Mama Roma General Manager Amaan Kamaldeen, Crystal Holidays Managing Director and Mama Roma Owner Wansa Hettiarachchi, and Chief Guest Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Senior Vice President and Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams General Manager Kamal Munasinghe and other invitees
Chief Guest Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Senior Vice President and Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams General Manager Kamal Munasinghe cuts the ribbon to mark the opening, along with Crystal Holidays Managing Director and Mama Roma Owner Wansa Hettiarachchi (right) and General Manager Amaan Kamaldeen
Founded on an entrepreneurial vision, the expanding restaurant brand brings together Italian cuisine, an all-Halal food offering, a café, sports bar, private dining facilities and a rooftop lounge
Mama Roma Authentic Italian Restaurant has officially opened its second outlet at No. 4, Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s expansion and introducing a multi-faceted dining and entertainment destination to the area.
The new establishment builds on the foundation laid by Mama Roma’s first restaurant at Kurumba Bay, Weligama, which opened in 2021. Designed to offer more than a conventional restaurant experience, the Mount Lavinia outlet accommodates over 160 guests and brings together several complementary hospitality concepts under one roof.
The driving force behind Mama Roma is Wansa Hettiarachchi, an entrepreneur with more than three decades of experience in destination management and the hospitality sector. His extensive involvement in travel and tourism has shaped his approach to developing hospitality concepts that respond to the expectations of both local and international clientele.
His vision for Mama Roma took shape with the opening of the Weligama restaurant in 2021, with the aim of creating a distinctive Italian dining experience centred on quality food, warm hospitality and an inviting atmosphere. The launch of the Mount Lavinia outlet represents the next chapter in that journey, extending the original concept into a larger, multi-dimensional venue encompassing dining, socialising and entertainment.
Under Hettiarachchi’s leadership, Mama Roma is developing its presence in Sri Lanka’s competitive hospitality market, building on the experience gained in Weligama, while introducing a broader range of facilities and experiences in Mount Lavinia.
At the heart of Mama Roma is its Italian-inspired culinary offering, featuring homemade pastas and signature pizzas prepared in a Cinnamon wood-fired oven. The menu combines familiar Italian favourites with distinctive creations, catering to guests seeking anything from a casual meal to a family gathering, business lunch or special celebration.
A defining feature of the restaurant is its commitment to serving Halal food across its entire food menu. This enables Muslim guests and others who prefer Halal food to dine with confidence, while enjoying the restaurant’s Italian-inspired offerings in a welcoming setting.
The Mount Lavinia property has been developed as a multi-level hospitality destination, bringing together a range of facilities to suit different occasions and preferences.
In addition to the Italian restaurant, guests can enjoy a dedicated café, a sports bar featuring live sports broadcasts, private dining rooms for corporate functions and personal celebrations, and an open-air rooftop lounge with a designated smoking area.
This integrated concept allows Mama Roma to cater to a broad audience, from coffee meetings and family dining to sporting events, private functions and relaxed evenings with friends. With its varied spaces and capacity of over 160 covers, the venue is positioned to serve residents of Mount Lavinia and surrounding areas, corporate clientele, visitors and international guests.
The opening of the Mount Lavinia outlet marks an important step in Mama Roma’s development from its original Weligama location into a broader restaurant and lifestyle concept. By bringing together its culinary offering and complementary social and entertainment facilities, the brand seeks to establish a distinctive presence in the hospitality landscape south of Colombo.
As Mama Roma welcomes guests to its newest location, its guiding philosophy remains: “Taste the Tradition. Experience Italy.”
–Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera
