The East
In the heart of town at the main circle, the Pavilion has a sit-down restaurant area where you can order the usual standards off a Sri Lankan menu or opt…
Must-see restaurants in Sri Lanka
Colombo
Hungry like the wolf? Duran Duran filmed its classic 1980s video for that very song in this venerable establishment opened in 1884 (sadly, there are no…
Kandy
This large and busy restaurant and bakery has a long menu of Sri Lankan and Chinese staples, a biryani or two and a few lacklustre Western offerings. Rice…
Colombo
Part of the designer empire, this smart cafe serves coffee drinks, milkshakes, luscious cakes and a plethora of teas in its 2nd-floor location above the…
Unawatuna
A popular seafront restaurant with a good reputation and a wide-ranging menu that – no surprise – focuses on seafood. The lobster is a treat, as are the…
Jaffna & the North
The tasty old-fashioned Sri Murugan Café is 3km west of Puttur in a rural location. It serves rice and curry. There's not much English spoken here, but…
Nuwara Eliya
This restaurant's premises are decidedly dated, but service is friendly and there's a reliable menu of Sri Lankan, Chinese and Western dishes, including…
Colombo
South Indian is served in well-mannered surrounds at this very popular restaurant. Besides good versions of the standards it has a good selection of crab…
Jaffna & the North
The cook is making kotthu (rotti chopped up and mixed with veggies etc) right in the front window at this clean and spiffy snack spot by the bus terminal…
Nuwara Eliya
Around 11km west out of town, on the road to Hatton, is the village of Radella. Here you'll find the Somerset Farm shop and cafe where those in the know…
Galle
A large colonial courtyard restaurant surrounded by deep colonnaded porches. It's a quiet and classy scene and the menu matches the mood, with well…
Galle
A very popular cafe in the British-era post office, with a choice of street-terrace, rear-patio or interior seating. Shakes, coffee and sandwiches are…
Anna Pooram Vegetarian Restaurant
Trincomalee
Bustling vegie eatery excelling in Tamil dishes, it's always packed at lunchtime (easy, given its small size). Famous for its sambar (soupy lentil dish…
The East
The beachside restaurant of Golden Beach Cottage has just a touch of refinement to bring some style to its dinners. There's always fresh fish, which is…
The East
A good bet for a lunchtime rice and curry, kotthu in the evening or quick eats (deep-fried snacks and other small bites) for the times in between. There…
Arugam Bay
For a good local meal, this small place pumps out all the usual faves including string hoppers, rice and curry, kotthu (rotti chopped up and mixed with…
Unawatuna
At this family-run beachside restaurant you can enjoy good local fare plus seafood and cheap beer with your feet in the sand and your eyes on the ocean…
Mirissa
This restaurant has a prime beachfront location on the east side of Mirissa with tables dotted around a large garden shaded by palms. The menu takes in…
Jaffna & the North
This little cafe could not be cleaner. There's no printed menu, but you can choose between string hoppers and curries to enjoy in the large, covered open…
Anuradhapura
Just east of the 'elephant' roundabout this modern cafe-restaurant-store is a popular spot for egg, curry and noodle dishes, including freshly squeezed…
Hikkaduwa & Around
Away from the beach restaurant scene, this local roadside joint sells over 60 kinds of rotti (folded crepe-like pancake), ranging from garlic chicken to…
Negombo
The airy, elephant-lined Tusker is one of the smarter places to eat in town. Although its menu is wide-ranging in its geo-culinary diversity, its real…
The East
Authentic Italian food, including fine pasta and seafood; the menu changes daily, but always includes a special or two. Enjoying a good reputation, this…
Galle
The praise for this rice-and-curry joint is far wider than its narrow dining room. It also serves tasty Chinese-style fried rice and noodle dishes and…
Coconut Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant
The South
A fine place to taste the fruits of the sea, with delicious crab, prawn, squid and fish dishes served up right by the ocean. Located on a pretty little…
Unawatuna
The beach bar for those who literally can't wait to get home for a tasty burger and fries or authentic fish and chips. Chicken kebabs and fish tacos are…
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura’s best supermarket has imported foods, sunscreen, mosquito repellent and a separate bakery area, with a cheap rice and curry buffet upstairs …
Colombo
This Western-style supermarket chain is popular for its large selection of imported goods. This location has a big range of ready-made meals; a second…
Unawatuna
A popular traveller cafe with fine espresso coffee and good snacks and meals (curries, fish dishes and breakfasts) in a street-facing, open-sided dining…
Jaffna
The lovely open courtyard seating is popular here as is the Jaffna-style crab curry. The big attraction is the tandoori oven, which fires up at 6pm daily…
Galle
This boho cafe has a fusion menu that includes Western sandwiches and Eastern curries, fresh juices and shakes, bacon-and-egg hoppers and filter coffee…
Galle Oriental Bakery Restaurant
Matara
The best central option is a creaky but historic place with lots of little dining rooms, a wooden interior and warped display cases bulging with baked and…
Ella
A wooden treehouse-like shack with friendly staff, great-tasting local meals and cheap prices. You'll pass it as you walk along the railway tracks between…
Dambulla Heritage Resthouse Restaurant
Dambulla
This classy cafe-restaurant, all monochrome photographs and period furniture, is atmospheric for a drink or meals such as pot-roasted chicken and lake…
Trincomalee
Head up the stairs to this tidy place that offers reliably good noodles, rice, kotthu, soup and ‘devilled’ dishes. Try the special fried rice with chicken…
Colombo
Unchanged in decades, you don’t visit Carnival for the ice cream (which is more icy than creamy), but rather for the timeless ice-cream-parlour surrounds…
Jaffna & the North
This roadside bakery 1km south of the centre is small, but it has a big selection that is fresh all day. Choose from savoury items such as rolls filled…
Ella
It’s 3pm, you’re in the Hill Country; that must mean it’s time to have a nice cup of tea and a slice of homemade lemon or chocolate cake. What better…
Tangalla & Around
Sitting on wobbly stilts 1.5km east of the town centre near the 198km post, this eccentric wooden shack is worth considering for the mangrove views; the…
Tangalla & Around
With a wonderful beachside location, this hotel restaurant is a memorable setting for a meal. You can wiggle your feet in the sand and feast on fresh…
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