Saraswathie Lodge is another pure-veg South Indian spot on Galle Rd in Bambalapitiya. The ambience isn't as charming as nearby Greenlands Hotel but the thosai is marginally better.
The new Savoy 3D cinema is just...wow. It's huge, the seats aren't falling apart and the screen is HD. That's right, no more trembling, blurry projections. Just a crystal clear, blazingly vibrant,…
Greenlands is a budget South-Indian joint that wins for nostalgia.
It was with cautious expectations that we visited the Kohuwela Roots. But here, we're happy to say, the service is good and the juices, superb. The little glass cube jutting out of Tisara Plaza is…
The EAP is a low-key, relaxed place for a tipple. It's near the Borella junction.
Its a bit of a lucky a dip but sift through the dusty collections for long enough ask the enthusiastic vendors enough questions and after 30 mins scouring you're sure to find something you like.
At the point where Jambugasmulla runs into Old Kesbewa Road lies AMRO Vegetarian Cafe, a little oasis of calm amidst the noisy Nugegoda soundscape. Run by four charming aunties, AMRO serves up your basic kade…
The K-9 is, I think, Colombo's only attempt at a comprehensive pet store. They sell a whole bunch of pet related products like cages, leashes, chew toys, and, strangely, adult diapers (?). You…
With both selling their goods on the open market the stage is set for open confrontation. It;s the established Corleones (Il Gelato) vs the up and coming Tattaglias (Carinos) and of course YAMU is…
Local biryani doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves. If you think about it though those plates of saffron tinged rice are a central part of life for millions of Sri Lankans.
For high-end but not unaffordable Sarees check out Aashkii. There are also dresses and random bits of home-wear available in the split level premise on top of Maitland Crescent though these…
The VOC is a one of the best places in the city to get lamprais, and we've heard their burgers are pretty good too.
This interesting temple in interesting Kotahena is a unique blend of Thai, colonial and local architecture. It's also the oldest Buddhist temple in Colombo.
Klassy is a really good pastry shop - reliable for savouries and milk toffees.
It’s called the swimming club, so this ought to be a good place for a swim - and it is. Apart from splashing it out in the pool, you can also dive into their excellent club-level food.
Yaal has stood steady in the same, stoic building down Marine Drive. They've managed to thoroughly maintain their quality of food and service over the years.
At the end of Marine drive its a little fenced off patch of land with seating out doors and a small covered structure for cooking between the train tracks and the sea. There are tables just two…
Of Colombo’s 5 star hotel pools we are partial to the one at Cinnamon Lakeside. It’s probably the most recently refurbished of the big hotel pools and with its Beira-side views, deep blue tinge,…
The Island Coffee shop is so utterly charming and captures perfectly the spirit of a Colombo that is now slipping from the collective memory - an age where nothing was imported and everything had to…
The Floor By O! has been around for a while now, we've been there before and we find ourselves going back more. With very reasonable prices, competent staff and good music, they seem to know what…
Well you really can’t do one without the other - Mount Lavinia Hotel and the Galle Face Hotel are Colombo’s colonial duo. So we headed to the GFH’s famed salt water pool. That’s right, no chlorine here,…
Bombay Sweet Centre does an excellent almond milk (Rs. 150) and beef samosa (Rs. 30). The samosa was the best I've had in the city - full of meat and gleaming green chillis, but not stomach…
Sea bathing at Mount Lavinia was an old colonial tradition and for over a century the Mt Lavinia hotel has been the place for an afternoon swim. The swimming pool itself is a modern creation and, well,…
