Sri Lankan street food brand KOCHCHI is set to open its first standalone restaurant this winter, bringing its signature flame-fired dishes to Glasgow’s West End. The new venue will take over the former Hanoi Bike Shop on Ruthven Lane following a £500k investment to create a neighbourhood restaurant, and a late-evening hangout, with a capacity of 80 over two floors as well as an external seating area.
Along with Sri Lankan-inspired cocktails, craft beers and tropical softs, the food menu stays true to its street food roots with dishes which include kottu roti, spicy devilled chicken, and sambols made in-house,
The Edinburgh-based brand, which rose to prominence as one of the original kitchens at Bonnie & Wild, the Scottish food hall at St James Quarter, was founded by childhood friends Shehan Fernando and Suki Jayaratne, who grew up in Sri Lanka and this has help shape much of their food philosophy and, backed by continued support from Bonnie & Wild, the new venture will reflect the Colombo they remember – “the wood, cane, and brass of old hotels, the colour and bustle of its markets, and the spirit of food cooked fresh and fast”, and they say, its their way of bringing that story to life.
KOCHCHI Co-founder Suki Jayaratne said, “Shehan’s childhood was spent among his family’s hotels in Nuwara Eliya before discovering Colombo’s kitchens and streets, where food was rhythm and theatre. I grew up in Kandy’s gardens and coastal markets but found in Colombo the energy of a city where every influence collided — from black pork curry and seafood fried rice to lunch boxes filled with dosas, sambols, and biryani.”
Shehan Fernando, Co-founder of KOCHCHI, added, “When you sit at our table, you taste more than Sri Lanka — you taste Colombo, the city where the island comes together. At KOCHCHI Glasgow, we want to share that rhythm and warmth — a place for rich curries, street snacks, and seafood dishes that carry the flavours of home. The space will have the same character and soul that shaped us, brought to life with a Glasgow energy of its own.”
Picture: KOCHCHI owners Suki (L) and Shehan (R)