Dining venues in Sri Lanka

Overview

Sri Lanka’s local cuisine consists of rice and curry cooked in clay pots in a village home, a grill on an exotic beach, or a five course gourmet delight under the stars in high end restaurants. The island is a mesmerizing blend of tastes and aromas reflecting a rich historic mix of ethnic diversity. The fertile land is blessed with treasures of spices and tea that has for centuries, attracted many a settler from Arabia to China, India to Malaysia, Portugal to Holland – all of whom have left behind a rich legacy that is seamlessly woven in its cuisine.

The main meal comprises rice and curries cooked with a blend of spices, herbs and coconut milk. For breakfast and dinner, rice is replaced with hoppers, stringhoppers, roti, or koththu made with rice flour and eaten with red and white curries. The meals are spiced with chillies and spices and to cool off there are coconut sambal and sweet chutneys eaten as accomplishments. Traditional deserts include watalappan (made with coconut milk and palm juggery), buffalo curd and honey, and a range of sweets such as Kavun, kokis, aluwa, paniwalalu which is made for special occasions.

Ceylon Tea

While in Sri Lanka, you simply have to savour its tea. Originally introduced to the island around 1850 by the British, Ceylon Tea is world famous for its high quality and has remained a major contributor to the island’s economy for generations. Today the island is one of largest exporter of tea worldwide.

Dining in Galle

Galle Fort offers several options for high-class dining. You can enjoy fusion food with Asian influences in the romantic setting of the Galle Fort. Aside from the high end restaurants there are a number of small cafes such as Pedlar’s Inn on Pedlar Street. A few miles away, Unawatuna offers a selection of scenic beach restaurants including Kingfisher, which serves fresh seafood including lobster. Pipels House, which is located inland offers a tropical garden setting for dining under the stars. Some of the popular bars in Galle are Dick’s Bar at the Sun House and The Zaal at Amangalla. You can also check out Sea Lounge at the Fortress, Wijaya Beach at Dalawella and Unawatuna’s livelier beach shacks.

West coast

From beach restaurants to side walk cafes, you’ll find the choice of food and eateries in Hikkaduwa. For good rice and curries try Homegrown. Harbour, Refresh, and Spaghetti & Co serve international cuisine. To dine right on the beach, try Top Secret. Do try out the jumbo prawns which are simply fabulous.

South coast

Sea food is the highlight of this region. Most beach bars serve simple grilled fish and shellfish cooked with garlic, lime and chilli. Eateries in Tangalle and Matara serve fiery red curries with seer fish, a firm white-fleshed fish, and prawns. The best restaurant in Tangalle is at Amanwella for Western-style cuisine.

For simple good-value Italian food in Tangalle try Manuela's Il Camino guesthouse on Seenimodera Beach. Winnie's is a popular beach side restaurant that is worth a visit. If you are staying in Mirissa, you can check out the beach bars and can also consider The Fortress in Koggala offering good pizzas, variety of fusion dishes, and a wide selection of wines.