Restaurant
Ministry of Crab
Dharshan Munidasa's crab restaurant in the Old Dutch Hospital, co-founded with cricketers Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and serving wild-caught Sri Lankan mud crab.
The Gallery Café
A Paradise Road restaurant opened in 1998 in Geoffrey Bawa's former offices, serving local and international dishes beside a gallery of changing exhibitions.
At a glance
- Type
- Sri Lankan and international
- Area
- Kollupitiya, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
- Official site
- paradiseroad.lk
Good to know
- Art gallery
- Private dining room
- Al fresco seating
Why we recommend it
The Gallery Café is one of the most atmospheric places to eat in Colombo, mainly because of where it is. Opened in 1998 by the Paradise Road group, it occupies the former offices of the architect Geoffrey Bawa, whose work shaped modern Sri Lankan design. The conversion was carried out by Paradise Road's founder, Udayshanth Fernando, with Bawa's approval.
The menu mixes local and international cuisine, which makes it an easy choice for groups with different tastes. Diners can sit in the al fresco dining pavilion or indoors, and for parties there is a private dining room upstairs, The Upstairs Gallery, which takes up to 36 guests. Paradise Road Galleries, on the same premises, runs monthly rotating exhibitions of work by established and emerging artists, and the café itself hosts changing art displays, so a meal here often comes with something new to look at.
The long opening hours, from 10am to midnight, mean it works as well for a late lunch as for a leisurely dinner. It suits couples, design lovers and anyone wanting a calm, grown-up setting after a day of sightseeing. Booking by phone is sensible for dinner, especially at weekends. Gift vouchers are also available if you are looking for a present for someone in Colombo.
Paradise Road is also a design and homeware brand, and its shops in Colombo 3 and Colombo 7 sell items for living, dining, bed and bath, kitchen and gifts. The Colombo 3 shop is at 138 Galle Road and opens from 10am to 7pm, so you can combine shopping with a meal. Its sister venues include Paradise Road Café in Colombo 7, which looks over the Town Hall, and the Tintagel Colombo hotel.
The café is in Colombo 3, between Galle Road and the residential streets of Kollupitiya. Barefoot's shop and garden café on Galle Road are a short tuk-tuk ride away, and together they make a good half-day introduction to Colombo's design scene. Number 11, Geoffrey Bawa's own house, can be visited on a guided tour nearby, which is a natural follow-on for anyone interested in his work. The Bawa Trust runs those tours several times a day.
The Gallery Café FAQs
What is special about The Gallery Café?
It occupies the former offices of the architect Geoffrey Bawa and has been a restaurant since 1998.
Where is it?
At 2 Alfred House Road, Colombo 3.
What are the opening hours?
Daily from 10am to midnight.
What kind of food does it serve?
A mix of local and international cuisine.
Is there a private dining room?
Yes. The Upstairs Gallery seats up to 36 guests.
Is there art to see?
Yes. Paradise Road Galleries runs monthly rotating exhibitions on the premises.
How do I book?
Call +94 11 258 2162.
What else is nearby?
Paradise Road's Galle Road shop, Barefoot and Geoffrey Bawa's Number 11.