My Colombo Coffee Experiences: The Good, Bad and Ugly.

Most of us like a cup of coffee made by someone else in a pleasant environment. Back in 2020, I did an extensive Whinging Pome coffee survey.

(https://thewhingingpome.online/colombo-coffee-awards/)

During my morning walks in Colombo, I came to a number of conclusions about the good, the bad and the ugly of coffee. We may all have selective views as to what makes the best coffee. I like to consider all the key aspects, such as coffee brand and quality, taste, service/staff, location, environment and seating outlook with consistency being equally important.

Having had mild dengue for six weeks, the last words my doctor said as she left were, "Take lots of fluids, but no long walks, alcohol and coffee." This is her professional opinion which I pay a lot to get. I understand why some doctors take cash payments in Sri Lanka; mind you, no one working for the government pays taxes, and that's 45% of the people working on the island.

Back to the coffee story.

According to some research, caffeine-filled beverages can cause fatigue or muscle breakdown when you have dengue fever. So, I've limited my intake to one cup a day. Looking at my options, the location of the coffee shop has to be within a kilometre of walking distance from home. Surprisingly, there are multiple choices, but some were given a low rating in my previous "Colombo Coffee Awards". For example, the Hilton Coffee Shop was one of the worst locations for service with grumpy staff, ambience, and the coffee wasn’t special.

Until I took the picture above, last week, I didn’t even know that the place had a brand name. Credit to the hotel, however, on the excellent Xmas decor.

Cinnamon Grand is a regular spot for my coffee, but it’s an even better location for meeting friends. Its biggest opportunity is to sort out consistency in service and coffee making quality, which go from high to medium depending on the staff and manager in charge.

The Galle Face Hotel, in my two decades of being in Sri Lanka, has not been a place for coffee or a place to hang out with friends. The exception of spending time there was when my team was running the "Inn On The Green", but even then, GFH was not a coffee venue. I have had coffee on the deck twice in the last three years, once to show foreign visitors this amazing building with such fantastic history and events, the other was to meet someone staying in the hotel. Ironically my meeting today was at the GFH, I sat in the bar and had an excellent coffee.

The Taj has never been one of my go-to hotels. I know of people, not just Indians, who rate the Taj highly for some of its restaurants, its Sunday lunch and its ballroom, but they would never think of going there for a coffee.

Read more about my visit to Taj here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/one-mile-kings-house-battle-indian-giants-taj-itc-hotel-paul-topping

A visit to one of my favourite coffee locations takes about 180 steps, a lift or escalator to the third floor, to the Central Cafe, Shangri La. I love the layout and ambience - which reminds me of Bewley's in Ireland, it's nearly a carbon copy! The staff are attentive and the service is good. The menu is also extensive. We had a late breakfast, lunch and early dinner in this cafe. The coffee is well-made and consistent. What may make me even more biased is the crunchy cookie they give you for free. If you don’t get it on your next visit, please don’t mention The Whinging Pome, has never complained in there yet. Maybe the cookies are only for the regulars.

In contrast, having morning coffee at a morgue is how I think of the morning coffee experience at the Sapphyr Lounge in Shangri La. I sit by the window facing the Galle Face Green in the morning and the service is atrocious. Normally the place has no customers but eighty seats. The staff can't see you because of the pillars and the lack of them moving about. The coffee is OK and the view from the windows is pleasant.

The Kingsbury Hotel has friendly and smiley staff who are keen to serve. That's the ladies. The chaps, however, look a bit older and not so keen to make you feel at home. The coffee is good and there are always free cookies. Unlike the Cinnamon Grand, this hotel doesn’t give you newspapers to read. I complain and am told it is a cost-cutting exercise. I notice now that sometimes someone runs off to pinch the FT of the manager's desk as I enter the coffee shop, and then presents it to me.

I tried the Java at Dutch Hospital and found the coffee to be excellent. It’s a dark area to sit in but all the newspapers are there. I didn’t go back as I found one member of staff overcharging me, and one who wasn’t keen on giving me any change. I was there a few days ago and all the staff behaved.

In One Galleface Mall, I started by enjoying Whight & Co. coffee but they moved out. They still serve this excellent local coffee in their pub and cafe. They started the revival of great Sri Lankan coffee growing which now has many followers and new producers.

The trending coffee shop for me is Delifrance in the One Galleface Mall on the lower floor. I walk in, and someone from behind shouts, "Flat white double shot". I don't join the queue, I sit in my normal seat with my back against the wall and my coffee comes out to me. I recall two decades ago when going to restaurants around town, my Sri Lankan buddy would always say ‘Sit by the back wall so if people come in with guns, we slip out the back'. I had to point out that the bad gunmen may come in from the kitchen and the back and we would be the first customers they would see. The Delifrance coffee here is excellent most of the time. From my sitting position, I bat out stories like this one.

One Galleface is awash with young people taking selfies, girls parading about looking for boys, boys looking for girls. People dating, holding hands and doing the walkabout. There is the odd person who doesn’t know how to get on an escalator; sometimes it can be a whole family. I imagine masses of people coming off the Galle Face Green wanting to use the toilets, which is why I will never use them, irrespective of how much coffee I've had.

Further good news is that when the ITC Ratnadipa opens, twenty feet from my front door, there will likely be three more great coffee locations for me to explore!