Open from Wednesday to Sunday, The Trampoline Café has been serving delicious Sri Lankan meals to the people of Islington since 2022. Situated on the corner of Camden Passage, it’s a café unlike any other.
Providing opportunities for refugees is at the top of its menu, alongside dishes that keep you coming back for more.
Founded by Sivakolundu Yogeswaran, or Yogi, the café operates with a clear ethos. It is “for the refugees”. It is is one of two belonging to the Trampoline Café Social Enterprise, with the other branch located in the Royal College of Nursing Library, near Oxford Street.
Yogi faced his own struggles as a refugee, namely becoming homeless in 2015 and attempting suicide. As a result of assistance from refugee organisations Freedom from Torture and Migrateful, he was able to transform himself into a trained chef, an experience that led the creation of the café. “I think about how I struggled,” he says. “My experience made me want to help others who are in the same position.”
Yogi describes the café as “more than just a place that serves food”. Instead, he says its aim is to “provide refugees with training, employment, and hopefully a sense of belonging”.
Having got this far, Yogi now wants the Trampoline cafe to have a positive impact on a larger scale. When asked about his plans for the future of his social enterprise, he replies: “More branches.”
In a city full of Pret a Mangers, Costas, and Starbucks, The Trampoline Café stands apart thanks to the opportunities it provides for refugees, instilling much-needed stability back into the lives of people who need it most.
At its core, Yogi thinks the Café is “built on the foundation of helping others”. Through its partnership with NEMI teas, a London-based online tea company, refugees can access employment, which ultimately helps to facilitate their reintegration into society.
Islington-based journalist with experience at the London Evening Standard. Covering local politics, community issues, arts, and development. Focused on delivering clear, accurate reporting on the stories shaping Islington.