Cafe Rafaella Brunch | Restaurant Review

A perfect, casual, and boozy brunch!

Looking for a place to have a small, intimate brunch with a chill vibe, great food, and some light day drinking? Look no further than Cafe Rafaella, which offers a special brunch menu exclusively on the weekends.

The brunch menu, while limited in options, is big on flavour, and thanks to its generous portion sizes and 1 litre options on their sangria and mocktails, it’s pretty wallet-friendly too!

Mains

1. Scamorza Alla Griglia (LKR 1,350)
   

A generous portion of scamorza cheese, grilled until lightly charred, served with grilled caponata vegetables. It was a flavourful dish playing big with textures. I enjoyed the delicate balance between the Sicilian-style vegetables paired with the smoky flavours of the grilled cheese.

2. Crab Benny (LKR 1,800)

I was told this was a crowd favourite, and it was obvious why! A perfectly poached egg, drizzled in homemade hollandaise sitting on top of a mountain of crab meat, all nestled on a thick-cut brioche bed with a lot of greens. Loved the combination, and the fact that they were really generous with the crab meat. I just wished there had been more hollandaise for the whole affair.

3. Pasta De Oiya (LKR 1,600)

A creation by the dish’s namesake – Oshan from the cafe’s kitchens – this was an elegant bread bowl filled with gnocchi, paired with a sauce of your choice. I opted for the pesto and added bacon. This was easily my favourite dish on the menu. The soft, pillowy gnocchi coated with the rich pesto and freshly grated parmesan was simply divine. The thin-yet-fluffy bread bowl served as a perfect accompaniment to scoop up the leftover pesto.

 

Dessert

1. Biscoff French Toast (LKR 1,600)
   

This was inspired! Thick-cut cinnamon brioche french toast lathered in biscoff and a raspberry sauce served with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. The marriage of flavours between the biscoff and the french toast and ice cream, with that tart taste of raspberries cutting through it all… what could go wrong?

 

Drinks

1. Sangria (LKR 850 per glass)
   

White wine sangria made with an assortment of fruit and berries. This was a textbook sangria – pretty to look at, and dances on your palate. It was the perfect pairing with brunch outdoors on a sunny day.

2. Naarang Mojito Cocktail (LKR 700 per glass)

A virgin mocktail with a naarang twist. The unique, tart taste of naarang is dominant in the drink, without being overpowering. A great drink for the teetotallers to consider while their friends enjoy their sangria.

 

The ambience

Homely, charming, and chill, Cafe Rafaella is perfect for a boozy brunch with friends.

The sister restaurant of the famous Giovanni’s Presto Pizzeria which is right next door, the cafe shares the same reputed vibe: a fun and casual atmosphere, with a waitstaff and owner who’ll make you love them!

You’ll come in for the food, but you’ll keep coming back for the people.

 

Extra notes

• Are you the type who isn’t completely satisfied with what’s on the menu? Don’t be shy! Just talk to the staff. Everyone on the staff at Cafe Rafaella is very friendly and accommodating. They’ll try their best to make your experience as comfortable as possible!
• If you want to have a quiet and relaxing brunch, go on a Saturday. If you’d rather trade in the ‘quiet and relaxing’ aspect for some awesome live music – performed by the legendary Sri Lankan singer/songwriter SankhaB – go on a Sunday.

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