Stepping into OGF,the latest buzz in town!
Six floors to explore: A view of OGF mall from the top. Pix by Sameera Weerasekera
Amidst much anticipatory excitement, Colombo’s newest shopping centre, the One Galle Face Mall opened its doors on November 8. Seen by many as Sri Lanka’s first international level mall, it is already abuzz with non-stop activity with visitors enjoying a variety of shops, brands, restaurants and other attractions.
With something for everyone, the seven-storey One Galle Face (OGF) Mall occupying a floor area of 490,000 square feet is home to more than 200 international as well as local brands.
Many shoppers thronged the mall in the days following the opening eager to see what it had to offer. Talking to the Sunday Times, Anjili Gunasekara said, “It was like walking into a mall in Dubai. It is an incredible shopping experience for us, Sri Lankans and I have never seen something like this here.”
The same sentiment was conveyed by Imaad Cuttilan as he noted the sophisticated interior and added that “The mall is very well planned and organised. You definitely need at least half a day to explore it.”
Starting from the bottom up, the Lower Ground is the place to be if you are on the hunt for food and want to satisfy your cravings.
On one side of this floor, there’s the Food Studio where foodies can experience 15 different kinds of international cuisines, from authentic Indonesian, Middle Eastern, Japanese to Thai. Arranged in the style of a street market, there are signs pointing you to the different section of the food hall such as Orchard Road for Singaporean cuisine and China Street for Chinese.
Head to Singapore: International cuisine at the Food Studio
The restaurants gave their own spin to the ambience by decorating their space according to a theme such as Chinese lanterns, chairs mimicking the structure of the Taj Mahal and intricate Moroccan tile patterns.
The prices range from Rs. 1000- 1500 per head for a hearty meal if you opt to dine at the Food Studio and the portion sizes are fairly generous.
The standard franchises such as Burger King, BreadTalk, Baskin Robbins, Green Cabin, KFC and more can also be found at this floor.
The English Cake Company, Mitsi’s Delicacies, Beard Papa’s are household favourites when it comes to desserts but for something new, stirring a craze on social media is Be.K Desserts that serves shaved ice desserts called Bingsu and WAFL which has a wide range of sweet and savoury waffles.
Level One is definitely the floor for the big-spenders, with premium brands like Armani Exchange, Diesel, Furla, Chatham Luxury, Rolex and Tissot. Local jewellers such as Careem Jewellers, Pearl Studio, Ramzi & Co and Colombo Jewellery Stores can also be found on this floor.
Level Two houses more local clothing brands such as Avirate, ADITI, Jezza, Waves, Genelle and more. A Lak Arcade is also available on this floor to satisfy any desire for household/souvenir items.
Catering for men and athletes, Level Three is occupied by sporting brands such as Adidas Performance, D-BLAQ, Nike, Pro Golf, Puma to name a few. There are also a few stores such as Fireworks that provide quality kitchenware items on this floor as well.
The colourful Toys Store is bound to catch your eye first, then perhaps you will be drawn to the Candy Crush store filled with everything sweet. A haven for children and perhaps a few sweet addicts, Level Four is filled to the brim with children’s novelties.
One of OGF Mall’s biggest draws especially for children aged two to 12, is the Adventure Zone also located on Level Four.
Fun for the toddlers: Attractions for the little ones
Level Five has quite a lot going on. On one corner Newvoice, with its strobe lights and tell-tale sounds of arcade machines entices crowds to try their hand at various arcade games such as the classic claw machine, dance machines and even the newer technological games such as VR and racing games. Trainyard Studios is another state of the art sports facility located on this floor.
Looking to create a bazaar atmosphere akin to the Pettah market, High 5 attempts to bring together local crafts, trinkets and treats in one area. From the artfully placed red tuk tuk wreathed in different plants from Plants & Plants, to beautiful canvases at the Art Gallery and funky socks from Maze, High 5 is an interesting space that’s worth checking out.
