Pop in for a gingerbread latte and a mince pie

We're counting down to Christmas at The Laine Deli - and wondering when we'll find time to do our own Christmas shopping!

The North Laine area of Brighton is a great place to start; you'll find an exotic mix of kitch and classic in the collection of independent shops surrounding us.

Before your shopping trip begins, why not call in to the deli for a seasonal energy boost? With a mouthful of festive food - a mince pie, perhaps? - and a shot of gingerbread syrup in your latte, you'll be ready for the day. Or call in at lunchtime for a turkey and cranberry sandwich. Go on, treat yourself!

A last-minute Christmas party!

We know how it is. You're busy working... and all of a sudden it's Christmas!

If you've left it a little bit late to plan your office party, don't worry. Although we're already booked to provide outside catering for a number of events this December, there's still some space in our diary.

Whether you're after a party in the evening or a festive office lunch, we can turn up with everything you need. And because we're based in the heart of Brighton, it's easy for you to call in beforehand for a face-to-face chat about all your requirements.

Brighton's preparing for the ice

Last winter was, as we're sure you'll remember, pretty cold. Mind you, it didn't stop us from putting chairs out on the patio!

Although we can't predict this year's weather, we can be certain there'll be ice in Brighton. The Royal Pavilion is going to have its own Ice Rink from 13th November through until the New Year. There'll be room on the 700 square metre rink for up to 200 skaters, with a special beginners' area and Penguin-shaped skating aids to help youngsters find their feet.

Tickets can be booked via http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ - or just pick up a hot chocolate from us and and wander down to watch the fun!

A Happy New Year from The Laine Deli

A very Happy New Year to all our customers and friends!

We're now back from our all-too-short Christmas break and are looking forward to our first complete year at The Laine Deli.

So whether you're in the mood for a traditional breakfast, a detox smoothie, a light lunch or a piece of home-made cake, call in at 31 Trafalgar Street and we'll help you start the year exactly as you want.

Our Christmas break

Many of our customers come from local businesses in the North Laine area of Brighton - and many of them will be taking a break between Christmas and the New Year. So we've decided to do the same.

After all, Monday and Friday next week are bank holidays. We're adding Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday to the list and will be open again on Monday 4th January 2010.

A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all our customers!

Just a couple of days to Christmas!

We're getting very excited about Christmas - but we're not closing the shop to go shopping!

The Laine Deli will be open on Wednesday 23rd and Thursday 24th December as usual, although we'll probably finish a little earlier than usual on Christmas Eve. That means we'll be here as usual for your breakfast, for your mid-morning coffee and your lunch. We also still have a few Christmas gifts left, including tree decorations, pannetone and chocolates.

Christmas Chocolates

We all like a bit of chocolate at The Laine Deli. That's one of the reasons you'll find plenty of chocolate gifts in the shop this month. Some of our favourites come from The Chocolate Alchemist, which is an award-winning organic chocolate manufacturer based in West Sussex. So whether you're looking for a Christmas stocking filler for children, a foodie gift for a friend or something to cheer you up when you're Christmas shopping, pop in and take a look at our selection of plain chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate goodies!

Christmas Panettone

Panettone is a type of Italian bread that originated in Milan and has been associated with Christmas for around two hundred years. We've tracked down a variety of small panettone loaves in little boxes. They'll make a tasty gift, a novel Christmas tree decoration or even a pre-Christmas treat!

Christmas Robin

The robin has been a symbol of Christmas for many years. We have our own collection at The Laine Deli - and they're all for sale. Each robin is hand-made by a local artist and would make a lovely little gift (or an equally lovely Christmas tree decoration for yourself!)

Take home your own unique robin for just £4. Alternatively, you can pick a family of three for only £10.

It's officially Christmas at The Laine Deli!

When should you put your Christmas decorations up?

That's a good question - and one that's often a hot topic for shops. Too soon and you'll have customers muttering "it gets earlier every year". Too late and the same customers will probably claim you're related to Scrooge!

Well, we made a start this weekend. We've already catered for one Christmas event and have a couple of others lined up this week, so we reckoned it was about time The Laine Deli acquired some Christmas sparkle. We also have some lovely Christmassy gifts... but we'll tell you more about them in the next few days.

Christmas coffee

Many of the UK's 'traditional' Christmas celebrations aren't as old as you might think. For example, there's the Christmas tree - made popular by Queen Victoria - and Santa Claus, who only adopted his current red-suited form in the 19th century.

Which made us wonder: how long before the Gingerbread Latte becomes a traditional festive drink?

Anyway, if you'd like a warming Gingerbread latte (with or without whipped cream) - or a coffee that's flavoured with festive 'toasted marshmallow' syrup - we're happy to oblige. And you'll find our regular range of flavoured syrups available as well.

Christmas is coming

Christmas is still just over a month away but we're in a festive mood. That's because we've already started arranging the food for office parties and end-of-year lunches. And even if you're not celebrating Christmas at work, we can help with a few seasonal goodies. Perhaps a turkey and cranberry ciabatta for lunch... some chocolate stocking-fillers... or even (coming very soon!) a mince pie. Go on, treat yourself!