Colombo’s Best Productivity Cafes: Focus and Fuel

As someone who is building her digital business, I’ve trained myself to have a dedicated time for mindfulness. When I’m more mindful, I become more efficient in completing my tasks. A little bit of caffeine improves my mood and stimulates my brain.

I have a calmer mental state after having my dose of cafe latte or cappuccino. I include the activity of discovering cafes and I’ve been to several coffee shops in the capital. For me, these are Colombo’s best productivity cafes where you can get your focus and fuel right.

Colombo Cafés that Support My Productivity

🫘A Healing Café

What I love about this cafe is its location being in front of the sea. The combination of a peaceful environment and a comforting beverage helps me disconnect from my daily concerns. When I come here, I usually time it in the late afternoon so I can catch the sunset.

In the few times that I’ve been here, I had my late lunch or high tea. I designed images for my Pinterest clients while waiting for dusk. I can do a lot of work here because of the sound of waves and the smell of coffee.

This is my go-to cafe for productivity!

🫘Dark Roast Café

I have a dedicated office at home where I do my online work, but there are days when I also crave for a different environment. When I feel like bringing my work outside, I go to cafes that have unlimited Wifi and a good spread of food and coffee options. This is where Dark Roast Café comes in.

The ambience here is cozy and inviting. The interior design is minimal and uses light colors. I feel comfortable to do my work, yet the comfort is enough to not make me feel sleepy.

🫘Café Kai at the Hilton

Sometimes, I just want to enjoy a pair of danish and coffee and get myself updated with what’s happening around me locally. When I feel this need, I go to Café Kai at the Hilton. They’re open early and they have good options for light breakfast. They have a great selection even for take away and delivery options. Since it’s a luxury location, I like that there’s less crowd and so I can have a leisurely sit-down. I read the newspaper, walk around the lobby a bit, and then I head back home.

🫘Together & Co.

As a digital business owner, I also need my downtime from the screen. When i need to achieve this, I hunt for cafes that are quiet. This is what I like about Together & Co. It’s tucked away on a street surrounded by trees and plants so it’s the quiet type of cafe that’s most perfect for writing in your journal, reading a book, or for mindful colouring. 

🫘Barista

There are multiple branches of Barista around Colombo as it’s the leading coffee chain in the country. My favorites are the ones in Stratford and Bambalapitiya. Their interior design is modern and business-like. It’s common to see other digital workers hanging out at Barista because they have strong Wifi and plug outlets for charging gadgets.

🫘Torta Café

When I miss having sweets while working online, I go to Torta cafe. Their specialty is their cakes! What better way to pair a nice coffee than a sweet treat, of course. What also sets Torta Cafe apart from the ones I frequent is that their interior is feminine and pink. It gives me that creative spark for when I’m feeling monotonous at what I’m doing with my online projects.

🫘Café Keku

Is this a design studio or a cafe? It’s both in one place! I’m so happy that the cafe landscape in Sri Lanka is evolving. There are more and more vibrant independent cafes emerging.

As a Pinterest designer, it’s important for me to expose myself to creative and wonderful things. It enhances my eye for beauty and attention to details. I had a good experience here at Café Keku. If you love coffee and art like me, you’d absolutely appreciate it here.

🫘 The Grind Cafe

The name states the grind, but the kind of grind that I do here is eat good food. “Who’s the chef?” That’s what you’re gonna ask after dining here at The Grind. Their food and drinks are sooo good! What I’ve tried: Mushroom Grilled Cheese, Tofu Bowl, Nai Miris Chicken Wings, Quinoa and Kale Bowl, Tamarind Cooler, Cafe Latte, Matcha Latte, Hojicha Latte, Chocolate Espresso Tart, Chewy Salted Caramel Cookie Bar.

I love their food offerings here as they are unique and well thought of. You can really say that careful planning was done to it. They plate and present their food in a pleasing way as well.

🫘 The Central Perk

This is a popular cafe for meeting up with friends and so when I come down here, I make sure to come in the morning when I have the place by myself. This cafe is inspired by the TV series “Friends” and it has that chic vibe. What I love about this place is it’s across the sea. I have the view of the sea, wall decor of the Friends show, and a great selection of brunch items.

🫘The Coffee Craft

Yes, a Vietnamese cafe in Colombo! They have a good range of coffee drink offerings and I love their iced Coconut! When I need to tackle a big task for the day, I need good food to start my day with a hearty meal. I’d usually go for a cafe that has full dining options as well. Here at The Coffee Craft, they serve congee, noodles, rolls, and even bento boxes!

Do you have other cafes you want to add to this roster of Colombo’s best productivity cafes?

Benefits of Mindful Coffee Breaks to Online Workers

I’ve been working online for almost 9 years now and a mindful coffee break helps a lot in productivity. Sometimes, I need to step away from the screen and from distractions. This gives me a chance to disconnect, rest, and recharge. I also get to savor the moment and just enjoy the little things in life.

Of course caffeine has its negative effects and for some people, they might not be able to sleep well at night. Moderation is the key.

It’s not healthy to rely on the boosting effect of coffee just so you can be efficient at work. One thing that I promised myself is that I will not abuse my wellbeing just for the sake of producing work. Coffee is so tempting and so I limit myself to just two medium mugs per day. I believe that there’s a friendly approach to focus and energy.

Furthermore, productivity works best when there’s a structure in place. It’s easy to practice self-discipline and enjoy freedom when there’s a system. Find out my secret to unrelenting productivity here.

As a cafe hunter and a coffee lover, I will definitely be checking out new places. I’ll continue adding to this list of Colombo’s best productivity cafes so check this out from time to time!

Are you also like me who works online? Do you love cafes? How do you ensure your productivity? Share in the comment section below!

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