2018 Aug 30
Let’s admit it, while Sri Lanka has some of the best authentic, island made local products, we’ve got to get some of that good stuff (By which I mean Wine, Chocolates, all those unhealthy processed food items we crave so badly). While our supermarkets have quite a variety of imported goods –do they really have what we’re looking for?
But fear not, the following list contains some of the best places you can pay a quick visit to, or order from the comfort of your own home. (Do feel free to add more suggestions in the comment section to help all of mankind).
1. Park Street Gourmet
If you haven’t heard already, Park Street Gourmet is the epicenter of a specialty food store! With its exclusive range of hand-crafted cheese, carefully curated selection of bread, wines and other hard-to-find grocery items, Park Street Gourmet is definitely the one stop shop for those of you looking to host a fancy lunch or dinner, or for those of you who’d simply like to treat yourself! While the Store has a laid back warehouse type of feeling, its interior design – from the colonial structure to its antique and exclusive layout – creates such an interesting experience for shoppers looking for a bit of exclusivity!
While it is a bit on the pricey side, for those of you willing to splurge a bit, Park Street Gourmet is one of the best places for quality food ingredients. Tip: Prices range between: Rs. 1,000 – Rs 6,000, while their wines range from Rs. 1,600 – Rs 18,000.
Head over to No. 33b Park Street Colombo 02, or Call Park Street Gourmet on +94 11 4333 505!
(P.s – Do check out their website and blog section for some super interesting food blogs!)
2. Bohemian Quest
If you’re looking at taking on a more healthier lifestyle and eating pattern, look no further – Bohemian Quest does just that! Their retail outlet located at Wijerama Mawatha provides a wide variety of healthy food items including organic products from Sri Lanka and across the world! From grains, nuts, and seed to Nutrition bars, dried fruit strips and coconut chips, Bohemian Quest offers a healthy lifestyle through affordable, nutritious and tasty food items.
Head over to No: 24 Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 07, or Call Bohemian Quest on 076 177 5550.
3. Bring It Down
Though this started quite recently, something quite unique about Bring it Down – an e-commerce platform which brings down products which cannot be sourced locally – is the opportunity for customers to request whatever product is desired.
www.bringitdownsl.com already provides a variety of products ranging from Electronics, Home equipment, Fashion and gaming accessories including gadgets like drones as well.
Contact bringitdownsl@gmail.com for further inquiries!
4. Shoppingbag.lk
Being an Ecommerce platform, Shoppingbag.lk provides a wide range of imported, high quality products across numerous categories such as Home & Living, Baby & Kids, Health, Beauty and others!
The cool thing about this page is that is allows customers to filter their search results to get the best product choice. They’ve also got quite a few popular brands on board – Adidas, MAC (why hello there), Disney, Mothercare, Neutrogena etc. You can also directly pre-order items from Ikea.
www.shoppingbag.lk provides delivery services and accepts both COD and Card payment options as well. For further information call 0770790555.
5. KiMO Ceylon
Probably one of the cutest Korean based stores out in Colombo! KiMO offers a wide variety of imported goods ranging from household to gift items, toys, electronics and stationary of course (who doesn’t love stationary am I right?) The lifestyle products offered by KiMO are not only super trendy and of high quality – but pretty affordable as well!
Located at No. 28, Galle Road, Colombo 06 (Right next to Savoy Cinema) they’ve got parking available on both sides of Galle Road just as you pass Savoy! Call 011 2 505606 or check out their page www.facebook.com/KiMOCEYLON/ for more details.
6. Miniso (Colombo)
They’ve been around Colombo for a while now, and Miniso is definitely that one stop shop for all your impulse purchases. This convenience store is a popular Chinese and Japanese brand which had Colombo buzzing for quite some time! Also considered as a Lifestyle brand, Miniso has a massive range of beauty products, branded electronic devices, kitchenware and sophisticated household items as well! Oh, and we forgot to talk about their stationary – but to sum it up:
The store is located in the middle of the Union Place Junction (No. 525, Union Place, Colombo02) right next to United Motors showroom. However, parking is a tad bit of a problem so we’d recommend going over on weekends if at all. Call: 0117 445 682 for details!
(Quick tip: Take extra cash cause you’d definitely buy more than what you initially went in for)
7. Hana Mart
Looking for Korean Food? Then Hana Mart is the place for you. While their social media pages aren’t as active as we’d hoped, Hana Mart is known to be quite popular especially among expats and many Asian restaurants. With quite an interesting variety of food items ranging from Korean biscuits, sweets, mackerels, pastes, numerous beverage options as well as your typical Ramen fix – Hana Mart will definitely satisfy your unending cravings!
