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…
Must-see restaurants in Colombo
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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…
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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;…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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Colombo
Located in the courtyard of the splendid Barefoot gallery, this casual but stylish cafe serves sandwiches, salads and daily specials that usually include…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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Colombo
This colonial-style courtyard building with colonnaded porches continues to celebrate its namesake sport after a recent move. Autographed cricket bats…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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Colombo
Now beautifully restored, the landmark Hotel Nippon, with its colonial galleries, is bucking the trend of Slave Island land clearances. On the ground…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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