Sri Lankan cuisine: 10 things we love

King coconuts, a variety native to Sri Lanka with a yellow orange exterior

Want to learn about Sri Lankan cuisine? Take a virtual trip to this South Asian country with Eroshan Meewella, co-founder of Kolamba in London’s Soho. Try Kolamba's parippu recipe here, then read our review of Kolamba.

Jump to:

10 things I love about Sri Lankan cuisine
What to eat in Sri Lanka
Where to eat in Sri Lanka
Where to stay in Sri Lanka

Spice-based, coconut-driven, sometimes searingly hot and, at other times, extremely mild. Sri Lankan cuisine is heavily influenced by regions and availability. There is a whole palate of flavours that make Sri Lankan food what it is, starting with the spices. The use of coconut cream and lime juice is another twist that makes the island’s curries unique and different to its Indian neighbour.

Familiar dishes and condiments include hoppers, goat and pork curry, coconut sambal, tamarind chutney, egg curry and just about any fruit and vegetable curry you can think of, including beetroot curry, mango curry and even pineapple curry.

Street-food tea shops are just as popular for a quick bite. Known as ‘short eats’, customers choose from plates of lentil vadai, egg rolls, mutton rolls and tuna cutlets, all drunk with a hot cup of tea.

The country is very multicultural, so all the influences over the generations have combined into one national cuisine. As a former colony of Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain, and a close cousin of southern India, Sri Lanka has taken on the best flavours of each culture and absorbed them into its cuisine. In other words, Sri Lankan food is unique, diverse and delicious.

10 things I love about Sri Lankan cuisine

Food that speaks of home

When guests arrive I like to welcome them with something that evokes the comfort and welcome of a Sri Lankan home — roast paan still warm from the bakery, a punchy pol sambol and, if we’re by the coast, lagoon crab.

Seafood is part of who we are

Being an island, fish is a cornerstone of our cuisine. Around Negombo, tuna, crab and prawns aren’t luxuries, they’re everyday fare. The market is noisy, chaotic and absolutely beautiful. What you buy that morning will be your lunch by noon.

We don’t do one-plate meals

Even an average lunch might involve five or six curries, pickles, sambols and something like red rice or pittu to bring it together. It’s this variety — vegetables, lentils, seafood, spices — that defines our food culture. Balanced, bold and generous.

Hoppers are everyday art

Hoppers are more than a breakfast staple, they’re a culinary craft. The batter takes a day to ferment and the cooking technique is one of intuition and practice. There’s the classic bowl-shaped hopper, the egg hopper, the sweet version finished with thick coconut milk and string hoppers – a biryani version of which is available in our restaurant, Kolamba East in Spitalfields.

Lamprais

Lamprais is a parcel of rice layered with meat or vegetables and slowbaked in banana leaf, with origins in the Dutch Burgher community. You’ll find it in homes and a few select cafés in Galle. Done well, it’s a quiet masterpiece.

Small snacks, big flavours

You’ll find short eats in every bakery and tea kiosk: cutlets, vadai, stuffed buns. Having them as part of a picnic, up in the tea estates, is something special. They’re the ideal travel food: portable, spiced and always satisfying.

Pittu and black pork curry

Some nights all I want is pittu with fiery black pork curry and sambols. Pittu is made from steamed cylinders of rice flour and coconut. It’s soft, slightly crumbly and perfect for soaking up sauce. It’s what we turn to when we want something deeply comforting.

Village cooking

Go inland and you’ll see how food is still made over wood fires with ingredients grown a few metres from the stove. A market trip followed by a fireside cook-up is the rhythm of daily life for many.

Tea is a way of life

In the hill country tea isn’t just an export, it’s part of our daily rhythm. The estates around Ella still do things the old way. Visiting a factory, tasting the brews, understanding the work behind each cup makes you respect that 4pm mug even more.

Aerial view - Tamil women plucking tea leaves near Haputale, Sri Lanka ( Ceylon ). Sri Lanka is the world's fourth largest producer of tea and the industry is one of the country's main sources of foreign exchange and a significant source of income for laborers.

Arrack is Sri Lanka’s whisky

Arrack is the island’s iconic spirit distilled from the fermented sap of coconut flowers, known as toddy. Harvested by skilled toddy tappers who climb tall palms to collect the sweet nectar, this traditional liquor has bold, earthy notes. We enjoy arrack neat, on ice or as a punchy base in tropical cocktails.

