Some places live in a city’s memory long before they become dining destinations. The Lotus Tower is one of them. It rises above Colombo not just as an architectural icon, but as something almost ceremonial. This is not a place you wander into on a whim. You dress up to come here. You bring family. You mark moments. There is an unspoken understanding that whatever happens next matters.
For me, Citrus Blue Orbit has always been tied to that feeling. It has long been my family’s go-to for celebrations. Birthdays. Milestones. Festive lunches that stretch well past their intended end, lingering over conversation more than courses. Returning this Christmas season for their festive lunch buffet felt less like an assignment and more like stepping back into a familiar tradition.
Perched 700 feet above the city, Citrus Blue Orbit offers international lunch and dinner buffets with over 300 dishes spanning seven global cuisines, including Western, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Sri Lankan, Indian, and Middle Eastern. The revolving restaurant seats 225 guests and completes a full orbit every 90 minutes, offering uninterrupted views of Colombo. Even during the day, the experience feels quietly cinematic. Between bites, the city shifts around you, gently reminding you how far removed you are from the everyday.
The recent addition of a bar has expanded the experience beyond food alone. Signature cocktails, beer on tap, peach iced tea, and passionfruit drinks are included, which already places this buffet in a different category from most lunch spreads in the city. Still, numbers never fully explain atmosphere. Christmas made itself known the moment we stepped inside. Snow-dusted gingerbread houses stood at the entrance, instantly nostalgic. A small working North Pole train looped endlessly, triggering memories of childhood holiday films. Poinsettias, fresh greenery, and warm reds framed the central buffet station. It felt festive without feeling forced. Joining me for lunch were Pathum, Yashmitha, and Tharindu. As tradition quietly demands, we started with soup. Three options awaited us. Mutton marrow hotpot, seafood tom yum, and cream of asparagus. Yashmitha and I instinctively reached for the mutton marrow, while the boys chose the tom yum. The mutton marrow soup has always been my opening act at Blue Orbit, and it still holds its crown. Rich but not heavy, deeply savoury, and layered enough to slow you down, it carries an unexpected addition of chickpeas that adds texture and depth. The tom yum earned approving nods across the table, though the boys are generous critics when food is involved.
As the restaurant rotated almost without notice, we somehow found ourselves next to the pani puri station. This was easily the best version I have had. What makes it special is the full customisation. As someone who is spice intolerant, being able to control every element changed everything. Tamarind paste, mint chutney, tamarind water, coriander, celery, carrots, corn, tomatoes, rice pops. Each component laid out like an invitation to play. Light and refreshing, it worked perfectly as a lead-in to the heavier dishes that followed.
The Indian corner naturally drew us in next. The aromas alone felt grounding. Dhal wade, cutlets, Indian pickles, fragrant rice dishes, biriyani, slow-cooked dhal, and mutton curry were presented with intention. Nothing felt like filler. This section of the buffet leaned into comfort, elevated through care rather than excess.
The Sri Lankan spread followed seamlessly. Pol roti arrived warm and soft, Pittu was served inside coconut bamboo paired with coconut milk, a detail that added both authenticity and charm. I paired mine with dry fish sambol and a rich red beef curry and found myself lingering longer than planned.
From there, the buffet opened into lighter international offerings. Sushi and nigiri were laid out neatly. California maki, tuna tacos, and well-balanced rolls that felt fresh and clean. Pathum, carried away by enthusiasm rather than experience, was far too generous with the wasabi and nearly brought himself to tears, much to everyone else’s amusement.
The bread counter acted as a natural bridge between cuisines.
Salted focaccia, artisanal loaves, and tawa roti lined up invitingly. These were not afterthoughts. They were clearly meant to be dipped, paired, and revisited. Nearby, baked polenta with caponata, vegetable pizzas, and familiar Western comfort dishes appeared. And then there it was. The lamb lasagna. A dish that has stopped my sister and me in our tracks for years. It remains the showstopper. Rich, generous, and deeply comforting. Some dishes do not need reinvention.
The meat station delivered with confidence. Roasted pork leg sliced to order, baked fish that remained moist, and tandoori-marinated roast chicken with just the right balance of spice and char. The duck pancake station, however, was genuinely dangerous. Sticky, savoury, and impossible to resist, it had me returning more times than I care to admit.
The cheese selection was equally satisfying. Cumin gouda, peppercorn cheese, blue cheese, parmesan, paired with crackers, raisins, and jams. A quiet standout was the lovi jam, a gentle reminder that Sri Lankan flavours often carry more depth than we give them credit for.
Dessert unfolded with the same sense of generosity. Fresh fruit displays featured pineapple, papaya, jackfruit, and guava, alongside sugarcane juice that felt like a thoughtful nod to presenting Sri Lanka’s identity to visiting guests. Bananas appeared in all their diversity. Cakes followed in abundance. Royal cake, peach cake, coffee opera, chocolate mousse, mango mousse, strawberry mousse, Swiss rolls, Brazilian cake, blueberry cheesecake, and fruit trifle. Traditional favourites like curd and treacle were served through a charming water-pump-style dispenser that felt nostalgic and clever.
The chocolate fountain caused what can only be described as controlled chaos. Marshmallows, wafers, fruit, and every imaginable dip-in brought children and adults together in equal excitement. It felt entirely appropriate.
At LKR 9,000 nett, with children aged one to four dining free and those aged five to eleven at half rate, this festive lunch buffet offers value that goes beyond quantity.
It offers atmosphere, memory, and care. Citrus Blue Orbit does not just feed you. It hosts you. Seven hundred feet above the city, wrapped in Christmas warmth, rotating gently through Colombo’s skyline, reminding you why some places remain favourites long after the novelty fades.
And yes, I still ended lunch with the lamb lasagna. Some traditions are worth keeping exactly as they are.
