Must-see restaurants in Sri Lanka

  • Lords Restaurant

    Negombo

    By far Negombo’s most creative eating experience, with dishes that are a hybrid of Western and Eastern flavours. Martin, the British owner, is a rare…

  • Bedspace Kitchen

    Unawatuna

    One of the most progressive, enjoyable restaurants in the country, Bedspace Kitchen has it all right. Around 95% of their ingredients are sourced in Sri…

  • T-Lounge by Dilmah

    Colombo

    A product of Sri Lanka's best tea producer, Dilmah, this gem of a cafe is in an annexe to the hugely successful Old Dutch Hospital. The interior…

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    Spoon's Cafe

    Galle

    For authentic Galle-style rice and curry, this minuscule place (there are only four tables) can't be beat. Chef Shamil Roshan Careem hails from one of the…

  • Hill Club

    Nuwara Eliya

    Dinner at the Hill Club is an event in itself. The menu focuses on traditional English dishes such as roast beef with all the trimmings and rich puddings …

  • Ministry of Crab

    Colombo

    Crabs are a major income earner for Sri Lanka’s fishing industry, but most are exported. This high-profile restaurant rectifies this loss by celebrating…

  • Traditional Foods Sales Centre

    Dambulla

    This government-run stand exists to preserve local traditional foods, but for travellers it's an excellent chance to do some culinary exploration. Try a…

  • Cafe Chill

    Ella

    Run by an engaging local team, this huge, stylish roadside cafe-bar-restaurant goes from strength to strength. Its latest addition is an upper deck…

  • Church Street Social

    Galle

    A classy retreat from Galle's steamy streets, this refined air-conditioned hotel restaurant is the perfect setting for a great meal, with the formality of…

  • Hotel Shalini

    Anuradhapura

    With its airy, upper-storey pavilion and dripping eaves, this haveli (town house)-style building has a charming setting, but it's the food that really…

  • Mangos

    Jaffna

    With an open kitchen, lots of space and outdoor seating, Mangos is an atmospheric place to dine and is wildly popular with extended Tamil families and…

  • Home Grown Rice & Curry Restaurant

    Hikkaduwa & Around

    Half-buried under palm trees and flowering plants, this is a sweet little garden-terrace restaurant on a quiet (at least compared to the main road) side…

  • Old Railway Cafe

    Galle

    Right across the small canal from the namesake station, this fashionable upstairs cafe has artfully mismatched furnishings and a boho vibe. You'll find an…

  • Bu Ba

    Colombo

    With candlelit tables right on the sandy beach, this seafood pub is a hidden treat. In the heat of the day you can retreat under the grove of palm trees;…

  • Sharon Inn

    Kandy

    The nightly buffet dinner (Rs 1100) at this hotel, served at 7.30pm sharp in the starlit rooftop restaurant, is a tasty short cut to falling in love with…

  • Nana's

    Colombo

    One of the best food vendors on Galle Face Green, Nana's is a legend for its excellent grilled meats and rice dishes. Choose a battered plastic stool and…

  • Hideaway Restaurant

    Arugam Bay

    This classy hotel restaurant features a menu that changes daily and lots of fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Staff are professional and welcoming. Many…

  • Royal Dutch Cafe

    Galle

    The sign says 'Relax Zone' and this is a fine place to sit back and enjoy the company of cafe owner Fazal Badurdeen, who has a million stories to tell. He…

  • Matey Hut

    Ella

    A neo-rustic log cabin that looks suspiciously like a backwoods hipster hang-out but is actually just a simple, very cheap roadside joint run by a jovial,…

  • Kandy Muslim Hotel

    Kandy

    No, it’s not a hotel, but this bustling eatery offers Kandy’s best samosas, authentically spiced curries and heaving plates of frisbee-sized, but gossamer…

  • Nihonbashi Honten

    Colombo

    Gird the expense account for an adventure at Colombo's best Japanese restaurant. The sushi, donburi and Kobe beef are as good as you can find anywhere in…

  • Fort Printers

    Galle

    The ideal venue for a memorable meal, this hotel restaurant offers a concise menu featuring fresh seafood and organic local produce. It's especially good…

  • Jinas Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant

    Unawatuna

    This mighty fine place offers a wide array of Indian food (thalis and masala dosas) as well as great falafel, wholesome soups and Mexican-style dishes…

  • Good Market

    Colombo

    This organic and artisan food market is held in the northeast parking lot of the Colombo Racecourse and attracts a range of high-quality vendors. Breads,…

  • No1 Dewmini Roti Shop

    Mirissa

    The original and still the best local rotti shop. It also makes kotthu (rotti chopped up and mixed with vegies) and delicious, more substantial rice-and…

  • Hotel De Pilawoos

    Colombo

    Just known as Pilawoos, this open-fronted purveyor of short eats is renowned for what may be the best kotthu (rotti sliced up with cheese and other…

  • Seahorse Inn & Pizzeria

    Arugam Bay

    The rooms at this inn are a little too close to the road, but the courtyard dining area is in back. It's all open air, with tables and lounging areas. The…

  • Empire Café

    Kandy

    This flamboyantly styled, very inviting restaurant, in historical colonial-era premises, has a selection of vibrantly painted (pink and turquoise) dining…

  • Bombay Sweet Mahal

    Colombo

    Galle Rd boasts many vendors of Indian sweets, but this tiny open-fronted shop is the best. An array of treats sits colourfully in the display cases. We…

  • Mango Shade

    Tangalla & Around

    Down a lane, 300m inland from the beach, this is the place for home cooking, Sri Lankan style, with richly spiced sauces, fresh seafood and very moderate…

  • Sanctuary at Tissawewa

    Anuradhapura

    There is no more atmospheric place for a leisurely meal or drink than the veranda or dining room of this beautiful colonial hotel. Try the chilli…

  • Sana's

    The East

    An example of why the Sarvodaya Rd strip is becoming one of the most interesting eating neighbourhoods on the east coast. This restaurant is a two-level…

  • Rio Ice Cream

    Jaffna

    For a typical Jaffna treat, head to this popular ice-cream parlour near the landmark Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil. Rio is a local favourite; join the crowds…

  • Grand Indian

    Nuwara Eliya

    Far and away the town's favourite restaurant, so much so that in the evenings you often have to wait for a table. The food here is the rich, delicious…

  • Dutchman's Street

    Matara

    A cool new cafe-restaurant serving well-priced international dishes (saucy fried chicken wings, battered fried prawns) in the colonial enclave of Matara…

  • Coconut Beach Lodge

    The East

    Coconut Beach is the best place in town for Sri Lankan–style home cooking. Rice and curry, grilled seer fish and giant prawns, plus vegie delights, are…

  • High Tea at the Grand

    Nuwara Eliya

    High tea is served either outside on the lawn or in the open-sided tea lounge. At 3.30pm sharp, waiters in white livery unveil a bulging buffet of…

  • Jaga Food

    Polonnaruwa

    This family-run garden restaurant is halfway between Polonnaruwa (6km) and Giritale (7km), so you need transport, but it's worth the detour. The 10 or so…

  • Beach Wadiya

    Colombo

    Renowned for its seafood, Beach Wadiya has attracted a popular following for decades. The location is a tropical dream; cross the train tracks at the…

  • Jaffna Heritage Hotel

    Jaffna

    For a refined ambience, the small open-air restaurant at the Jaffna Heritage Hotel is perfect. It offers excellent vegetarian Indian and Sri Lankan food,…

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