Khayaban, one of Sri Lanka’s established destinations for authentic Pakistani cuisine, has reached another significant milestone with the opening of its fifth location at the iconic Arcade Independence Square. Continuing a culinary journey that began in 1998, Khayaban remains committed to bringing the rich, vibrant, and unmistakable flavours of Pakistan to Sri Lanka while creating memorable dining experiences for its guests.
Since its inception, Khayaban has been part of Colombo’s evolving culinary landscape, introducing diners to the depth and diversity of Pakistani cuisine. Following a renewed beginning in 2022 at One Galle Face Mall, the brand continued its journey with a refreshed vision: to take authentic Pakistani flavours to a new generation while staying true to the traditions, recipes and hospitality that have shaped Khayaban from the very beginning.
The opening of the new food truck at Arcade Independence Square marks another important chapter in Khayaban’s growth journey. More than just an expansion, the new location reflects the brand’s continued commitment to offering authentic cuisine, warm hospitality and a distinctive dining experience within one of Colombo’s most recognized lifestyle destinations.
Khayaban is part of Food Studio, the food and beverage platform of Liberty Lands & Developments (LLD) Group, which is building a growing portfolio of distinctive brands across Sri Lanka. With Food Studio’s focus on developing and scaling strong food concepts, Khayaban continues to strengthen its presence as a heritage Pakistani dining brand, combining the authenticity of its roots with a vision for continued growth and wider reach.
Naufer Cassim, Director of Khayaban, said, “Since our beginnings in 1998, Khayaban has always been driven by a passion to bring the authentic flavours, traditions and hospitality of Pakistan to Sri Lanka. While the brand has grown and evolved alongside Colombo’s dining landscape, authenticity has remained at the heart of everything we do. Our Pakistani chefs bring their expertise, traditional cooking techniques and passion for flavour to every dish we create. From our signature biryanis and kebabs to our traditional curries and favourites, every plate reflects the richness and diversity of Pakistani cuisine. The opening of our fifth location at Arcade Independence Square is an important milestone for Khayaban, giving us the opportunity to share these flavours with an even wider audience while continuing to offer a warm and memorable dining experience that has always been part of the brand. As we grow, our focus remains on preserving the traditions, quality and true essence of Pakistani hospitality that have defined Khayaban from the very beginning.”
The expansion comes at a time when Colombo’s dining landscape continues to embrace diverse global cuisines and unique culinary experiences. By combining authentic recipes, skilled craftsmanship and genuine hospitality, Khayaban aims to provide guests with an opportunity to experience the richness of Pakistani cuisine while creating a destination for families, friends and food enthusiasts.
Nadeem, Chief Executive Officer of Food Studio, said, “Khayaban has always been a brand that is particularly close to us at Food Studio. When Naveed and I first started building Food Studio and bringing together different cuisines under one roof, we found ourselves reminiscing about Khayaban and what it represented in Colombo in the 1990s. That nostalgia led us to reach out to Naufer and explore bringing the brand back after a long absence, and it has been incredibly rewarding to see how people have embraced it since its revival.
From our flagship at One Galle Face to our two Express locations at Cool Planet Kirulapone and Nugegoda, Khayaban has continued to grow and find new audiences. Opening our fifth location as a food truck at Independence Arcade is another exciting milestone for us. It gives the brand a presence in the heart of Colombo 7 in a format that is accessible, energetic and a little different from what we have done before.
For Food Studio, this is ultimately what building brands is about, taking something with a strong identity and story, nurturing it, and finding new ways to bring it closer to our customers. We are very proud of how far Khayaban has come, but we also feel that this journey is only just beginning. We hope to continue taking Khayaban into more neighborhoods and sharing a brand that carries both nostalgia and a very relevant place in Colombo’s food culture today.”
With a commitment to preserving tradition while embracing new opportunities, Khayaban’s journey continues to grow, bringing authentic flavours, Pakistani passion, and memorable dining experiences to Colombo’s food lovers.
