Sri Lanka food guide
Sri Lanka Food Guide: 15 Dishes + Where to Eat Them
Sri Lankan food is distinct from Indian, heavier on coconut, more chili, regional rice + curry variations, fresh seafood from both coasts. Here are 15 essentials.
Rice and curry
Always plural — 5-8 different curries served with rice + sambol. Every meal. Upali’s (Colombo) for refined; home-cooked versions are best.
Price: 450-1,500 LKR
Kottu roti
Chopped flatbread stir-fried with vegetables + meat. Loud rhythmic chopping is famous. Pilawoos chain.
Price: 250-700 LKR
Hoppers (appam)
Bowl-shaped rice-flour pancakes: plain or with egg. Breakfast staple. Hoppers @ Galle Face or any traditional breakfast restaurant.
Price: 60-200 LKR each
String hoppers (idiyappam)
Rice noodles served with curry + sambol. Breakfast specialty.
Price: 150-400 LKR
Pol sambol
Coconut + chili + lime relish. Side at every meal.
Price: Free with rice and curry
Kiribath
Milk rice. Coconut milk + rice cake. New Year + Buddhist holiday food.
Price: 200-450 LKR
Crab curry
Spicy crab in coconut curry. Ministry of Crab (Colombo), internationally famous.
Price: 2,500-6,000 LKR
Fish ambul thiyal (sour fish curry)
Tamarind + black pepper fish curry. Galle + south coast specialty.
Price: 450-900 LKR
Lamprais
Dutch-Sri Lankan fusion — banana-leaf-wrapped rice + curry + sambol. Hilton Kandy serves the classic version.
Price: 800-1,800 LKR
Pittu
Steamed cylindrical rice + coconut. Served with curry. Traditional breakfast.
Price: 250-500 LKR
Lunu miris
Onion-chili relish. Side at most meals.
Price: Free with rice and curry
Devilled chicken
Sri Lankan Chinese-influenced spicy chicken. Chinese-style street food restaurants.
Price: 450-900 LKR
Tea at a tea estate
Visit Nuwara Eliya tea country. Halpé Tea + Heritance Tea Factory.
Price: Free at estates + 500-1,500 LKR sets
King coconut (thambili)
Orange tropical coconut. Drink the water from the shell. Roadside stands everywhere.
Price: 100-200 LKR
Wattalapan
Coconut + jaggery + cashew + spice pudding. Sri Lankan dessert.
Price: 250-500 LKR