Quick answer
The best places to drink arrack in Colombo are the rooftop and sea-facing bars of the larger hotels around Galle Face and Colombo Fort, the verandas of the city's heritage hotels, specialist cocktail bars in Colombo 3 and Colombo 7, and the restored Dutch Hospital precinct in Fort. Each stocks several arracks and serves them neat and in cocktails. Expect to pay roughly US$3 to US$8 for a measure and US$7 to US$14 for a cocktail, plus service and taxes. Nothing is served on poya days.
Key takeaways
- Colombo has the widest choice of arracks by the glass in Sri Lanka, including aged bottlings rarely poured elsewhere.
- Galle Face, Colombo Fort, Kollupitiya (Colombo 3) and Cinnamon Gardens (Colombo 7) hold most of the city's better bars.
- A measure of arrack in a Colombo hotel bar costs roughly US$3 to US$8, and an arrack cocktail roughly US$7 to US$14.
- Service charge and government taxes typically add a further share to bar bills in Colombo.
- No bar in Colombo serves alcohol on poya days, which fall roughly once a month.
Where to drink arrack in Colombo: five kinds of place
Drinking arrack in Colombo means choosing between five kinds of venue. They differ in price, view and how seriously they take the spirit.
- →Rooftop and sea-view hotel bars: for sunset and a broad arrack list.
- →Heritage hotel verandas: for a quiet arrack and soda with history.
- →Cocktail bars: for inventive arrack drinks and knowledgeable staff.
- →Members' and sports clubs: for old Colombo, usually as a member's guest.
- →Local bars: for arrack by the quarter bottle and plates of bites.
Galle Face and the seafront
Galle Face is the natural place for a first arrack in Colombo. The promenade faces due west, and the hotels at either end and behind it have terraces and rooftops that look straight into the sunset, which falls between roughly 5.45 and 6.30 all year.
Galle Face's hotel bars are the most reliable for aged arrack. Ask for the arrack list, since some keep a separate one, and order something old neat alongside a long drink to compare.
Colombo Fort and the Dutch Hospital
Colombo Fort is the old commercial quarter, a grid of colonial banks and trading houses a short walk north of Galle Face. The seventeenth-century Dutch Hospital, restored as a courtyard of restaurants and bars, is its social centre in the evening.
Colombo Fort suits an early evening of arrack and bites before dinner. The area is busy with office workers from about 5.30 on weekdays and quieter at weekends. Combine it with a walk past the lighthouse clock tower and the old port buildings.
Cocktail bars in Colombo 3 and Colombo 7
Colombo's cocktail bars are concentrated in Kollupitiya and Cinnamon Gardens, the leafy residential districts south and east of the centre. Several build their lists around arrack, kithul, cinnamon, curry leaf and local fruit.
- →Go after 7.00, when the bars fill and the kitchens are open.
- →Ask what the house arrack cocktail is and start there.
- →Expect dress to be smart casual; shorts and flip-flops may be refused.
- →Book ahead on Friday and Saturday nights.
Local bars and what to expect
Local bars in Colombo are plain rooms with plastic chairs, strip lights and a television, serving arrack by the bottle with soda and excellent devilled dishes. Prices are a fraction of hotel rates.
Local bars are overwhelmingly male spaces. Women are not barred, but mixed groups and solo women travellers will generally be more comfortable in restaurants with a bar licence, which offer the same food and drink in a family setting.
Planning an arrack evening in Colombo
Planning an arrack evening in Colombo is mostly about traffic and timing. Distances are short, but the rush hour from roughly 4.30 to 7.00 turns a ten-minute hop into forty, so choose one district and stay in it.
Lankan Stays & Trails can plan an evening with a driver: sunset at Galle Face, a tasting of two or three arracks, and dinner nearby, with the date checked against the poya calendar.
- →Use a metered taxi or ride-hailing app if you are not with a driver.
- →Carry your passport or a copy; some bars check that guests are over 21.
- →Check the bill for service charge before adding a tip.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to try arrack in Colombo?
A hotel bar around Galle Face or Colombo Fort is the best place for a first taste, because they stock several arracks, including aged ones, and staff can explain them. Cocktail bars in Colombo 3 and Colombo 7 are best for inventive arrack drinks.
How much does a drink cost in Colombo?
In hotel and cocktail bars, a measure of arrack costs roughly US$3 to US$8 and an arrack cocktail roughly US$7 to US$14, before service charge and taxes. Local bars and restaurants are much cheaper. Imported spirits and wine cost considerably more than arrack.
Are bars open on poya days in Colombo?
Bars may open for food and soft drinks, but none may serve alcohol on poya days, which fall on each full moon. Hotel bars, restaurants and shops all observe the rule. Check the calendar and plan your arrack evening for another night.
What time do bars close in Colombo?
Closing times vary. Many hotel bars serve until around midnight, and some cocktail bars and clubs later at weekends. Local bars generally close earlier in the evening. Licensing hours can change, so confirm on the day if you plan a late night.
Is there a dress code in Colombo bars?
Hotel and cocktail bars expect smart casual dress in the evening: long trousers or a dress, and closed shoes or smart sandals. Beachwear, sleeveless vests and flip-flops may be turned away. Local bars have no dress code.
Is it safe to go out for drinks in Colombo?
Colombo is generally safe in the evening in the main hotel, restaurant and bar districts. Use metered taxis or ride-hailing apps, keep an eye on your drink as you would anywhere and avoid walking long distances late at night.