Galle
The King family have been whipping up Galle's best ice cream for many years from their window-front outlet. The crunchy cashew and passionfruit flavours…
Must-see restaurants in Sri Lanka
Colombo
A tiny bakery with exquisite Western-style goods. There are three tables inside with air-con and another pair out front under a tree. Get a good coffee…
Jaffna
No you won't hear some knucklehead here bragging about his new US$4200 watch; rather, you can set your time to the excellent sweet and savoury treats that…
Unawatuna
A very simple place with a couple of street-side tables. Offers tasty rottis, including dozens of sweet and savoury breads jammed full of cheeses, fruits…
Hikkaduwa & Around
The lush gardens that surround this colonial-style villa go some way to hiding busy Galle Rd, which helps enhance the enjoyment of the ultra-thin-crust…
Ella
A casual family-run thatched place close to the turn-off for Little Adam's Peak, with delicious kotthu, noodle dishes, curries and Western food. Prices…
Nuwara Eliya
This small modern cafe on the driveway to the Grand Hotel is perfect for cakes and espresso coffee. However, their short eats (samosas and pastries) can…
The South
Tucked away just back from the shore by a little lagoon, this lovely cafe has a cool vibe and serves up meaty burgers, crisp waffles, fine juices and…
Jaffna
In the heart of the bustling centre, this local eatery is always busy and has friendly management, a good range of food options and ‘nuts ice cream’.
Trincomalee
Excellent rice and curry. The refills seem to never end, portions are enormous and the vibe is friendly.
Jaffna
Modern supermarket for international and local foods. The best choice for stocking up in the region.
Colombo
The trim colonial bungalow that houses Shanth Fernando’s Gallery Cafe used to be the office of Sri Lanka’s most famous architect, Geoffrey Bawa. The open…
Jaffna & the North
The historic fort is part of a navy-run resort. There's a restaurant right on the waterfront with great views of the fort. It's a big place with a big…
Anuradhapura
The location in the southern outskirts of town is not the most convenient, but this bright and hip restaurant is worth the trip if you are in the mood for…
Polonnaruwa
This large and well-run restaurant is set up for the tourist groups, but it's a convenient place to take a break between sightseeing. The lunch buffet is…
Sigiriya
A young backpacker crowd frequent this chilled creek-side hang-out. It's as much a drinking place as a restaurant, but the food is good value, from…
Ella
Tiny hole-in-the-wall spot near the bus stand that’s good for a cheap breakfast before or after an early-morning stroll to Little Adam’s Peak. It’s a…
Nuwara Eliya
Very high-quality Asian and Western dinners are dished up by spiffy waiters serenaded by a grand piano in the main dining room of the Grand Hotel. There's…
Colombo
It's the Ministry of Crab for the masses. Tiny crabs are served in this very narrow storefront on a recently rebuilt street in Pettah. You won't just rub…
Colombo
With the lapping of the Indian Ocean across the street providing your tropical atmosphere, settle back for some excellent Sri Lankan fare at this little…
Jaffna
Highly authentic and atmospheric old-school eatery in the market district with marble-topped tables, wooden cabinets, swirling fans and photos of holy men…
Colombo
Look for these simple carts and tent set-ups that appear every night an hour or two before sunset and all day on weekends. The snacks are often fried,…
Colombo
The namesake cafe of the smart little lane of stylish shops and eateries has a suitably hip vibe with an industrial motif and pillows on the concrete…
Jaffna & the North
This large restaurant looks impersonal from the street (thanks to its huge wedding hall), but enter and you'll find a rear dining area that's unexpectedly…
Anuradhapura
This self-service corner-shop joint is perfect for shoestringers staying at one of the many nearby budget guesthouses. The rice and curry, string hoppers,…
Colombo
This colonial-style courtyard building with colonnaded porches continues to celebrate its namesake sport after a recent move. Autographed cricket bats…
Colombo
This cafe has a strong following among Colombo’s hipster set (plus among staff from the Russian embassy across the road). Customers lounge in soft seats…
Kandy
Old-timer Bake House now has a smart (air-conditioned) dining room as well as the ground-floor cafe. On the dependable, but not wildly exciting, menu you…
The Hill Country
This vaguely upmarket roadside eatery has a surprisingly attractive dining area, with high ceilings and a distinctly safari-esque theme going on. The food…
Colombo
Like elsewhere in Sri Lanka, ‘hotel’ here means ‘simple eating place’. Across the very busy road from Fort station and close to Pettah’s market madness,…
Unawatuna
Eat alfresco while being serenaded by classical music at this Italian restaurant. The secret to enjoying the pasta and fish dishes here is remembering…
Colombo
Fronting the entrance to the popular and chic Odel department store is this silver-hued swath of food stalls in a sleek outdoor food court. Outlets of…
Colombo
Now beautifully restored, the landmark Hotel Nippon, with its colonial galleries, is bucking the trend of Slave Island land clearances. On the ground…
Arugam Bay
Samanthi’s, at Freedom Beach Cabanas, is run by a family of cheerful women. Order ahead for rice and curry (around Rs 350); other dishes are the standard…
Colombo
In a small building with designer-clothing shops, this cool little cafe has an extraordinarily long menu of teas, coffee drinks, frappés and fresh juices…
Galle
The menu here covers all bases with filling sandwiches, pasta, steaks and, yes, even local curries. Choose between eating on the sunny terrace, under the…
Sigiriya
Cooking up a rotti storm, this likeable restaurant serves up delicious, freshly cooked sweet and savoury rotti bread and excellent juices in the new upper…
Nuwara Eliya
Chinese is the overriding culinary influence here, delivered in a dining room transplanted from 1930s England. There's a good array of seafood on offer…
Unawatuna
This simple beachfront place gets our vote as the best location in Unawatuna, tucked away near the temple on the west side of the resort, away from the…
The East
You can't get more rustic than this totally open-air bamboo hut next to a lotus pond. Each night it displays a huge range of fresh fish, which you choose…
- placement: fullWidth
- path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
- possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
- targeting:
{ "position": "superzone" }
