Chez Dimitrina is a great alternative to some of the busier cafes in the North Laine, serving a variety of coffees, cakes and sandwiches. A bit pricier than its competitors, and looking a bit dull from the outside, Chez Dimitrina is often quiet and I normally find I can get a table, even at peak times: a real boon in the busy Laine.
I'm not sure what culture is behind Chez Dimitrina: I'd have thought Eastern European or something similar, but instead it seems to serve typical European cafe cuisine. The coffees and cakes are all very nice, if a little on the pricey side: nothing compared to the excess of Starbucks and the like, but still quite a bit for a North Laine independent.
Chez Dimitrina is nicely situated in the Laine, although it does look dingy from the outside. Looks, in this case, aren't deceiving: the inside is as dingy as the outside, but not enough to be unpleasant, just a little dark and uninviting. This actually plays to Chez Dimitrina's strength: it isn't busy but manages to find a good balance between being empty and pleasantly sparse. A great opportunity to sit in the Laine? Go for it!
In the end, it's not the nicest cafe in the area, it's even bordered by some nicer places, but getting a table in the Laine is tough at the best of times, and Chez Dimitrina isn't unpleasant enough to warrant not going: it just isn't anything to write home about. Pop in for a coffee, a cake and a seat on a lengthy shopping excursion. read more