What to eat in Sri Lanka: Eroshan Meewella's guide

Hoppers

The famous crispy pancake. These savoury bowl-shaped pancakes are usually eaten for breakfast. They come plain, with an egg cracked into the centre (we love ours runny rather than hard) or even sweet with coconut milk and treacle. They are messy – rip and dip – enjoyed with traditional curries (such as chicken), and are also immensely tricky to make. Don’t be fooled by the ready-made mixes, there is an age-old process to making these small crispy delights, starting with sifting and pounding the rice to make it into rice flour.

Iced coffee

It’s 30C and constantly humid in the tropics, and this drink is a decadence in a glass – sweet condensed milk flavoured with coffee and a splash of rum (we are a tropical island after all!) makes the best afternoon pick-me-up. Look out for those that use local coffee brand Tusker.

Vegetable curries

These range from gotu kola (aka centella, a round-leaved leafy green common in Sri Lanka), bitter gourd and snake gourd to mango curry. The Sri Lankan diet is heavily vegetarian (and often naturally vegan) as that’s just how we eat, given we are a predominantly Buddhist island nation and most people either can’t afford meat or don’t eat it. We often eat them with accharru, a pickled mix of fruit and vegetables with chilli.

Thambili

King coconuts, a variety native to Sri Lanka with a yellow-orange exterior that are freshly harvested, cut open at the top, and served with a straw. Trips to local beach clubs are not complete without one of these, and they are sold from roadside stalls.

String hoppers

Not be confused with hoppers, a lot of people don’t know about these but they are an absolute favourite of ours. A delicate rice-flour noodle piped into lacy discs and steamed. They offer a lighter alternative to rice and the other carbs we eat, and are perfect to pair with any curry.

Jambu

These wax apples are a childhood favourite and grow on trees everywhere. Like apples they have a shiny skin and come in a range of colours, from white to varying shades of red. But they are nothing like apples and have a high water content which makes them very refreshing – perfect eaten with salt and chilli.

Cutlets

I don’t think any aunty’s house is quite right without an offering of cutlets. These are arancini-style balls of spiced potato and fish (usually), breadcrumbed and deep-fried until golden. They appear at afternoon teas, on birthday party tables or are eaten as a ‘just come home from school’ treat.

Arancini-style balls of spiced potato and fish, breadcrumbed and deep-fried until golden, on a white plate

Milk toffee

This is like a kind of fudge, again made with condensed milk and often flavoured with cashew nuts. Loved by kids and adults alike, and gifted particularly during Sinhala and Tamil new year.

Parippu (dahl)

We make ours with red split lentils cooked in coconut milk with a range of spices and curry leaves – a good dahl is a life-changing experience. So easy to make but so difficult to get right. Try Kolamba's parippu recipe here.

Pol sambol

This is our soul sprinkled on everything! It is sunshine on a plate and Lankans eat it for all three meals if given a chance. It is a muddle of freshly ground coconut, ground red chilli, salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Where to eat and drink in Sri Lanka

Club Ceylon, Negombo

An elegant riverside restaurant in Negombo, Club Ceylon is owned by London-trained head chef Liz Norris. Every morning she goes to the nearby seafood market to select boat-fresh fish for her contemporary Sri Lankan cooking. With its creative cocktails and live music it’s a top pick for both romantic dinners and leisurely lunches, with views of Sri Lanka’s western coast. @clubceylon

Smoke & Bitters, Hiriketiya

Ranked among Asia’s 50 Best Bars, Smoke & Bitters is nestled in the surfy enclave of Hiriketiya. It’s known for smoky island-inspired cocktails and dishes that fuse local ingredients with global techniques. The open-air setting, moody lighting and expertly crafted drinks make this an essential sundown stop for foodies and cocktail lovers seeking a unique coastal experience. smokeandbitters.com

Palmyrah, Colombo

Located in the Renuka Hotel, Palmyrah is a long-standing favourite for authentic Sri Lankan fare, especially Jaffna-style cuisine. From aromatic crab curries to rich mutton poriyal and spicy sambols, every dish honours Tamil culinary traditions. The understated, comfortable setting allows the bold, heritage-rich flavours to shine – ideal for those wanting a deeper dive into the island’s diverse food culture. renukacityhotel.com