Located in Deanston place Colombo 03, we’d recommend calling before you pay them a visit, as many of their items are known to sell out quite fast – call 0778696852 to ensure zero disappointment!
8. Party Adventure
If you’re on the lookout to host the perfect party – regardless of the theme, Party Adventure is by all means THE place you need to head to. Though it’s been around for quite some time, Party Adventure has bought in many new changes and does not compromise its quality! It’s the perfect place for any child, pre-teen or even adult (That is, if you’re like me and get excited for the slightest thing). From Party Decorations to Bridal shower items, including Halloween costumes (thank me later) and pretty dope helium balloons, Party Adventure’s got you covered.
Located Down Jawatte Road (No. 60, Kassapa Road, Colombo 05) the store is quite easy to find and is open throughout the week. Call 011 2507806 for more details.
9. The Import Shop
The name says it all! This online store, which mainly operates through Facebook, has been recommended by many! The Import shop is known for its high quality food and cosmetic products imported from USA. Even though the store functions on a pre-order basis and does not maintain a physical outlet, the company is recommended due to their quality in service and massive range of branded items.
Delivery within Colombo and its immediate suburbs are provided at an additional fee and pickup options are available at Kandana, Wattala and Punchi Borella.
Visit their Facebook page for more information or call 077 677 3122.
10. MacMart
If you haven’t heard of MacMart yet, where have you been hiding?! Known to be a top distributor of all things sweet, MacMart is definitely that one stop shop for sweet cravings! Suitable for any occasion, MacMart has a humongous variety of chocolates, biscuits, sweets, dried fruits and beverages as well! Imported from all parts of the world, these goodies are super rare to find in our local supermarkets which is why MacMart is a total gem of a place (if you don’t have relatives heading down every now and then!) However, these goodies lean a bit towards a more pricey range (which is understandable as it’s bought in from all across the world).
Visit No 31/5, Ground Floor, Sea Avenue (Marine Drive) Colombo 03, or call MacMart on +94 765 389 194.
11. Grocery Box
Providing products all the way from countries like Australia, USA, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy – Grocery Box is yet another platform which caught our eye!
Providing locals with easy access to international food brands from across the world, Grocery Box ensures a seamless marketing experience! Head over to www.grocerybox.lkfor more details!
12. Branas and Beemas (Kollupitiya Market)
These two stores have to go hand in hand! Located on the third floor of the Kollupitiya Market, both stores deliver quite a large variety of imported goods and are known for their friendly customer service!
While Branas is comparatively older, it has many imported goods from Australia, Dubai and Italy (for reasonable prices) and a considerably much wider variety of imported goods such as cosmetic products, deodorants, and food items ranging from chips, seeds, numerous ketchup flavors, and candy!
Contact Branas on: 011 2421675
Beemas somewhat new and a tad bit on the pricey side. The store provides a huge range of rare imported products such as Coleman’s, Nescafé varieties, fresh food, different flavors of ketchup, frozen food, and even pet food! Open on weekdays from 9am to 6pm, and weekends till 1.00pm – Beemashas established itself as a renowned specialty supermarket.
Contact them on: 011 7205458
13. 24 Seven
Wow. Did you for real think we’d forget this Heaven?! Probably one of the best convenience stores in Colombo (even on a Friday night when we need to satisfy our midnight cravings) the name says it all – open 24 Hours a day, 7 days of the week and 365 days of the year! (Wootwoot). Not only does it have the coolest/cutest store down Horton Place (right next to café Kumbuk) but it’s also got a super quirky website which offers free delivery!
Don’t even get us started on the products they’ve got in store! From a massive variety of FMCG Brands bought in from USA, UK, Malaysia, Singapore and the Middle East this is the place for a quick late night fix. While the prices are slightly higher than other alternatives, 24Seven is a one stop shop which provides Chocolates, Sweets, Mints, Cookies, Biscuits, Cereal, Ice-cream, Toiletries, Electronics, tobacco related items and not to mention – their very own merchandise (who would have thought!) In short, the Concept behind 24 Seven is definitely unique – you’d have to go there to get our drift!
Head over to www.247store.lk or visit them at No. 62, Horton Place Colombo 07. You definitely won’t regret it!
