Local cool drinks beyond king coconut faluda ginger beer wood apple what to order in the heat

Street cook so the local cool drinks tour Faluda the pink layered showstopper a sweet milky rose flavoured drink dessert with basil (sabja) seeds jelly bits and often ice cream served tall and pink it is part drink part pudding a beloved treat especially in the Muslim food areas and at the bakeries rich sweet and very refreshing in the heat try one Ginger beer the LOCAL ginger beer is a national treasure a proper fiery sweet ginger brew (the famous old brands) far gingerier than the imported stuff superb on its own ice cold and the classic mixer for arrack (the drinking threads) order a local ginger beer everywhere Wood apple juice (divul) the hard shelled fruit (the fruit threads) beaten into a thick tangy funky juice often with treacle an acquired but distinctive local drink worth a try once Lime drinks fresh lime soda (lime juice soda water sugar or salt) is the perfect cheap thirst quencher everywhere ask for less sugar if you like and the salted lime version is brilliant in the heat fresh lime juice (nimbu) plain is everywhere Fresh juices the tropical bounty fresh papaya pineapple mango passionfruit avocado (a sweet treacle avocado juice almost a dessert) wood apple soursop the juice bars and cafes blend them fresh order the seasonal fruit The everyday hero king coconut (thambili) you know it the orange drinking coconut hacked open at the roadside the best natural hydration (the fruit threads) Are the juices and ice safe mostly yes with sense busy places with turnover are fine the ICE in commercial drinks and reputable places is usually factory made and safe the worry is only the rare backstreet stall with questionable water for the fresh juice ask for no ice if unsure or choose busy clean juice bars (the food safety threads) bottled and sealed local soft drinks are always safe The hot afternoon order a local ginger beer or a fresh lime soda daily a faluda as a treat a fresh seasonal juice and the king coconut on the road skip the imported cola the local drinks are better and part of the place