Eroshan and Aushi
London’s West End has just welcomed a vibrant new dining destination with the arrival of ADOH! - a Sri Lankan Street food restaurant from husband-and-wife team Eroshan and Aushi Meewella, the founders behind the acclaimed Kolamba restaurants. Located on Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, ADOH! captures the lively, unpolished charm of Sri Lanka’s roadside eateries, offering a new chapter in the Meewellas’ culinary journey. Since the launch of Kolamba Soho in 2019, the couple have been celebrated for bringing the warmth of home-style Sri Lankan cooking to London. Their follow-up venture, Kolamba East in Shoreditch, opened in 2024 and cemented their reputation as restaurateurs who champion authenticity with flair. Now, with ADOH!, they are expanding the narrative; shifting focus from the island’s domestic kitchens to the bustling, aromatic energy of its street food stalls.
Expanding Sri Lanka’s Culinary Presence in London
With ADOH!, the Meewellas are not just expanding their portfolio; they are broadening the understanding of Sri Lankan food in the UK. While Kolamba has highlighted home cooking and the intimate flavours of domestic kitchens, ADOH! shines a light on another equally important part of the culture: the street as dining room, stage, and meeting place. For Londoners, this means a new way to experience Sri Lankan cuisine, whether it’s a quick lunch in Covent Garden, a pre-theatre bite, or a late-night snack after drinks. In many ways, ADOH! represents the full circle of the Meewellas’ culinary journey: from home to street, from tradition to innovation, from Colombo to Covent Garden. For Londoners hungry for something fresh yet authentic, ADOH! delivers more than just food, it delivers an experience, bursting with spice, sound, and colour, just like the streets that inspired it.
The Space: Raw Energy Meets Street Culture
Whitebox London, working alongside Fold Media Collective, led the design of ADOH!’s interiors. With space for 70 covers inside and an additional 12 al fresco seats, the restaurant is designed for casual dining, walk-ins only, and a lively turnover; true to its street food DNA. The industrial aesthetic combines stripped-back finishes and raw materials, such as stainless steel, corrugated metal, and sheeting that echo the improvised architecture of roadside shacks. The walls are brought to life with two specially commissioned murals by Sri Lankan artist Ruwangi “Roo” Amarasinghe, whose work reflects the bold, contemporary energy of the island’s visual culture. The effect is immersive: a space that feels both London and Colombo, polished yet intentionally rough around the edges.
The Menu: A Celebration of Street Favourites
At the heart of ADOH!’s menu lies the koththu, Sri Lanka’s most iconic street dish. ADOH! presents four varieties of koththu - crab, chicken, mutton, and jackfruit, all cooked with the same intensity and flourish found in Sri Lanka’s late-night eateries. But the menu ventures further, showcasing snacks and small plates that London diners are likely to embrace as instant favourites. Crispy mutton rolls, a nostalgic snack beloved across the island; fiery devilled sausages; and vadai, savoury lentil doughnuts paired with tomato, coconut, and mint chutneys, all make an appearance. There are nods to Sri Lanka’s coastal food culture too: chilli prawn toast with tamarind sauce, inspired by Galle’s bustling street corners, and a roadside-style seafood fried rice packed with spice and umami. A more playful twist comes with fried chicken served on a curry leaf waffle, a dish that draws from Aushi’s childhood memories while marrying comfort food with creativity. Desserts keep the street-food theme alive with salted jaggery soft serve; a clever reimagining of the British ice-cream van staple, given a Sri Lankan edge through the use of jaggery, the island’s traditional caramel-like palm sugar. To drink, ADOH! offers a streamlined yet distinctive menu of cocktails, wines, and softs. Highlights include an Arrack Old Fashioned, a Kithul Rum Punch, and a nostalgic Milo Shake, ensuring that the bar program is as rooted in Sri Lankan identity as the food.
A Name that Speaks Sri Lanka
The name itself - ADOH!, is instantly evocative. A familiar Sri Lankan exclamation used to express surprise, delight, or affection, it encapsulates the restaurant’s ethos: bold, playful, and unapologetically Sri Lankan. In a city brimming with international flavours, ADOH! brings a slice of Colombo’s streetscape, designed for quick, hearty eating that doesn’t compromise on soul.
A Brand Built on Authenticity
In crafting ADOH!, the Meewellas wanted more than a restaurant; they wanted a brand that felt wholly true to its roots. They enlisted Leah Marikkar, a seasoned Creative Strategist, who collaborated with Fold Media Collective to shape the visual identity. The result is a playful, yet polished aesthetic inspired by Sri Lanka’s lorry art, a kaleidoscope of colour and design often seen painted on trucks, tuk-tuks, and street-side signage.
Bold typography, hand-drawn illustrations, and a palette of red, teal, and yellow run throughout, instantly transporting guests to the chaos and vibrancy of Colombo’s streets.