Collectique is also another attraction on this level as it is Sri Lanka’s first specialised pop-culture and hobby store that sells collectibles, merchandise and novelty items. With a Millennium Falcon hanging from the ceiling, funko pops of Harry Potter characters, detailed action figures from Marvel and more, this is the store for collectors.
No mall is complete without a state of the art cinema and OGF Mall delivers with a nine screen multiplex with PVR Cinemas on the top-most floor, Level Six. There are three different formats of screening; we have the usual mainstream theatres but what really is different at PVR is their LUXE theatres and the sole dedicated kids’ theatre which is a first for Sri Lanka.
The LUXE setup allows audiences to comfortably relax in a private lounge before a movie screening, with plush seating and on-call service. A quite high-end experience that is fully worth its steep price, it is also spacious so you enjoy your privacy whilst watching the movie.
The kids’ theatre is a fun, colourful space from the adorable slide that leads to a ball pit in one corner with the multi-coloured seating and cute animal paintings decorating the theatre.
Further elevating the movie experience is the gourmet snack bar that does not just offer the standard chips and popcorn but a variety of gourmet snacks as well. From pani puri, nachos and loaded fries; there is a seemingly endless amount of choice.
There are also more restaurants available on this floor. Notably, Crystal Jade which is a Michelin star restaurant from Singapore, A minute by tuk tuk – Colombo, British Pub Fish & Chips, Oriental Gourmet, Ramen Makotoya, TGI Fridays and The Pizza Bakery.
Level Six is the place to enjoy a spectacular sunset as the spacious terrace overlooks Colombo’s skyline and the upcoming Port City.
OGF Mall is also the first mall in Sri Lanka to feature an app-based loyalty programme, helping mall tenants build long-term relationships with their customers. The app also has a directory on it so that customers can navigate their way around the mall easily.
For more information, visit www.onegalleface.com
| Raspberry chic | |
 Conceptualized by Niloufer Esufally Anverally, the founder of Cotton Collection, the Raspberry Kiosk has opened at One Galle Face.Raspberry offers a range of elevated accessories for the effortlesly cool - chic bags, fashion forward jewellery, purses, hair accessories and more, all at wallet friendly pricing carefully curated by Niloufer whose savvy sense of style and fashion acumen has been gained through nearly 30 years of running some of the best known fashion retail brands in Sri Lanka. Raspberry’s collection features ultra-feminine pieces, smart work wear, everyday casual pieces and more. Recognized for its unique identity and distinctive aesthetic inspired by mesmerizing colours, patterns, textures and hand-craft techniques from faraway places, each collection is hand-picked.
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| Michelin star rated Crystal Jade restaurant | |
 One Galle Face boasts the Michelin star rated Crystal Jade restaurant that specializes in classic and authentic Chinese cuisine. The Crystal Jade chain is a recipient of multiple Michelin Star and Michelin Bib Gourmand Awards.Operating in the restaurant’s open kitchen will be the Crystal Jade culinary team – headed by Chef Leong Kum Weng with Chief Wok Chef, creating a menu set to captivate local palates.Also part of the team is Chef Lee Choon Fei, with over a decade of experience with specialisation in finely-crafted Dim Sum and Chinese desserts and Chef Figo, well-known for his BBQ dishes. The restaurant is also the ideal destination for hosting business luncheons for VIP guests or private gatherings among friends and family. The six private function spaces can be partitioned and booked individually or completely opened and utilised as one larger event space with a maximum seating for 126 guests.
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| Sona Mandhir’s luxury boutique | |
 Sona Mandhir by Shamila Sathar known for its South Asian fashion collection has opened a luxury boutique at One Galle Face Mall with a curated selection of elegant ethnic designer wear sourced directly from Pakistan.“SonaMandhir’s vision is to provide our women with the best of South Asian fashion without the need to travel out of Sri Lanka,” said owner and Director, Shamila. Customers can visit the Sona Mandhir store at Level Two, One Galle Face Mall, as well as their branch at 7/13, Sinsapa Road, Colombo 6. More information is available on the official Facebook page Sona Mandhir and on Instagram.
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Luxury experience: State-of-the art cinemas