The Cauldron.

The Cauldron is a new coffee shop/restaurant that serves tasty twists to Sri Lankan favorites.

As a coffee shop, the Cauldron comes in as strong on price, ambience and food and a bit weaker on the coffee, but only if you're a coffee nerd.

The Coffee

Colombo has gone from having uniformly bad and/or over-priced coffee to having A) a lot of coffee shops in general and B) really good coffee for coffee nerds

The Cauldron is not a coffee shop for nerds. They serve Lavazza coffee using a good consumer-level coffee machine (a Gaggia), which is good, but they're not sourcing beans from Sri Lanka or some special place in Africa, nor are they refining the brewing process for that extra 10%. For obsessively great coffee you should go to Kopi Kade down the street, but you may not be a coffee nerd. Few people actually are.

They produce good coffee here, and it's relatively affordable (Rs. 420 for an espresso, discounted down to Rs. 280 when we visited). 

Now, we should have really tried their coffee drinks with fancy stuff like milk and caramel and sauces, but the presumption is that if the coffee base is good the rest will be fine. So, I'd say that the coffee base is good. Please tell me how the sweeter drinks are for you.

My daughter did try a babycino (basically frothed milk with cocoa, in this case minus the cocoa).  She enjoyed playing with this using a spoon. So, if you're into that, there's that.

The Food

This is a Kochchi Chicken Waffle with maple syrup and a runny-yolk egg (Rs. 430). It's burning spicy, sweet, interesting, filling and affordable. Here they're taking something Sri Lankans love (those demon chilis called kochchi or sometimes nai miris) and remixing it just a little bit. In this case with a sweet maple syrup waffle. It's good.

Here also is a Pol Roti Sandwich with Jaffna Prawns (Rs. 580). Forgive the photo, I put a bunny in there but it is still beyond me to make a Jaffna prawn curry look beautiful. I can vouch that it tastes spicy and good, and I can eat pol roti by itself anyways. The bunny was not included.

Again they're remixing stuff we all know, doing it quite well, and pricing it affordably.

To compare it to its neighbor again, Kopi Kade is doing more refined variations on Sri Lankan favorites, but I definitely wouldn't call their food filling. 

Oh, and desserts. This is a lemon drizzle cake (Rs. 300) which was a bit basic and not tart at all. Nothing special here. I also tried a pain au chocolate which was mad buttery and better. So lets say the desserts are, on average, average.

The Location

This is a really nice window. This is one of the nicer windows in Colombo. 

They have a smoking section which would also be nice to sit in if you didn't smoke.

The overall design motif here is communism. Not that Muhammad Ali was a communist, I just happened to photograph this. I think this building was part of Cafe Che before, and a lot of the Che Guevara and other commie memorabilia may be left over. It's cool but not necessarily connected to the current character of the place.

The space itself is broken up into two main rooms, which is kinda nice. You're not all up in a big area and, at least when it's not busy, it feels relatively private. But not private enough to make out. We get a lot of questions about that, and this isn't a great place for it. For chatting, yes, it's good.

Oh, but one note, while we were there they were playing dance music with that disturbing 'drop' thing happening all the time. I found it driving me a bit crazy but maybe I'm old. Is that what people listen to in coffee shops now?

Conclusion

The Cauldron fits a gap in the Colombo coffee shop scene – it's relatively affordable, in a good location for the 138 bus crowd, and has creative but filling food. 

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp

Highlights.

Latest.

KAMU.

7 Cuisines in 7 Days 

Are you craving a culinary adventure? 7 Cuisines in 7 Days is your ultimate guide

Highlights Kamu Trending

Japanese Restaurants in Sri Lanka

1.Salmon and Maki - Thalawathugoda Japanese Fusion Cuisine 11.00 AM - 10.30 PM (everyday) Visit:

Highlights Kamu Trending

Hidden Spot Worth Finding: The Avenue, Colombo

Located in Colombo, The Avenue is one of those spots that feels comfortable the moment

Highlights Kamu Trending

7 Fine Dining Restaurants You Must Try in Colombo

Sri Lanka’s culinary scene is rapidly evolving, blending its rich heritage with global gastronomic trends.

Highlights Kamu Trending

Tea Trails & Tastes: : Best Eats in Nuwara Eliya and Ella.

By Fathima Rukaiya, Let’s take a flavorful journey through the culinary landscapes of Ella and

Highlights Kamu Trending

Press Conference: Celebrating 50 Years of The London Grill & Welcoming Visiting Chef Phillip Davenport

Colombo, Sri Lanka – 14 May 2025 – Cinnamon Grand Colombo is pleased to invite

Highlights Kamu Trending

Trending.

7 Cuisines in 7 Days 

Are you craving a culinary adventure? 7 Cuisines in 7 Days is your ultimate guide

Highlights Kamu Trending

Japanese Restaurants in Sri Lanka

1.Salmon and Maki - Thalawathugoda Japanese Fusion Cuisine 11.00 AM - 10.30 PM (everyday) Visit:

Highlights Kamu Trending

Hidden Spot Worth Finding: The Avenue, Colombo

Located in Colombo, The Avenue is one of those spots that feels comfortable the moment

Highlights Kamu Trending

7 Fine Dining Restaurants You Must Try in Colombo

Sri Lanka’s culinary scene is rapidly evolving, blending its rich heritage with global gastronomic trends.

Highlights Kamu Trending

Father’s Day Festivities Await at Cinnamon Grand Colombo

This Father’s Day, Cinnamon Grand Colombo invites guests to honour Dad with an array of

Trending

Celebrate Sustainability & Community at the POYA Market Mount Lavinia Hotel

The POYA Market returns to Mount Lavinia Hotel on Monday, 10th June 2025, from 10

Trending

Yamu Guide.

The 2025 High Tea Round-Up

Looking for the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing high tea? Whether you're into sweet

Highlights Yamu Guide

Father’s Day Gift Guide 2025

By Linara Wimalaweera Father's Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and influence of

Yamu Guide

Top Must-Try Restaurants in Ahangama for 2025

Ahangama, a charming surf town on Sri Lanka's southern coast, is becoming a popular spot

Highlights Yamu Guide

8 Gift Ideas to Celebrate Your Mom This Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is a special time set aside to honor the amazing women who shape

Yamu Guide

Colombo’s best kept secrets – Date night spots 2025

Colombo might be known for its trendy cafes and fancy rooftop spots, but who says

Kamu Yamu Guide

A Luxurious Seafood Experience at Fat Crab Colombo

Fat Crab Colombo offers a wonderful dining experience that combines luxury, live music, and an

Highlights Kamu Yamu Guide