Must-see restaurants in Colombo

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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;…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • La Voile Blanche

    Colombo

    Amid the often rather shabby Mt Lavinia beachfront cafes, this very popular vision in white stands out. Under seven iconic palm trees, a range of comfy…

  • Milk & Honey Cafe

    Colombo

    Eating vegetarian never tasted so good; in a simple house shared with a kids bookshop, this groovy little cafe has an ever-changing menu of fresh fare,…

  • Governor's Restaurant

    Colombo

    The main restaurant at the Mount Lavinia Hotel has buffets three times a day, with themes that change daily. The special Sunday lunch, however, is the…

  • Barefoot Garden Cafe

    Colombo

    Located in the courtyard of the splendid Barefoot gallery, this casual but stylish cafe serves sandwiches, salads and daily specials that usually include…

  • Yaal Restaurant

    Colombo

    The unique spicy cuisine of Jaffna’s Tamils features at this simple yet very well-managed restaurant across from the seashore. The speciality is the truly…

  • Sri Suryas Hotel

    Colombo

    A great cut-above-average restaurant in the heart of the temples on the edge of Pettah. Relax in air-conditioned comfort with some excellent South Indian…

  • Colombo Food Court

    Colombo

    This is the top choice for an authentic Sri Lankan lunch near Fort. The rambling interior has various stations for rice and curry, fried rice and more…

  • Upali's

    Colombo

    Bright, casual and busy all day, Upali's serves upscale Sri Lankan fare in stylish surrounds. Look for dishes here you won't find at your average…

  • Black Cat Cafe

    Colombo

    A fine cafe in a 1920s mansion amid a neighbourhood of similar homes. There are excellent coffee drinks as well as healthy casual fare such as sandwiches…

  • Heladiv Tea Club

    Colombo

    Tapas standards, spicy local nibbles, burgers, salads and much more are served at this casual cafe that's one of the best places to take a break in Fort…

  • Burger's King

    Colombo

    Don't for one second confuse this Sale Island institution with the worldwide chain with the copycat name. The smiling dudes behind the big windows here…

  • Saffron Kitchens

    Colombo

    Bright and stylish, this is rice and curry for a new era. Choose a rice (white or red), pick from nine vegetable dishes and add in a pappadam and fried…

  • Butter Boutique

    Colombo

    A tiny bakery with exquisite Western-style goods. There are three tables inside with air-con and another pair out front under a tree. Get a good coffee…

  • Paradise Road Gallery Cafe

    Colombo

    The trim colonial bungalow that houses Shanth Fernando’s Gallery Cafe used to be the office of Sri Lanka’s most famous architect, Geoffrey Bawa. The open…

  • Mayura Hotel

    Colombo

    It's the Ministry of Crab for the masses. Tiny crabs are served in this very narrow storefront on a recently rebuilt street in Pettah. You won't just rub…

  • Curry Pot

    Colombo

    With the lapping of the Indian Ocean across the street providing your tropical atmosphere, settle back for some excellent Sri Lankan fare at this little…

  • Food Vendors

    Colombo

    Look for these simple carts and tent set-ups that appear every night an hour or two before sunset and all day on weekends. The snacks are often fried,…

  • Park Street Mews

    Colombo

    The namesake cafe of the smart little lane of stylish shops and eateries has a suitably hip vibe with an industrial motif and pillows on the concrete…

  • Cricket Club Cafe

    Colombo

    This colonial-style courtyard building with colonnaded porches continues to celebrate its namesake sport after a recent move. Autographed cricket bats…

  • Commons

    Colombo

    This cafe has a strong following among Colombo’s hipster set (plus among staff from the Russian embassy across the road). Customers lounge in soft seats…

  • New Palm Leaf Hotel

    Colombo

    Like elsewhere in Sri Lanka, ‘hotel’ here means ‘simple eating place’. Across the very busy road from Fort station and close to Pettah’s market madness,…

  • Boulevard

    Colombo

    Fronting the entrance to the popular and chic Odel department store is this silver-hued swath of food stalls in a sleek outdoor food court. Outlets of…

  • Kafé at Hotel Nippon

    Colombo

    Now beautifully restored, the landmark Hotel Nippon, with its colonial galleries, is bucking the trend of Slave Island land clearances. On the ground…

  • Coco Veranda Cafe

    Colombo

    In a small building with designer-clothing shops, this cool little cafe has an extraordinarily long menu of teas, coffee drinks, frappés and fresh juices…

  • Pagoda Tea Room

    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…

  • Paradise Road Cafe

    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…

  • Curry Leaves

    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…

  • Keells

    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…

  • Carnival

    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…

  • Gunasiri Hotel

    Colombo

    Iconic rice and curry joint in a corner location, close to the action. It's clean and well-run, with an engaging crew who welcome all comers. The string…

  • Keells

    Colombo

    This Western-style supermarket is popular with expats.

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