Sugar Bistro at Heritage, Galle

Tucked inside Galle Fort’s storied walls, Sugar Bistro at Heritage is a charming nod to the past with a modern culinary twist. Built around an ancient bakery, the menu celebrates local produce and global flavours, from spicy Sri Lankan curries to citrussy ceviches, pizzas and burgers. A must-order is kothu – a riot of stir-fried chopped rotis with eggs and vegetables, topped with plump prawns. heritagecafeandbistro.com

Raa, Hiriketiya

Tucked into the palm-lined surf hub of Hiriketiya, Raa is a laid-back bar and restaurant that blends a rustic-chic aesthetic with a menu of tropical cocktails, fresh seafood and flavourful small plates ideal for sharing. Perfect after a swim or surf session, Raa delivers relaxed vibes, live music nights and breezy alfresco dining just steps from the ocean. @raa.hiriketiya

Where to stay in Sri Lanka

Teardrop Hotels

Comprising nine properties across Sri Lanka, this is a passion project turned hotel collection started by a group of friends who restored a series of colonial era buildings across the island. What began as a creative way to bring history back to life has grown into a set of boutique properties, each with its own story to tell.

The rooms across the group are cosy and characterful – think four-poster beds, vintage floor tiles and open verandas made for sipping tea. The food is fresh with a Sri Lankan twist, whether you’re tucking into crab curry or mutton rolls and hoppers served under the stars.

Take a foodie tour around the island, starting in coastal Negombo, staying at Wallawwa, a laid-back spa retreat just a quick hop from the airport. Head inland to the cooler climes of Ella to Nine Skies, a hillside hideaway with sweeping views, tea-scented air and slow mornings wrapped in mist.

At UNESCO heritage town Galle, Teardrop’s Fort Bazaar is a stylish heritage retreat, blending colonial architecture with modern luxury. Each room is adorned with contemporary art, rich textiles and high ceilings. A standout feature is the indulgent champagne button in every room – press it and a chilled glass of bubbly promptly arrives.

Famous architect Geoffrey Bawa’s estate, Lunuganga, spans 15 acres in Bentota. Ten bedrooms infused with his warm, artistic style are dotted around the estate, some with luxurious features such as private pools and hilltop verandas overlooking the garden, some with more unique offerings – The Glass House has 360 degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of the view. Stays offer more than just a bedroom with options for garden tours, puppet shows, cooking classes and 5pm drinks. The estate is particularly dedicated to creating a culinary experience. It’s about more than food, it’s more like a conversation between garden and plate. Many ingredients – including giant jackfruits – are grown on site and the fish is caught nearby. The setting overlooking Dedduwa Lake lends everything a quiet grace. teardrop-hotels.com

The Wallawwa, Colombo

Soak up the soothing vibes at this beautiful airport hotel (it’s 15 minutes’ drive from Sri Lanka’s main international airport, Bandaranaike), dipping in the jungle swimming pool and enjoying a bowl of delicate cardamom ice cream.

Stay at the Wallawwa and you can pepper day trips to the country’s capital (Colombo is 40 minutes’ drive) with time spent wallowing in the hotel’s elegant guest rooms, gardens, spa and restaurant. In contrast to the traffic- and fume-filled frenzy of Colombo, the hotel oozes calm, tropical langour. All is serene and still with a large verandah framed by graceful stone columns and guest rooms leading off from courtyards set around shallow pools. Wander through beautifully kept gardens, dip in the velvety shade of a jungle swimming pool, pick up a croquet mallet on the lawn, borrow a book – or a board game – from the library and let the hours drift by.

The hotel is knitted together with an Instagram-worthy colour palette that sets off creamy white walls with powder blue window frames and scarlet parasols. Whether you choose a standard double or twin, one of two larger family suites, a garden suite (these have their own private gardens) or, grandest of all, the Mountbatten Suite (Lord Mountbatten was based at the property, along with his troops, during WWII), all come with high, wooden ceilings, terrazzo floors and retro black telephones.

Being close to the airport means that the Wallawwa’s restaurant, The Verandah, hosts a real diversity of guests and it caters, commendably, for all. If you hunger after European holiday stalwarts such as pasta, burgers or salads you’ll find pretty decent versions of them on offer here. It’s the local dishes that really shine, however, especially at dinner when the more casual lunchtime menu gives way to more sophisticated cooking. Highlights included a prawn salad, black pork and a side of loofah, a marrow-like vegetable served in a mildly spiced, creamy, coconut sauce that tastes so moreish you’ll be licking the bowl. For breakfast, choose from continental classics or Sri Lankan dishes such as hoppers and coconutty milk rice.

Doubles from £260, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com