Jaffna House

In 1991, a café in Tooting opened its doors for the first time: Jaffna House. Named after the fascinating and vibrant town in the Jaffna Province and created to cater for the Sri Lankan community, it served as a home away from home. Owners and close friends, Siva and Rasan, were ready to greet people at the door and welcome them inside, no matter the time of day, to serve a quality home-cooked meal. The café offered a sense of community and togetherness in a new country: like stepping into a living room, Sri Lankan imagery adorned the walls and the smell of Kothu cooking in the kitchen reminded patrons of its mouth-watering tastes and textures while they listened to the buzz of chatter from familiar faces.