On a bustling stretch of Marine Drive in Colombo, amid the sounds of waves and traffic, a small restaurant quietly defies boundaries—geographic, cultural, and emotional. Coffee Colombo, founded by a family who have rooted themselves in the capital, is more than a dining spot. At its helm is Nivetha Sivakumar: a twenty-nine year old doctor by day, restaurateur by night, and a proud torchbearer of her culture.
Nivetha’s journey begins far from the kitchen. Educated in Malaysia to be a doctor and now practicing medicine in the Army hospital in Colombo, her foray into food was sparked by a love for cafes during her student days. But a deeper impulse soon took over—one rooted in a desire to preserve and project the culinary traditions of her people, the Tamils of Jaffna.
Nivetha Sivakumar, Night restaurateur & Captain of Coffee Colombo
Comfort Food
“Jaffna food,” she says, “is a warm hug. It’s home.” And it’s that sense of home—something both intimate and cultural —that Coffee Colombo serves daily. The restaurant’s menu showcases cherished family recipes—spicy crab curry, rich mutton dishes, kotthu, and pittu served with crab or prawn curry. But what truly sets it apart is not just its authenticity, but its bold assertion that Jaffna cuisine stands distinct—and deserves its rightful place in Sri Lanka’s culinary landscape.
Every coconut and spice is sourced from Jaffna itself. “The taste is different,” Nivetha insists. “The water, the soil—something about it just makes the food richer. And even the crabs, prawns and fish are all sourced from Jaffna. The reason why we get this unique flavour in our dishes is because the seafood is fresh. We get a supply almost every day from Jaffna.”
The key to this cooking is also in its curry powder. The signature of Jaffna curry powder is a darker roast, which intensifies the flavors. Unlike milder southern or Sinhalese blends, Jaffna curry powder is more robust, spicier, and smokier, often with a more prominent chili and black pepper presence. To each household the secret of its flavor is in the proportions and how this is delicately balanced to bring out its unique test.
The Powder
The key to making traditional Jaffna curry powder lies in the balance of freshly roasted and ground spices that deliver a deep, bold, and complex flavor. The essential components typically include:
- Coriander seeds – the base of most Sri Lankan curry powders
- Cumin seeds – adds warmth and depth
- Fennel seeds – for sweetness and fragrance
- Fenugreek seeds – for slight bitterness and complexity
- Dried red chilies – for heat
- Black peppercorns – for sharpness
- Cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom – for aromatic depth
- Curry leaves – dried and added for earthiness
The Sivakumar Family
Old Secrets
What started as a modest coffee shop serving burgers and sandwiches was reborn during Sri Lanka’s recent economic crisis. Forced to adapt due to shortage of raw material to make traditional offerings Nivetha leaned into her heritage and added a single crab dish. It went viral. Encouraged by the response, she and her mother, who trains the staff using matriarchal recipes, slowly built out a full Jaffna menu.
More than a War story
But the story of Coffee Colombo is as much about what’s on the plate as who is behind it. The Sivakumar family’s roots lie in Jaffna, a region deeply scarred by Sri Lanka’s 30-year civil war. “I’ve lived my whole life in Colombo,” Nivetha says, her voice breaking. She considers herself fortunate to have lived a different life in Colombo, thanks to her father. Unlike many from her community, she hasn’t personally experienced the same hardships. However, from a young age, her father made sure she and her family understood the suffering their people endured. Each time they return to Jaffna, they give back in whatever ways they can to those affected by the war. Still, she carries the weight of their experiences with her, wherever she goes.
This duality—of living in the capital while honoring a war-torn homeland—has shaped her mission. Nivetha sees her restaurant as a bridge: between Colombo and Jaffna, Tamils and Sinhalese, memory and modernity. “I’m not here to raise awareness of the war,” she says. “I want to offer recognition. A different narrative of Jaffna—one of culture, cuisine, and community.”
In a city where ethnic identities still often determine belonging, Coffee Colombo quietly subverts exclusion. The restaurant serves no alcohol, pork, or beef—making it accessible to Muslims, Sinhalese, and Tamil patrons alike. “We designed this space so everyone could feel welcome. And another group that visit are the Tamils from the diaspora from the UK, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, etc.”
Franchise
But her ambitions go further. She dreams of globalizing Jaffna cuisine. “There is no international franchise that specializes in our food. Why can’t we have a Jaffna version of it?” she asks. Her goal is not only to build a successful business, but to place Jaffna on the culinary map.
Still, beneath her aspirations lies a quiet insistence on peace and dignity. “I don’t need Tamils to be seen differently,” she says. “I just want us to be seen equally. That’s enough.”
At Coffee Colombo, then, each dish is more than a meal. It’s a message: of resilience, pride, and belonging. And as long as there are people like Nivetha Sivakumar—rooted in history, hopeful for the future—that message will keep simmering, one pot of crab curry at a time.