Take five Sri Lankan boys enjoying London living, relocate them in St Paul’s in Cheltenham, watch them open a restaurant, and then a second in Oxford.

It started simply as finding a place to call home, above a pub, but we then found the funds to rent the pub and got to work each night after finishing jobs elsewhere building and shaping what became The Coconut Tree.

All hospitality enthusiasts, we pulled together. Calls were made back home to mums in Ceylon for secret recipes, (mums in Sri Lanka always cook for the masses, so it’s helpful for multiplying recipes in a restaurant).

Dads got busy loading ships with furniture they had made by hand and we were soon in business

We were born making food an occasion. It’s always big.

There is a saying back home: Lay an extra place at the table – always have room for an unexpected guest, so we hope that The Coconut Tree reflects this kind of warmth.

Why Street food?

Because this way everyone can try a few of our home cooked recipes at one time, small dishes and mains, mix and match – we want eating to be a delicious affair but not to hurt your wallet, so that everyone feels welcome at the table.

This is our mission.

Sri Lankan food offers natural vegan and vegetarian cuisine from a tropical land, but it’s also all about affordability, which is why our freshly home cooked dishes start from £2.50.

We have also introducing our amazing hoppers, Kotthu and devilled dishes.

It’s not all about heat though, we’ll make your plates as hot or as mild as you wish. It’s about our spices and natural flavours.

We know luxury, we’ve seen a little of what the world’s cities have to offer, and everyone deserves a little spoiling at times so we’ve got some wonderful artisan cocktails in which we blend sweet and fiery flavours from turmeric to coffee.

We can also introduce you to some new flavours such as Ceylon arrack, an exquisite spirit made from coconut flowers.

It’s been noted that we like to party. Music is in our soul so playlists and late nights are a staple. Come join us, make The Coconut Tree what you want it to be, it’s all going on.

We’ll show you round our menu and we hope you enjoy every minute of our hospitality. In the meantime here are a few guidelines:

Don’t expect a napkin, it’s a roll of paper towels;

Do expect an explosion of flavours in our dishes and sweet and fiery cocktails;

Do expect candles in half coconuts;

Don’t expect a massive food bill, but do expect to spoil yourself;

Do expect warm Sri Lankan hospitality – and don’t expect the volume to stay down too long!

The Coconut Tree 76 Saint Clement’s Street, Oxford. OX4 1AH

thecoconut-tree.com