Monkeybean Café

Coffeehouse quick eats with a Sri Lankan spin!

Added to the never ending list of cafés sprouting in Colombo is Monkey Bean Café, which has been operating for about one and a half months now. This café has already become one of the go-to places for a quick bite during or after work for those who need to escape from the hustle and bustle of Colombo.

There is an outdoor area for those who love a view with their coffee and an indoor area as well, with suave jazzy music playing in the background.

Apart from the soothing ambience, we were more than pleased with what their menu had to offer too, especially with their sweet treats! Quick shout out to the quirky descriptions of each item in their menu, we were able to deduce exactly what we wanted to order and the staff were super-efficient and accommodating.

Drinks

Hot Chocolate – LKR 590

This beverage is basically a giant hug in a mug! It’s perfect for the rainy weather we have right now and is a must try from Monkey Bean’s menu. Warm and topped off with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, this beverage was an absolute treat and we are so glad we had this!

Ice Mocha – LKR 670

This is the perfect drink if you need to wake up. Besides the ice cold factor, the elements of coffee and chocolate were balanced out very well. This is the ideal beverage for quick takeaway to keep you from dozing off at your desk.

Cold Pressed Apple Juice – LKR 600

Revitalizing and fresh, Monkey Bean really knows how to get their cold pressed juices right! Evidently 100% apple, this drink is the ideal palate cleanser and is so heavenly fruity. Paired with one of their ‘Shri’ Paninis from the savory range, you cannot go wrong with this juice!

Starters

Greek Salad – LKR 960

A colourful combination of cubed yellow bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, and olives (YUM), the Greek salad was very appetizing! The salad was topped off with feta and the veggies were lathered in a dressing which really kicked the dish up a notch.

Mains

Spicy Chicken Meatball ‘Shri’ Panini – LKR 640

This is not for the faint hearted yet for those with true Lankan taste buds. The Spicy Chicken Meatball Panini comes with essentially that, SPICY meatballs – but we were told that they can make it less spicy for those not familiar with the local cuisine. This one was a Lankan treat but we recommend getting either cheese or an egg added on to give it that extra kick. Best paired with their Cold Pressed Apple Juice.

Cubano ‘Shri’ Panini – LKR 960

Consisting of a 7mm thick slice of ham, cheese, gherkin, herbs, mustard, and a mango salsa which is made in-house, the Cubano was super flavoursome and each bite had us wanting more. It is quite sour thanks to the gherkin but not so sour that you don’t want to eat it; it’s just right. The panini bread was toasted till crisp and had a nice crunch to it. This was our favourite out of the two Paninis we tried and highly recommend this!

The English Breakfast – LKR 940

It’s all day breakfast at Monkey Bean! Looking delectable as ever, this dish contained sausages, hash browns, chicken ham, a tomato, eggs and toasted panini bread, accompanied with jam and bread. This dish is visually appealing, however our dissatisfactions with this dish were threefold. The ham and sausages were too oily, the tomato was simply cut in half with a subpar effort at grilling it, and the hash browns were too crumbly and lumpy for our taste. Nevertheless, it is guaranteed to fill you up at the end of the day.

Dessert

The Naughty Chocolate Sandwich – LKR 550

Naughty indeed; jam-packed in a mildly toasted Brioche bun is the pure Belgian chocolate filling of your dreams! It is essentially the ultimate upgrade to Lanka’s chocolate rotti. You don’t have to be a sweet tooth to enjoy this because the unsweetened whipped cream which accompanies it is a great palate cleanser when paired with the sandwich. We’ll definitely go back for this bad boy and cannot wait to do so! Food. Of. The. Gods.

Apart from the good food and ambience, we noticed quite a few power outlets as well, making it an ideal place to get your work done productively.

Have you been to Monkey Bean Café yet? Let us know in the comments.

Tip – Try the Naughty Chocolate Sandwich!