Colombo's ever-changing dining scene brings out various desserts every year, and some of them are worthy of a special trip. Ahead, find 12 of Colombo's happiness-inducing desserts that we've enjoyed over the past couple of years.
Salted Kitul Pani Ice Cream – Kopi Kade
Perhaps you've heard of salted caramel – this is the distinctly Sri Lankan take on it and trust me, it's even better. It has a lush, buttery texture, with a ripple of salted kithul pani running through. Pair it with the coconut sugar they offer with it – you can thank me later. Priced at Rs. 250.
Espresso Cheese Tart – Hyve Dessert Bar
Yes, we agree – with its rough edges and pretty straightforward presentation, it may not be your first choice, especially when you're within a myriad of other colorful desserts. But believe us on this, it tastes exceptional, as much as the rest.
The espresso demands your attention with its highly bitter taste, but the tart slowly eases you back in with the cream-cheesy aftertaste. It's a brilliant symphony of different textures and flavors, all packed into a single slice (Rs. 400).
Coffee Caramel Ice Cream Tart – Plus Nine Four
Unfortunately, we don't have a picture of this delicacy (Rs. 600), so we had to steal this picture off Plus Nine Four's Facebook page. We're always busy gulping it down whenever we are at Plus Nine Four, which is why we forget to take a good picture of it.
It's a unification of three flavors – caramel, coffee, and dark chocolate. Pretty simple, but makes for a real treat. Best enjoyed after their Wholegrain Sourdough toast.
Chocolate Treat Cake – The Cake Factory (5th Lane)
Ever since we did Colpetty's Chocolate Cake Contest, we constantly find ourselves at The Cake Factory down 5th Lane, for a slice of their Chocolate Treat cake. At Rs. 400, it's a real treat indeed. Constructed with two layers of ooey gooey chocolatey goodness, and a vanilla-like frosting slathering in the middle, it's glazed with a delicious ganache layer as well. The cake itself is spongy, moist and decadent – basically, it's everything that you want in your perfect slice of chocolate cake.
Bubblegum Ice Cream – Jolly's Ice Cream
Do you remember those two rupee bubblegums that we used to gorge on when we were kids? If you liked them, you’d love Jolly’s Bubblegum ice cream because that's exactly what it tastes like. This bright blue colored ice cream with colorful sprinkles on top would make you feel all nostalgic.
Blueberry Cheesecake – Sugarcube
We've had our fair share of cheesecakes in Colombo, and so far, we haven't found anything that beats the texture and flavor of the Blueberry Cheesecake (Rs. 380) at Sugarcube. You simply cannot get enough of their rich and fluffy cheesecake with that light and buttery biscuit base. They use Philadelphia cream cheese in this, which explains why it's so darn delicious. We have heard that out of towners have come all the way for their cheesecake too and we're not surprised at all.
CBP Gelato – Roots Gelato
If you love CBP as much as we do, you should definitely try this. It's a collaborative creation of Roots Gelato and Bellissima, that makes for one delicious dessert. At Rs. 350 a scoop, it's incredibly chocolatey and has an abundance of crunchy Marie biscuits embedded in its gooey texture.
Dragon's Breath Mango Sago with Coconut – Shang Palace (Shangri-La, Colombo)
With some simple ingredients, Shang Palace at Shangri-La Colombo makes this bomb of a dessert, which would melt you into your seats. The sago is made with diced mango, sliced pomelo, sago, coconut milk, and evaporated milk. It has the perfect balance of flavors with the sweetness of the mango and the citric flavor of the pomelo, while the marshmallows on top is a sweet addition.
Apple Pie – Sugar Beach
This is one of the best Apple Pies that you would come across in Colombo. At Rs. 600, it has a tender crust that flakes in your mouth into buttery shards, and the filling inside is just so rich with juicy, soury bits of apple and a hint of cinnamon powder. Paired with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream, this is definitely worth every single cent you pay for it.
Steamed Coconut Dumpling with Honey Butter Sauce – Mainland China
Soaked in a delicious honey butter sauce, Mainland China has nailed the texture of their coconut dumplings. With a chewy shell, each of them has just the right amount of coconut shavings – so it doesn't leave your mouth hanging open when you take it all in. At Rs. 495, they offer you six dumplings – so enough to share between two people.
Watalappan and Kolikuttu Banana – Black Pepper
