Must-see restaurants in Sri Lanka

  • Petit Restaurant

    Negombo

    Potted plants and flowers surround the entrance of this suitably small, family-run restaurant. The menu serves up most of the Sri Lankan classics, but is…

  • Dutch Bank Cafe

    Trincomalee

    Central Trinco's most polished restaurant is in a historic building that combines dramatic architectural features – check out those exposed stone arches –…

  • Mamas Galle Fort Cafe

    Galle

    Malini Perera and her daughters have been cooking for curry-hunting travellers for decades, and their much-loved and dead-simple rice and curries still…

  • Bedspace Beach

    Unawatuna

    This new place offers a mod take on Sri Lankan cooking, with perfect hoppers available all day (including fusion-versions of this dish – try the eggs…

  • Crab

    The East

    A wonderful setting for a meal, this stylish hotel restaurant is perfect for a lazy dinner near the surf. You'll find a wide selection of dishes, with…

  • Starbeans Ocean Restaurant & Cafe

    Galle

    This modern cafe-restaurant enjoys a privileged position on the upper deck of the Dutch Hospital, with comfortable seating facing the big blue offshore…

  • Stardust Restaurant

    Arugam Bay

    For a memorable meal, this superb beachfront hotel restaurant is just the ticket, with expertly executed European and Asian dishes, wine by the bottle …

  • La Voile Blanche

    Colombo

    Amid the often rather shabby Mt Lavinia beachfront cafes, this very popular vision in white stands out. Under seven iconic palm trees, a range of comfy…

  • A Minute by Tuk Tuk

    Galle

    This enjoyable cafe has bagged the best site in the Dutch Hospital, with sweeping bay views from its breezy terrace tables and a small air-con interior…

  • Milk & Honey Cafe

    Colombo

    Eating vegetarian never tasted so good; in a simple house shared with a kids bookshop, this groovy little cafe has an ever-changing menu of fresh fare,…

  • Governor's Restaurant

    Colombo

    The main restaurant at the Mount Lavinia Hotel has buffets three times a day, with themes that change daily. The special Sunday lunch, however, is the…

  • Barefoot Garden Cafe

    Colombo

    Located in the courtyard of the splendid Barefoot gallery, this casual but stylish cafe serves sandwiches, salads and daily specials that usually include…

  • Mati Gedara

    Unawatuna

    For inexpensive, authentic rice and curry, this appealingly rustic place is well worth seeking out. Mati gedara refers to the large earthenware pots the…

  • Yaal Restaurant

    Colombo

    The unique spicy cuisine of Jaffna’s Tamils features at this simple yet very well-managed restaurant across from the seashore. The speciality is the truly…

  • Sri Suryas Hotel

    Colombo

    A great cut-above-average restaurant in the heart of the temples on the edge of Pettah. Relax in air-conditioned comfort with some excellent South Indian…

  • AVM Cream House

    Weligama

    A bustling little place serving filling meals including noodle and fried-rice dishes as well as tasty snacks (the shawarmas are superb). There's good ice…

  • SaBaBa Surf Café

    The East

    This driftwood-vibe, boho joint is the centre of life in Whiskey Point. It has cushioned seating around its huge wooden deck, good food, beds on the beach…

  • Elita Restaurant

    Galle

    Thirteen years of work as a chef in Belgium gave Krishantha Suranjith myriad skills in preparing seafood. His restaurant has great views out to the…

  • Cool Spot

    Hikkaduwa & Around

    This family-run place has been serving up fresh seafood from a vintage roadside house at the northern end of the strip since 1972. There’s a cool veranda…

  • Wijaya

    The South

    This boutique hotel's restaurant is one of southern Sri Lanka's most renowned places to dine out, famed for its pizza cooked in wood-burning ovens. Bar…

  • Upali's

    Colombo

    Bright, casual and busy all day, Upali's serves upscale Sri Lankan fare in stylish surrounds. Look for dishes here you won't find at your average…

  • Think Club

    The South

    Quirky but brilliant shack on the beach run by a father-and-son team; you climb a rickety ladder to an ocean-facing deck for your meal. The seafood is…

  • Colombo Food Court

    Colombo

    This is the top choice for an authentic Sri Lankan lunch near Fort. The rambling interior has various stations for rice and curry, fried rice and more…

  • Cafe Walk

    Kandy

    This open-sided cafe is where many of Kandy's bright young things like to hang out, with tables facing busy Dalada Vidiya. It's great for breakfast (with…

  • Black Cat Cafe

    Colombo

    A fine cafe in a 1920s mansion amid a neighbourhood of similar homes. There are excellent coffee drinks as well as healthy casual fare such as sandwiches…

  • Heladiv Tea Club

    Colombo

    Tapas standards, spicy local nibbles, burgers, salads and much more are served at this casual cafe that's one of the best places to take a break in Fort…

  • Dream Café

    Ella

    This cosmopolitan cafe-restaurant has good espresso coffee, well-executed Western dishes including breakfasts (Rs 490), roasted veggie wraps, paninis and…

  • Dolce Vita

    Negombo

    This casual Italian-owned beachside cafe and restaurant is the kind of place where people end up frittering away half a day sitting in the breezy shade…

  • Mango Mango

    Dambulla

    A smart, modern cafe-restaurant that serves good coffee and cake, as well as Western meals as diverse as breakfast pancakes, bangers and mash, and Chinese…

  • Burger's King

    Colombo

    Don't for one second confuse this Sale Island institution with the worldwide chain with the copycat name. The smiling dudes behind the big windows here…

  • Indian Summer

    Nuwara Eliya

    The sign says 'fusion cuisine' but this smart restaurant with lake views is best for authentic North Indian curries. Prices are quite high, but service is…

  • Siripala Place Surf Cafe

    Arugam Bay

    This cafe is next to the spot where the fish are first hauled out of nets or off boats and loaded onto buffalo-drawn carts. But some stay right here, so…

  • Le Cafe Francais Bakery & Boutique

    Unawatuna

    A lovely, civilised little French-owned cafe where you can savour wonderful croissants, cakes and sandwiches, while sipping a latte or cup of tea from a…

  • Mumbo Jumbo

    The South

    A fine new beachfront place run by a young team who know their way around a menu. It's perhaps a tad pricey, but the seafood is excellent: try the crab…

  • Surf N Sun

    Arugam Bay

    Relax amid lush gardens on the broad outdoor deck lounge, with low-slung cushions, throw pillows, and candles and lanterns. Good food, too, including…

  • Green Grass

    Jaffna

    The restaurant at this hotel, with tables under a mango tree and around the pool, is a good spot for a meal, and also for an evening beer. Try the Tamil,…

  • Saffron Kitchens

    Colombo

    Bright and stylish, this is rice and curry for a new era. Choose a rice (white or red), pick from nine vegetable dishes and add in a pappadam and fried…

  • De Silva Food Centre

    Nuwara Eliya

    This inexpensive eatery located along a busy main street serves Sri Lankan and Chinese-style fried rice dishes. A few vegetarian rotti make a good…

  • Bookworm

    Hikkaduwa & Around

    For some of the best home-cooked curries in town order dinner in this family-run place a couple of hours in advance. Dinner is upstairs; downstairs the…

  • Cafe Divine Street

    Kandy

    Run by an industrious local, this tiny, inexpensive cafe offers great burgers, kebabs, subs and fried rice dishes; all are well seasoned and attractively…

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