Ten Specialty Coffee Spots To Visit in Sri Lanka

To say that Sri Lanka is a tea country is something of an understatement. The small island nation is the fourth largest tea producer in the world and tea plays a huge role in the economy, culture and people's daily lives. And  as a tea-ambivalent coffee lover, I was excited to discover a small but burgeoning specialty coffee scene in Sri Lanka. Keep on reading to find out about the coffee shops, cafés and roasteries I enjoyed checking out on my recent trip.

Coffee in Sri Lanka 

160 years ago, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) had a thriving coffee industry. It's thought that coffee was first brought to the country in the 17th century but it wasn't until the 19th century that production was scaled up and commercialised during British colonial rule. 

Coffee production peaked around 1870, but then the spread of coffee leaf rust disease led to the rapid decline of most coffee plantations by the turn of the 20th century. This, in turn, allowed the nascent tea industry to flourish, as landowners made the switch.

But Sri Lanka does still grow some coffee — mainly Arabica but some Robusta, and primarily in the highlands around Kotmale, south of Kandy. In the heart of what is now tea country, in other words. I saw a few coffee trees in the wild, and one at the spice garden I visited near Kandy. I also got to sample delicious Sri Lankan-grown coffee — a new origin for me — at several of the coffee shops I visited.

In other locations, finding any coffee apart from a packet of instant at breakfast was more of a challenge. I packed accordingly and brought my Aeropress Go, KeepCup and coffee from Pharmacie. I got to brew my morning coffee at some beautiful hotel locations: in flower-filled gardens, overlooking the Kandy Hills and Ella Rock and from my own in-room swimming pool, among others.

Sometimes, the best coffee is the one that's available when it's 5:45 am and you're sitting on top of Pidurangula Rock waiting for sunrise (pictured in the header image). Objectively, the coffee served from a thermos by a vendor may not have been the most flavoursome, but it was hot and caffeinated and really improved my mood after a very early start. 

If you're in a pinch and keen for espresso-based coffee, you might want to try the Barista chain of coffee shops. But for my specialty coffee recommendations for Sri Lanka, check out my guide below.

Coffee shops with dark blue icons in the map above, and asterisks in the list below, are 'sister locations' I didn't quite have time to visit. 

Last updated: October 2024.

Sri Lanka Specialty Coffee Guide

Colombo

Cafe Kumbuk

I only had 24 hours in Colombo and made a beeline for Cafe Kumbuk, in the Cinnamon Gardens neighbourhood. I'd saved it in my Google Map but it was also recommended by Temple Grounds (see below), a roaster whose coffee I'd discovered earlier on my trip. Cafe Kumbuk is a lovely, colourful cafe with seating available both indoors and in the small courtyard garden. The staff were so welcoming and friendly and as soon as I sat down, I felt a world away from the hustle and bustle of Colombo.

The coffee is roasted by Temple Grounds and I had a flat white brewed with the Kumbuk Blend, a fully washed coffee grown in Kotmale. The coffee was sweet and smooth, with notes of toffee and orange peel. They sell retail bags of the beans, along with various other nice products. 

As well as coffee, Kumbuk has an extensive all-day menu, which uses local and seasonal ingredients. I opted for the avocado toast, but they have everything from burgers to burritos and some incredible desserts. there are plenty of 'non-coffee' drinks on the menu too; I had a refreshing strawberry and orange fizz.

Cafe Kumbuk is located at 3/1 Thambiah Avenue, Independence Avenue, Colombo 7. Website. Instagram.

Department of Coffee

Department of Coffee (no relation to the similar-sounding London coffee company) is a relaxed specialty coffee shop located near Independence Square. After studying the very cool 'coffee decision tree' mural near the entrance, I headed upstairs and took a seat at one of the tables in the spacious, air-conditioned upstairs dining room.

There's a lot of seating and it was pretty busy when I arrived during prime Saturday brunch hours (the brunch and all-day menu is fantastic but I'd already brunched and so couldn't indulge this time). They also have a separate 'book corner' — a reading room and private dining space. And the bathrooms even have coffee-themed mirrors!

The coffee menu itself is wide-ranging with various different brew methods, from espresso-based drinks to Kalita Wave, V60, Aeropress and syphon, as well as cold brew and various iced drinks. I had cooled down just enough for a hot coffee, and opted for a washed Rwandan Isimbi coffee, roasted by Azura in Oman and brewed through the V60. The juicy orange and grapefruit notes came through really nicely, especially as the coffee cooled. There are usually several single-origin coffee available on the brew bar.

Department of Coffee is located at 10A Philip Gunawardena Mawatha, Colombo 7, and other locations. Website. Instagram.

