JAVA LOUNGE
F inally, Sri Lanka has the legendary Starbucks coffee at its disposal. Located on Jawatta Road the Java Lounge exclusively serves Starbucks coffee to its clientele. Opened last December, the shop caters to ‘coffee lovers with distinction’. Ordering a coffee, you’re asked to ‘pick up your drink at the red light’. This thrills me to the bone and it turns out it’s a Starbucks tradition the world over, where your drink is placed on the counter under a red light for pick up.
For coffee that is branded Starbucks, the prices are surprisingly reasonable. For a minimum of Rs 270 you can buy a freshly brewed coffee. For Rs 480 you can get a caramel macchiato and the most expensive is the Java-chip frappuccino, and barista Khiaz tells us these two are the crowd favourites. They’re about to launch a new range of food items to complement the amazing coffee and current favourites available include an absolutely divine strawberry shortcake and the calorie monstrosity aptly titled ‘Chocolate Nightmare’. They’re also the only retailers for chocolate, a Middle Eastern delicacy.
Java Lounge employs nine people, and every single one of them has been a starbucks employee somewhere in the world. Khiaz handles an espresso shot with ease while sharing fascinating titbits of coffee trivia, for example, did you know that an espresso shot must be drunk or blended with something within 10 seconds…or it dies? It is this kind of attention to detail that emphasizes the premium quality coffee they serve.