Explainers and lists · Sri Lanka
The Colombo cafes that turned food, design and storytelling into brands
Colombo's cafe culture was built by a small group of founders who treated a cafe as a brand: a point of view, a design language, a story. From wellness brunches to an anime cafe, these are the ones that shaped it.
In short
Eleven cafe brands and the people behind them: The Grind, Seed Cafe and Radicle (Nishendri Wariyapola and Mahesh Alkegama), Cafe Kumbuk (Shana and Dinali Dandeniya), Ibson's Choice (Dilan DeSilva), Peppermint Cafe (Tahira Eliyas), The Blac (Kaushal Mendis and Amoda Rathnayake), Kiku (Jacqueline Samarasinghe), Karabu (Amanda Vedanayagam and Chamila Paranaliyanage), Kiri Kopi (Vella Group), Black Cat (Soharni Tennekoon and Youssef), Brown Sugar (Diarra Wickremasinghe and Adnan Izath) and Luna Mews (Thilina Wijesiri).
The Grind, Seed Cafe and Radicle
Nishendri Wariyapola and Mahesh Alkegama introduced Colombo to specialty coffee with The Grind, then launched Seed Cafe around a wellness-led menu. Their most recent opening is Radicle, a coffee house and art gallery inside the historic De Mel Building in Fort.
Cafe Kumbuk
Shana and Dinali Dandeniya built Cafe Kumbuk as a warm, Sri Lankan-inspired cafe shaped by healthy food, design and community.
Ibson's Choice
Dilan DeSilva created Ibson's Choice as a tribute to his father's cartoon legacy, blending coffee with anime, nostalgia and pop culture.
Peppermint Cafe
Tahira Eliyas brought fashion-led design into hospitality and built Peppermint into one of Colombo's most recognisable 24-hour cafe spaces.
The Blac
Kaushal Mendis and Amoda Rathnayake built The Blac as a nature-led cafe where dining, meetings, events and content creation can happen in the same space.
Kiku
Jacqueline Samarasinghe created Kiku as a Japanese-inspired cafe, workshop studio and creative space built around food, flowers and mindfulness.
Karabu
Amanda Vedanayagam and Chamila Paranaliyanage launched Karabu under The Establishment, bringing pan-Asian cafe culture, minimalist interiors and specialty brews to Nawala.
Kiri Kopi
Backed by the Vella Group, whose co-founder is Chamara Abeyrathne, Kiri Kopi blends Sri Lankan coffee culture with Japanese-inspired brunch, gelato and cosy cafe design across Colombo and Ella.
Black Cat
Soharni Tennekoon and Youssef built Black Cat inside a restored colonial home, combining specialty coffee, boutique stays and a creative community.
Brown Sugar
Diarra Wickremasinghe and Adnan Izath grew Brown Sugar from home-baked desserts into a cafe built around brunch, doughnuts and comfort food.
Luna Mews
Architect Thilina Wijesiri built Luna Mews inside a restored Ward Place home, mixing boutique stays, brunch, art and design-led hospitality.
Questions people ask
Which cafe in Colombo is open 24 hours?
Peppermint Cafe, founded by Tahira Eliyas.
Who founded The Grind?
Nishendri Wariyapola and Mahesh Alkegama, who later opened Seed Cafe and Radicle.
Is there an anime cafe in Colombo?
Ibson's Choice, created by Dilan DeSilva.
Which of these are outside Colombo?
Kiri Kopi also operates in Ella.