Colombo's craft bar scene is centred on Cinnamon Gardens, where a cluster of bars and restaurants has developed in the area around Flower Road and Barnes Place. The Basement is one of the more consistent: a proper cocktail bar with a knowledgeable team making drinks that go beyond the standard hotel fare. The arrack-based cocktails are the best reason to come.
Arrack is the traditional Sri Lankan spirit — distilled from the sap of the coconut flower — and Colombo's bartenders have become increasingly creative with it in the last few years, using it in everything from sours to long drinks. The Basement has a compact food menu too.