Temple Grounds

I came across Temple Grounds Coffee at Isle of Gelato in Ella (see below). I enjoyed their coffee so much that I contacted them to find out whether there were any locations in Colombo where I could buy some of their beans. They have a roastery in Colombo, which you can visit by appointment, but it was too far away for my short stay. They did, however, recommend several Colombo cafés that serve their coffee. As well as Cafe Kumbuk (see above), Temple Grounds' sister venue KIKU (on Layards Road in Colombo 5) is a great place to visit for specialty coffee, food and cocktails, while Butter Boutique (on Rosmead Place in Colombo 7) also serves Temple Grounds coffee.

Better still, I was able to order some Temple Grounds beans online, which they delivered to my hotel in Colombo. I only had room for one 200g bag of Keppetipola coffee (from an area southeast of Nuwara Eliya), but I really enjoyed brewing it when I got home. My v60 brews had gorgeous tropical fruit and vanilla notes. Look out for their coffee at other coffee shops and cafes in Sri Lanka!

Temple Grounds. Website. Instagram.

Galle Fort

Coffee Brunch Galle Fort

Looking for coffee and/or brunch in Galle Fort? You've come to the right place! Located upstairs inside Lanka Living Gallery, Coffee Brunch serves locally grown specialty coffee and tasty brunch dishes in a spacious, airy location. Enjoy the local art on the walls while you dig into your shakshuka or prawn tostada or if you're there in the evening, check out the new dinner menu. I only had a few minutes before I had to go to catch my train, but the espresso I had to take away was brewed very nicely.

Coffee Brunch is located at 51 Pedlar Street, Galle. Instagram.

Dumplings Cafe

In Sri Lanka, the best specialty coffee shops can sometimes be found where you least expect them. Take Dumplings Cafe, which, in addition to serving the titular dumplings, does a fine line in specialty coffee roasted by their in-house partner Cup in Hand. 

I planned to have a V60 pourover from the brew bar and started browsing the selection of single-origin Sri Lankan coffees on offer. But the Galle heat and humidity was starting to get to me so I switched to a cold brew instead. The cold brew was made with Cup in Hand's Into the Wild variety, a naturally processed coffee with juicy tropical fruit flavours. It was perfectly refreshing and I enjoyed cooling off in the al fresco seating area, which gets much busier in the evenings. 

They also sell retail bags of coffee beans and single-serve pouches of coffee for brewing pourovers on the go. I bought one of each coffee, and they all tasted great. The cute packaging design makes these pouches great gifts for coffee-loving friends and family.

Dumplings Cafe is located at 54 Church Street, Galle. Instagram.

Isle of Gelato

I didn't have time to visit the Galle location of the pun-tastic gelateria and espresso bar, but I loved its sister cafe in Ella so much that I'm including it on the list here too. With specialty coffee roasted by Temple Grounds and delicious gelato, Isle of Gelato is a great place to cool off and caffeinate when in Galle.

Isle of Gelato is located at 60a Pedlar Street, Galle. Instagram.

Ella

Isle of Gelato

I came to Isle of Gelato for the puns (Isle of Puns, myself — read it out loud, #sorrynotsorry) and, well, the gelato. But I stayed for the excellent specialty coffee from Sri Lankan roaster Temple Grounds. 

I popped into the small, bright cafe for (delicious) coconut gelato one evening and immediately spotted the gorgeous coral La Marzocco espresso machine on the counter — and the Sri Lankan National Barista Championship award. I knew I had to come back in the morning to try out the coffee. 

I ordered a flat white brewed with Temple Grounds' Three Mountains coffee, a single-origin washed coffee from Kotmale. It was my first espresso-based drink of the trip and well worth the wait. The coffee had sweet, nutty flavours that came through nicely with milk, and the latte art lasted all the way down. I took a seat opposite the counter, but the front windows are great for people-watching and there's an upstairs seating area too.

Isle of Gelato is located on Main Street, Ella. Instagram.

Kiri Kōpi

Kiri Kōpi is a great all-day spot that serves coffee, food and ice cream. They serve espresso-based drinks, iced coffees, and various mocktails and sodas, as well as a creative breakfast menu, desserts and gelato. I stopped by when I was running late for another reservation, so I was only able to try an espresso to go, but it taste great. The décor is really cool too and there's a wonderfully chilled-out vibe, especially in the evening.

Kiri Kōpi is located at 69 Ella Road, Ella. Instagram.

Kandy

Department of Coffee

My day in Kandy centre was so full of sightseeing that I didn't manage to break for specialty coffee. But after discovering Department of Coffee in Colombo later in the trip, I wish I'd made time to visit their Kandy coffee shop!

Department of Coffee is located at 22 Colombo Street, Kandy, and other locations. Website. Instagram.

Check out my other Sri Lanka travel guides here: The Cultural Triangle, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and tea country, Galle and the south coast, Colombo and two-week Sri Lanka itinerary.

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