Kolamba, Soho

Kolamba brings bold Sri Lankan flavours to Soho, on Kingly Street in the Carnaby area and next door to Dishoom. It was the first project completed by interior designer Annie Harrison after she went solo as Studio Fils, the practice now known as Fare Inc.

Founders Aushi and Eroshan Meewella, first-time restaurateurs originally from Colombo, built the menu around the home recipes and family nostalgia they grew up with. Personal, named dishes such as Aunty Mo's "Chatti" Roast and Vaira's Jaggery Beef sit alongside string hoppers and a generous range of vegan options, served by a team that is almost entirely Sri Lankan.

Developed by the studio in collaboration with the Meewellas, the interior is a homage to the Tropical Modernism of Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. The founders' knowledge of traditional and modernist design from the island shaped both the concept and the storytelling across the two floors.

At ground level, walls are finished in polished cement. A long banquette in linen-piped leather and concrete runs opposite a four metre raw wood, live edge dining counter set with modernist stools and large batik artworks commissioned in Sri Lanka. A bespoke terrazzo, a material commonly found on the island, was created for the restaurant and used across the tables and the open-kitchen dining counter, adding to the theatre of traditional cooking.

The basement is unlike a typical Soho lower ground floor. White, airy and bright, it makes the most of uncovered glass pavement tiles that draw natural light into the dining space. Planting brings a tropical feel, while chunky concrete seating areas are divided by twisted wooden screens that let light and greenery move freely. The centrepiece is an oversized terrazzo cocktail bar, made from large broken chunks of teal marble set into white resin, a sustainable finish to an otherwise neutral, earthy palette.

Before founding the studio, Annie Harrison had designed for Kricket, the Daisy Green Collection, Burger & Beyond and Tivoli Cinemas, going on to design the second Tivoli Cinema in Cheltenham after the success of the first in Bath.

Interior design by Fare Inc., formerly Studio Fils, led by Annabel Harrison. Photography by Jamie Lau.