Iconic Green Cabin bids farewell
The famous Green Cabin outlet on Galle Road, Kollupitiya was closed down last Tuesday, July 31.
A successful family-run business for generations, the restaurant was opened many decades ago as the Pagoda Tea Rooms- a tea kiosk to taste the finest Ceylon tea. Entrepreneur Cyril Thomas Rodrigo expanded the business taking over from his father Mudaliyar Thomas Rodrigo, launching Cyril Rodrigo Restaurants and opening Green Cabin later.
The restaurant became a much loved venue in Colombo receiving a huge demand for its chocolate, lemon and love cake, cheese cakes, pies and lamprais. It was also a popular restaurant for Sri Lankan cuisine, much sought after for a ‘hopper treat’.
A decision was made recently by the family to sell the 134-year-oldbusiness to a cousin within the family. As a result Cyril Rodrigo Restaurants will be passed down to the fifth generation of the family.
Old favourite: Pineapple gateau. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
At a high tea laid out to bid farewell to the dear old Green Cabin restaurant on Tuesday as the location will be sold, Revantha Devasurendra, CEO from the fifth generation of the family said they look forward to improving the service offerings and catering facilities. “This place has a lot of history and memories which also started out somewhere. So we are looking for a new start and the memories will be transferred to the new place.”
“This decision to divest the shareholding and the property was agreed upon after much deliberation. It is at this juncture that the family decided to separate the company, Cyril Rodrigo Restaurants and the land on which the Green Cabin is presently located,” a press release from the company said.
The outlet is scheduled to be relocated under the same name soon.
Meanwhile the other Green Cabin outlets of Pagoda Tea Rooms,Vauxhall Street, Templers Road, Pepiliyana, Kotte, Nawala and Rajagiriya will be fully functional.