Sri Lanka-based Malcolm Skinner, who curated the drinks menu at Charlie’s – a bistro bar at the art deco Charleston hotel in Galle Fort, two hours’ south of Colombo by car –agrees with Wijesekera.

Opened in January, Charlie’s is already making waves in Galle Fort thanks to its sunset views and signature cocktails like the Banana Thingamajig, a Sri Lankan rum-based cocktail. Serious work goes into this drink: local banana varieties are simmered down, then filtered with coconut milk for three full days to create a slow-drip syrup. Then there’s the Manhattan Dark, an after-dinner nightcap made with arrack, cardamom and nutmeg, and garnished with locally produced artisanal chocolate.

In recent years, Skinner says, the cocktail scene in Sri Lanka has grown “from a handful of bars trying to replicate methods found elsewhere to a crop of homegrown talent showcasing local ingredients with the confidence to present new ideas.”

Tourism has helped to drive this change. Since the economic crisis of 2022, Sri Lanka has bounced back as a leading tourist destination; tourist arrivals are growing and expected to reach 2.3 million in 2024.

What’s more, foreign businesses are increasingly drawn to Sri Lanka, Wijesekera says, and the healthy competition has pushed up the quality of the island’s nightlife. “What [these businesses] brought to Sri Lanka – along with the competition – is knowledge,” he says. “Many places are cropping up with excellent gastronomic innovations and that has inspired local talent.”