Colombo has very, very few places that are open late night, let alone 24/7 (minus 5 star coffeeshops, but who can actually afford those?). 24 Seven does what it says on the tin, and we love that.
What is it?
It's basically just a little container off Horton Place (right next to Cafe Kumbuk). There's space for about one car to park, a little seating area outside, and the container itself, with a little ice cream window.
How's the service?
A security guard will assess your level of inebriation/thuggishness and signal to the shop guy to open the door. Once in, you can just pick what you want, pay, and leave. Both the security and the cashier were friendly and helpful, if a little nervous (we did rock up almost at midnight to be fair, and I look pretty dangerous).
What do they have?
Pretty much everything you could need if you've got the midnight munchies.
- Beverages, juice, milk etc (no alcohol obviously), even lactose-free milk, Milo etc
- Fresh bread
- Instant food like cup-a-soup, cereal, oatmeal, chips, snacks, instant noodles, food tins
- Lots and lots of chocolate and sweets (both imported and local)
Frozen food like parotas and ice cream ( you hand the cashier a card and he'll hand you the frozen goods from the back – nifty)
Coffee (beans, instant, and fresh from the machine)- Ice cream from Carnival, with lots of options and toppings
- Basic toiletries like shampoo, moisturiser, soap, etc
- Sexual and reproductive health stuff like condoms, lube, and sanitary pads
- Cigarettes and smoking aids like rolling papers
They'll also be opening a larger cafe and boutique section in the future, around November.
Would we return?
Absolutely! This is an incredibly useful addition to Colombo. They haven't added crazy markups to the goods, which is wonderful. They've also done a pretty good job of anticipating people's late night needs (food, sex, ice cream) and stocking quality products from Sri Lanka and abroad. Overall, we loved the concept and execution and will undoubtedly be back somewhere in the wee hours of the night.
