor shop.

I've had the chance to devour a fantastic vanilla beer, a holiday ginger tea drink, an Americano, and a pot of sencha. All delightful.

I prefer the seats by the windows, because the back can get a bit dark, but the back has some nice big tables if you're bringing a group.

There are some hard to find craft brews here as well as whiskey from Nippon and little snackeys which I haven't tried yet but want to.

It's warm in the chill of winter and cool in the summer, so you've no excuse not to give it a shot.

I started going here a year ago as i wanted to find somewhere quiet to write during the day.


Whenever i go it is full but doesn't feel cramped as the space is big enough and the tables aren't jammed in. I often have meetings here, go to sit and read or work. There are always plenty of laptops being tapped away at.


It has a real community feel and there is always interesting stuff going on in the evenings.


The food is good - typical london prices for organic home made stuff. Lots of nice Clipper Teas - great coffee too!


Last time I was here a man came in to tune the Piano - it was lovely! Also, the toilets are big and clean - hooray!


Great for anybody with buggies or Wheelchairs I think - as there is lots of room to move.

Nice! This is a state supported venue so it's an open, inclusive, successful and cultural enterprise. Which is just what we want public money to be doing in this day and age. Tucked neatly of Dalston High Street, you'd never know it was here, you really wouldn't, unless you're 'in the know'. I'm not, no I'm not, but I know someone who clearly is!

So, it's very cultural very cool very chic like that showing variously different things, from places all over the world. I don't know about you, but there is something glorious about rhythms from around the world, the kind of thing you don't get to sit down in a bar and listen to very often. --- Nice. Can't imagine this stuff kicking off in Enfield. Heya there... Michael Portillo, come in sir. Come on

No it's not like that. It's really good, come, fun check it!

As I write this i am sat in the sunshine enjoying a homemade bannana and chocolate muffin and cafe oto's free wifi. Wow this place is a home from and I love it!

Not only is this place as cute as it can be but the super friendly staff even helped me set up my laptop for the t'internet - clever cloggs they are. I have been here before in the evening to enjoy a band or two and it's a wonderful gig venue too. Basically this place can't do wrong by me. they hold fantastic acoustic nights and the intimate venue is ideal for such events!

They don't have a huge selection of food, mainly cakes and what not but apart from that it's perfect.

A good venue specialising in contemporary and experimental music of all kinds. There's a decent selection of drinks and food, but the music is the reason to make the trip, and this venue attracts some of the best talent in the country.

Smiley Wifi Planet

If you're a writer, a start up, a struggling actor, or regularly take time out to navel gaze while contemplating the meaning of life; I bet that you're someone who knows practically every square inch of your local coffee shop - I know I do.

When you reach the level of familarity that allows you to time your day, in accordance with who's just made their way to their regular table, then take it from me, its time to seek inspiration elsewhere.

My first meeting of the day was in Dalston. I literally made it with nano minutes to spare and smoothed things over by with the help of an Americano and a Latte.

As my plus one, finished their call, I took the chance to check out my surroundings. Cafe Oto mixes village hall with a smudgeon East London cool and that kind of trashed student living room sofa and mismatched table and chairs look, that reminds you of being a student again.

The coffee there was kinda of ish....that's right just ish....not sure whether it was the machine or my server, who I am sure tried to launch herself into a one of those almost smiles, but suddenly decided against it. I was a little disappointed with as I've always heard the service there was great. There were however, some big plus points:

1) Free wireless - not to be sniffed at by anyone (struggling or not ! : 0 )

2) A seat for the day (if you want it), without the inevitable table wiping stare that you sometimes get at other coffee shops.

3) Buzzy atmosphere - necessary for creative bursts and people watching, when you have writers block !

4) It's children and animal friendly (now that's a double whammy that you don't find everywhere !)

Would I go back again. Yes if only to see if the waitress can hit smile mode and also because I wouldn't mind experiencing one of their music nights !

Life on the edge BB style !

The Café OTO has been one of my favourite music venues in London for quite sometime now. Funded by Hackney Council It sits slightly hidden down an ally just of Dalston high street, and upon arrival I always feel excited that I've arrived at a "real" underground music venue. Gone are the days when this was a BYOB venue; and although the drinks are definitely not cheep, they definitely have a good, if a little limited selection, that contrasts nicely along side the shabby but altogether intimate interior of the venue.

The sound can sometimes be a little unpredictable, however, but the selection of night's they choose to put on kind of makes up for this. Café OTO's ethos is to bring a public sphere to those innovative or fringe artist that you wouldn't usually get to hear; a place that they can successfully call their own. Amongst the groups I've seen here have been the elusive Jandek, contemporary improv duo Flower / Corsano, Alexander Tucker, amongst a whole other crowd of visionaries and misfits that are you too far out of reach to access on a personal level.

Kudos to Café OTO for bringing us this truly underground arena!