Leila McAlister's grocery shop and café off Arnold Circus, Shoreditch. You can find the best of everything, from jars of horseradish to eggs and croissants.

P Franco, wine shop, bar and restaurant. Amazing wine, delicious small plates (guest chefs) in a very lively atmosphere. The wait for a spot to sit down is worth it. 

Great beer and whisky selection, a friendly crowd, and top quality music programming upstairs, you can't go wrong with The Lexington

I probably spend too much time here but I love it for the atmosphere. During the day it’s quite empty. The proprietor is often dozing in the back corner and you can read for hours with just one cup of tea without anyone bothering you. It picks up in the evenings as all the regulars pile in with pre-bought bottles of wine.

Key community arts centre, near to Shoreditch High St station. The cinema is handy and the music programming is solid, but they also host a variety of other interesting nights, most notably Jawdance, London’s (arguably) best spoken word night