When you think of Colombo, you often think of the hustle and bustle of the city, the constantly changing skyline, the curbside kades with their street food, and the city that comes alive at night. Step into the newly opened Headquarters by W15, a restaurant inspired by Colombo's buzzing streets and vibrant landscapes, and you'll step right into the heart of Colombo.

Located on the rooftop of the HQ building down T.B. Jayah Mawatha or Darley Road, Headquarters by W15 is the newest venture of the W15 collection, capturing the electric energy of the Colombo city with food inspired by the dynamic, bold flavours of Aluthkade and coloured by the hues of island life. “I have always struggled to find good Sri Lankan food in a setting where I can either impress clients or unwind among friends, and since we had this space, we wanted to make something of it,” shared and Chairman of the W15 Collection, Hardy Jamaldeen. “At the end of the day, it’s very simple: if what you see, smell, and hear is done right, that’s all it takes to create a place people will want to come back to”.

Occupying the rooftop of the building, Headquarters is split into two spaces; the indoor rooftop restaurant offers a sit- down dining experience, while the observation deck with the Sky Bar offers bar/lounge dining with panoramic views of the Colombo cityscape, including one of the best views of the iconic Lotus Tower. When it comes to food, Headquarters by W15 pays tribute to the lively street food scene in Colombo, especially the animated Pettah area and Aluthkade night market. The menu is all about giving a modern twist to the street food we all love and know, from the crunch of a deep fried vadai to the spice of a tempered kadala or a sizzling kottu roti to a fragrant biriyani.

The restaurant menu is also fully halal. At an exclusive pre-opening media preview, we got to try their ‘Wings of Fury’ hot wings, their tempered ‘Ammo Kadala’, burnt prawns in chilli garlic butter; and prawn and beef vadai as starters. Their signature main dishes, ‘Beef Varuval’, ‘Ferouza’s Mutton Curry and Beef Chops’, ‘Prawn Yellow Curry’, together with Kalu Pol chicken and a side of tempered dhal, pol sambol, and onion sambol, were mopped up with crispy, fluffy paratha and hot-off-the- oven Karapincha roast paan.

The menu features a variety of traditional Sri Lankan dishes, carefully prepared with authentic flavours and ingredients to reflect the rich culinary heritage of Sri Lanka. Their signature beverages are all unique to Headquarters and made with sprits that are especially distilled by W15. Our personal favourites were the Rambusteen Martini with passion fruit and chilli and the Butterfly Effect Martini with lavendar syrup, narang, and mint. With its vibrant atmosphere and eclectic decor, Headquarters by W15 perfectly captures the vivacious spirit of Colombo. Every element, from the colourful murals to the flavourful menu, has been carefully crafted to transport guests to the heart of this rich, vibrant city.

PHOTOS NIMALSIRI EDIRISINGHE