Colombo’s authentic and established Pakistani restaurant ‘Khayaban’ is on an expansion drive, with sight set on the influx of tourists to the country, particularly from India.
“India continues to remain the leading source of tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka, and this is an encouraging trend which is favourable for our business. Majority of Indians love Pakistani food, which they cannot taste in their country. So, they will always be on the lookout for their favourite Pakistani cuisine when travelling abroad. Around 5 – 10 percent of customers at our restaurant in One Galle Face Mall are Indians.
“Furthermore, Indian tourists also travel a lot within Colombo, and the outlet expansion will certainly provide them access to more of our locations. Food tourism is a concept that is flourishing around the world, and more people are prioritising food and drink as a central part of their travelling plans,” Khayaban Restaurant’s Founder and Director Naufer Cassim told Mirror Business, at the opening of their fifth location at the iconic Arcade Independence Square last week.
According to latest Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) data, 51,931 Indian tourists have visited the island in September alone, a 4.5 percent Year-on-Year growth, that accounts for nearly a third of the month’s total arrivals.
Cassim further said the expansion also comes at a time when Colombo’s dining landscape continues to embrace diverse international cuisine and unique culinary experiences. “Our brand has grown and evolved alongside this development. Opening our fifth location as a food truck at Independence Square Arcade is an exciting milestone in Khayaban’s growth journey. It gives the brand a presence in one of Colombo’s most recognised lifestyle destinations, and opens up the opportunity to share exquisite Pakistani cuisine to an even wider audience,” he added.
“Going beyond Colombo is also on the cards, where Galle and Kandy are among preferred cities.”
Commenting on the present status of Sri Lanka’s restaurant industry, Cassim said it is an industry that is dynamic and growing. “There is high footfall. Many restaurants are opening, and there is a lot of variety to the customer, which is a good thing. Competition is driving innovation, and requires continuous improvement and differentiation by existing players to attract and retain customers.”
Khayaban’s legacy dates back to the late 90s. The restaurant was originally located in Colombo 3 and reopened in 2022 as a joint venture with Food Studio, country’s only food court management company whose outlets span all the high-end malls in Colombo.
Some of the must-try dishes at Khayaban include the Karachi Biriyani, which is considered to be the king of South Asian cuisine and a loved-by-all dish, and a crowd-favourite – the Pulao Rice. The restaurant also serves a variety of unique Pakistani curries and dishes such as Karahi and Nihari, Tikka, Malai Boti, Reshmi Kebabs and Machinic Handi as the perfect accompaniments to your meal. Two Pakistani chefs have been specially flown down by the company to ensure the authenticity of all what’s on offer. “Pakistani food is different to Indian food. The spices, ingredients and the technique used in preparing the food are totally different. They are traditionally centered on meat-based dishes,” Cassim noted.
