Ropewalk named among ‘The 20 best bars in Sri Lanka’ by Condé Nast Traveller

Condé Nast Traveller recently released their list of ‘The 20 best bars in Sri Lanka’, right from rooftop bars on the beachfront to design-focused resto bars in the countryside. Ropewalk, Sri Lanka’s first arrack-speciality bar, made it to this prestigious list. 

Inspired by the 1920s flapper era, the idea behind creating Ropewalk is to put Sri Lankan arrack on the global map and feature arrack-based cocktails using local flavours. Located inside the iconic 300-year-old structure of the historic Galle Fort Hotel, within the UNESCO heritage site of Galle, Ropewalk offers a menu of Sri Lankan fare, from family dinner favourites to those commonly found in Colombo taverns and unique dishes from various parts of the island, presenting them in a refined manner. The idea behind the cuisine was to champion dishes that were disappearing from the island’s dinner tables and create a space for Sri Lankan food to be celebrated. Ropewalk’s design and decor philosophy is inspired by traditional Sri Lankan and Dutch colonial periods. 

The ingredients at Ropewalk are locally sourced, from cinnamon, tamarind, and oranges, to the spices that have been infused in some of the arrack cocktails. Ropewalk is committed to using local ingredients and infusing their arrack cocktails with an array of regional flavours. Some of the signature cocktails at the bar are Not Quite a Margarita, which uses Sri Lankan ingredients like tamarind paste and treacle, Fort Fresher, a Fort-inspired arrack cocktail infused with Halmilla arrack, and traditional Sri Lankan herbs - coriander and curry leaves and GFH Arrack Sour, a Galle Fort Hotel signature cocktail made with local Rockland arrack, lime, lemongrass and ginger. 

“Within six months of our opening, to be named among the Top 20 Best bars in Sri Lanka, by a prestigious publication like Condé Nast Traveller is a big honour. Our vision to put Sri Lankan arrack, our beloved homegrown spirit, on the world cocktail map through Ropewalk is being recognised.

And we couldn't be happier. Most importantly, sharing the stage with so many well respected names in the country's bar space is such an amazing feeling." 

Amrit Rajaratnam, founder of Ropewalk, Director at Galle Fort Hotel

About Maitland and Knox 

Maitland and Knox Heritage Hotels manage the luxury boutique hotels arm of York Hotel Management Services Limited, which offers guests a combination of history, luxury, and serenity. The two award-winning properties of Maitland and Knox include The Galle Fort Hotel and Thotalagala Bungalow. The Galle Fort Hotel was named ‘Sri Lanka’s Leading Boutique Hotel’ in 2022 and was awarded the ‘Luxury Historical Award’ in 2016, while Thotalagala Bungalow is steeped in history and is one of the first 19th-century tea planter’s bungalows in Sri Lanka. 

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