Life in the cool lane

Brick Lane is now the mot du jour, thanks to a littleknown writer called Monica Ali. Her book, named after east London's most famous street, has propelled her on to Granta's Best of Young British Novelists list and ensured that Brick Lane and its inhabitants will be immortalised in fiction.

Brick Lane is arguably London's coolest street: it's achingly, mindlessly, drippingly, effortlessly cool.

For starters, it's got the best curry houses in town. There's also the Brick Lane Beigel Bake (which served Mariah Carey last summer - even she couldn't resist the tempting hot salt-beef bagels they've been dishing out 24/7 for the past 20 years) and the imposing Truman Brewery founded in 1669 and now converted into hip little studios for designers and artists, as well as workshops and bars. In February, during London Fashion Week, it will be playing host to shows, exhibitions and parties, as the fash pack like to flock east every season (French Vogue staff will head to Les Trois Garćons for its Gallic cuisine). Next door to the brewery is the funky Vibe Bar where you can catch long-time resident Talvin Singh hanging out.

These days, Brick Lane and the surrounding streets are home to writers, artists, stylists and photographers. "I love living here," says Lulu Kennedy, creator of Fashion East, which helps young designers stage shows during Fashion Week. "I can stay in the area for weeks because there's so much to do." Tracey Emin and Gilbert and George live in the conservation area made up of Fournier Street, Hanbury Street, Wilkes Street and Princelet Street. These are the top-dollar houses everyone lusts after.

"The Georgian houses can fetch anything from £800,000 to £1.2 million," says Simon Stone of Bridge estate agents. "People want to move here because it's vibey as well as gentrified." And, of course, where you find arty people and nice houses, you find good shopping. Brick Lane isn't just famous for its curries and bagels any more - it's also a weekend shopping hot spot.

On Sundays, Brick Lane, Cheshire Street, Sclater Street and Bacon Street are all taken over by the market, which has been going strong since the 18th century and sells bric-a-brac, vintage clothes and furniture.

Fashion boutiques are popping up all the time. At the top you'll find Tatty Divine's take on kitsch clothes and accessories; super-cool vintage emporium Rokit sits next to Posh Spice's favourite, Laden while along the road, you have eatmyhandbagbitch Mendoza and @work, all of which offer that particular Brick Lane feel - unkempt and slightly off the wall.

Cheshire Street is the new hot spot, where vague is definitely in vogue. The shops here are so chilled that they all have "approximate" opening hours, usually unlocking their doors some time after lunch.

Inexterior does a nice range of leather pouffes, while The Shop sells vintage clothes and bric-a-brac (open Thursday and Sunday). To enter This Will All Turn to Dust, you're asked to "call next door for assistance", and at Mar Mar Co you also have to knock, but only on Saturdays (1-5pm) and Sundays (10am-5pm). Clearly, the owners are too busy being cool elsewhere to deal with customers.

Futurist Food, meanwhile, is a dining club for food experimentation. "Dinner events take place here and elsewhere," is its bizarre advertisement. If you prefer mixing art with champagne to shopping and food, then head to Modern Art Inc, the gallery run by Isabella Blow's husband, Detmar, and local boy Stuart Shave, as the opening of a new exhibition always turns into a party.

The other pulling point is Brick Lane's buzzing social life. Designer Alexander McQueen likes to spend his summer afternoons at 93 Feet East when Secret Sundaze, who play hip hop and funk, take over the terrace and courtyard. The nightclub has also hosted parties for The Face, BBC4 and Fashion East. Down the road, the Golden Heart pub is the drinking den of the local art set and the landlady, Sandra Esquilant, has been named as one of the most influential figures in the modern-art world - alongside such heavyweights as Charles Saatchi, Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst.

So is it any wonder that Ali chose Brick Lane as the subject for her debut novel. As one local, Dale Smith, a stylist who has lived in Brick Lane for six years, puts it: "It used to be cool, but it's getting cooler all the time."