With the holiday season upon us, and Sri Lanka doubling as a preferred travel destination, Travel+Leisure India & South Asia’s contributor spent a couple of days at Galle Fort to bring the city’s best recommendations. Ropewalk bar tops this list!
For my birthday this year, my boyfriend and I planned a trip to balmy Sri Lanka — a country I was revisiting with fond memories. The last leg of the trip was reserved for the coastal areas. Galle Fort is unlike any other place I’ve been to, beaming with eccentric characters, colours and stories that leave you spellbound. Galle Fort Hotel is a 300-year-old historic treasure that charms everyone who walks through its doors. And this tale has a new exciting chapter: Ropewalk, Sri Lanka’s first Arrack-speciality bar.
TL Tastings
A Review of Ropewalk, Sri Lanka
Ambience
Inspired by the vibrant 1920s flapper era, at Ropewalk, one can expect indulgent cocktails. Dressed in easy-on-the-eyes, neutral tones, the design is a mix of traditional Sri Lankan heritage and the Dutch colonial era. The designer, Eranga Tennakoon, has meticulously sourced materials for the furniture, the detailed chandeliers and the wall plates to set the right ambience. Ropewalk invites you in and urges you to stay to write your own story, a scintillating drink at a time.
We Recommend
Drinks
Claire, Ropewalk’s General Manager, greeted us. Her rib-tickling narratives from her home in South Africa had us entertained throughout. Claire suggested we start the night with the GFH Arrack Sour (LKR 2,500 or approximately INR 640); and boy, her recommendation was on point! Their beautiful signature drink made with Rockland arrack, lime, ginger and lemongrass was brilliant. The drink, paired with the tapioca hot chips, was a match made in heaven.
The name Ropewalk comes from balancing and walking on ropes to procure a sap called toddy. Cherishing these authentic Sri Lankan flavours in a speakeasy vibe suddenly has a new meaning. Drinks such as Not Quite a Margarita (LKR 4,200 or approximately INR 1,080)—which has local tamarind and treacle– or Fort Fresher, which has Halmilla arrack with coriander and curry leaves, wow you. No matter what you choose from the thoughtfully crafted menu, it will be an instant hit!
Food
We moved from the indoor table to one out on the verandah. Here, we were served our favourite dinner of the trip: a gigantic plate of soul-satisfying food known as the Feasts of Ceylon. This special dining concept celebrates Sri Lanka’s many communities. We were served Wati Soru, Galle Fort’s Muslim community meal. It was a large clay pot filled with a variety of seafood sitting atop fragrant rice. Every bite had us drooling for more!
Our Takeaway
We were lucky to be at Ropewalk during a live Jazz music performance. Naomi’s, the singer performing, voice was the perfect backdrop to our lively conversations and delectable drinks. I saw a couple walking past the bar and breaking into a slow dance on the streets — that’s the beauty of Ropewalk! Whether you are inside sipping on cocktails wrapped in history or outside, under the twinkling fairy lights, you cannot help but feel the rush of being at ease. And isn’t that all we want from a holiday?
I would return to Ropewalk in a heartbeat for the Arrack Sour, the crispy chips, unfiltered laughter, and the luxury of being at a bar that embraces your present while transporting you to the past gracefully.
Quick Notes on Ropewalk
Price for two: INR 2,500 + taxes
Address: Galle Fort Hotel, 30 Church St, Galle 80000, Sri Lanka
Timings: noon to midnight
Featured image courtesy: Ropewalk
All other photographs courtesy: Abhinav Chandel
Related: Some Of The Best Things To Do In Sri Lanka That Should Be A Part Of Your Itinerary
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