From arrack to wine, a bar crawl across Sri Lanka

Cocktail bars in the island nation are drawing on local traditions and flavours to give a heady twist to familiar spirits

- Priyanko Sarkar

After their worst economic crisis and the subsequent anti-government protests in 2022, the island nation of Sri Lanka is showing signs of rebounding. Nowhere is this more pronounced than the nation's burgeoning F&B industry. The country's bar scene is still at a nascent stage, but there are world-class menus with bursts of local flavour. Here are five drinking places in Sri Lanka that you should add to your itinerary.

FOR TODDY NIGHTS: RAA
Located in the surfing bay at the tip of the beach Hiriketiya, Raa, which means toddy in the local language, is a brand-new arrack and toddy bar and kitchen run by the team behind Sri Lanka's top bar, Smoke & Bitters.

Raa, headed by Stephan Martinesz, draws you into the story of preserving the tradition of toddy tapping and the importance of arrack, a natural spirit made from the coconut flower's sap. It is considered one of the oldest spirits in the world and finds mention in the 13th-century travelogue The Travels of Marco Polo.

Start off with fresh toddy, tapped every day from the coconut trees lining Raa, and served in a salt-and-pepper-rimmed glass with ice. Then move to the refreshing Sweet Pepper with clarified arrack, fermented guava, bird eye chilli and citrus. Other recommendations include Sea Almond Toddy with toddy, spiced arrack, kottamba (Sri Lankan almond) orgeat, angostura and lime, and Kopi Kade, made with caramelised peanut arrack, raa coffee liqueur, Lankan black coffee, kithul (palm) treacle and coconut arrack ice cream.