Cafe OTO provides a home for creative new music that exists outside of the mainstream with an evening programme of adventurous live music seven nights a week.
The concert programme at Cafe OTO is managed by OTOProjects – a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC).
We are also open as a cafe during the day, serving a range of pastries and snacks and sellings books, records, tapes and CDs.
We now also have fully functional air conditioning in the venue.
For weekly news and announcements, please sign up to our mailing list.
We are currently open as a cafe and shop from:
9am–5pm Monday–Saturday
Open from 10am–5pm on Sundays as a cafe and shop.
Occasionally closed from 2pm on Sundays for a matinee show - please check our listings page for all upcoming events.
Cafe OTO
18–22 Ashwin street
Dalston
London
E8 3DL
Cafe OTO is easily accessible by public transport, see details below.
Overground & East London Line
There are two overground stations very close to Cafe OTO – Dalston Junction and Dalston Kingsland – that connect you quickly to the rest of London.
Bus
The following buses stop nearby: 30, 38, N38, 67, 76, 149, N149, 56, 277 & 242.
Bicycle
There are a limited number of bicycle racks opposite Cafe OTO.
Parking
There is no parking at Cafe OTO but you can find a map of some local options here.
Please find information about how we're currently dealing with the coronavirus here
Can I buy advance tickets in person?
We only sell advance tickets online through our website. This helps us keep our costs down.
Do you post out physical tickets?
No – after booking advance tickets you'll be sent a confirmation email with a booking reference which you'll need to quote with your name on the night of the performance.
What time does the concert start?
The time advertised on each show listing is the door time. Music usually starts 30 minutes after doors open and most concerts are finished by 11pm but we stay open until midnight each day.
Is the venue seated?
The vast majority of our shows are a mix of seated and standing areas. The number of seats are limited and go on a first come first serve basis so we recommend coming early for the best chance of getting a seat. Very occasionally we will have a standing only event.
Can I reserve a seat?
If standing for long periods of time is difficult or impossible for you we can reserve you a seat. This must be done by emailing hello@cafeoto.co.uk at least 48 hours in advance of the show.
What about accessibility?
The venue has step-free access and a wheelchair accessible toilet. We also offer '2 for 1' tickets for carers attending with disabled customers and are more than happy to reserve you a seat or a space for a wheelchair if you need it. Please email hello@cafeoto.co.uk with your purchase confirmation to make a reservation.
The website says X is sold out. Is that really true?
Yes. We do not usually reserve tickets for sale on the door, so if we've marked it as sold out on the website then it is definitely sold out.
I can no longer attend a show I bought tickets for. Can I get a refund?
We ask for a minimum of 72 hours (3 days) notice before a performance to guarantee refunds. For sold out shows we may be able to resell tickets with less notice. Please contact hello@cafeoto.co.uk if you need to return your ticket. For shows put on at OTO by external promoters, customers will need to contact the online seller that they purchased the tickets through where applicable (wegottickets, Ticket ABC etc). Please note that booking fees are non-refundable.
Do you charge booking fees on top of the ticket price?
To cover the costs of managing our own ticketing system we charge a 10% booking fee for all tickets, which is capped at £2.80 per ticket. However, members will be exempt when buying tickets with their members discount. Please note that booking fees are non-refundable.
Is it OK for me to record/film/take pictures etc?
Generally, photos without flash are fine. Please check with us first before filming or recording any concerts here so we can get the musicians/performers' approval. Thanks!
Are there any age restrictions for shows?
Under-18s are fine to attend all shows at OTO but must be accompanied by somebody over 18.
What equipment do you have?
You can see a full list
What is your privacy policy?
You can read our privacy policy here
Cafe OTO also hosts an in-house shop stocking a diverse range of things that you wont find elsewhere in London. A host of LP's, CD's, cassettes, books, periodicals, posters, etc are available - often in limited copies and not available in the online shop. We also sell our own titles, released on our in-house physical label, OTOROKU.
Weekly shipments from around the globe of:
The shop is open all day and night during cafe and concert hours and accepts cash and card payments, with a discount for members.
To enquire about OTOROKU, please email abby@cafeoto.co.uk. We are distributed by Cargo (UK), SoundOhm (IT), Distrijazz (SP) and Forced Exposure (USA).
The OTO Project Space is now closed, but ran for a decade from 2013-2023, just around the corner from Cafe OTO at 1-7 Ashwin Street - E8 3DL.
It was created as a space for artists to develop new work and for OTO Projects to present workshops, talks, film screenings and installations relating to the core programme at Cafe OTO. The building was designed by Assemble - a young, critically acclaimed design practice based in London - and built by a team of more than 30 volunteers.
Cafe OTO is available for private hire. If you'd like us to host your party, wedding reception, photo shoot or some other private event please email fielding@cafeoto.co.uk
We’re not often able to answer the telephone so please contact us via email.
Customer enquiries
hello@cafeoto.co.uk
Please use this address for questions about tickets, orders, lost property etc. We are a small team and are often unable to check this address at weekends but we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Concert bookings
Fielding Hope: fielding@cafeoto.co.uk
Please note that due to limited time and the huge volume of emails we receive we are unfortunately not able to reply to all programming enquiries
Please check our programme before contacting us. If you think your proposal is suitable then please send a short description with a link to some streaming audio or video. Please do not send audio attachments or unsolicited physical recordings to the cafe.
Cafe
Midori Ogata (daytime): midori@cafeoto.co.uk
Jackson Burton (evening): jackson@cafeoto.co.uk
Website
Oli Barrett: oli@cafeoto.co.uk
Shop - Books / Magazines
Florence Uniacke: florence@cafeoto.co.uk
Shop - Records / CDs / Tapes
Bradford Bailey: bradford@cafeoto.co.uk
OTOROKU & OTOHAN
Abby Thomas: abby@cafeoto.co.uk
Archive
Abby Thomas: abby@cafeoto.co.uk
Finance
Andy Bean: andy@cafeoto.co.uk
Founder / Director
Hamish Dunbar: hamish@cafeoto.co.uk
Founder / Director / Off-site curation and collaboration
Keiko Yamamoto: keiko@cafeoto.co.uk
In-house photographer
Dawid Laskowski: dawid@cafeoto.co.uk
Volunteering is a great way of getting involved and being part of a community of people that make the events here happen.
If you would like to volunteer at Cafe OTO please enter your name and email here:
If you have any questions about volunteering please e-mail hello@cafeoto.co.uk and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
OTO Projects gratefully acknowledges the support of Arts Council England.
Our Yamaha C3 grand piano has been made possible with the kind support of Markson Pianos.
OTO Projects is is a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner supported by PPL
Media Partners
We have also received additional project support in the past from:
