Matey Hut

Top choice in Ella


A neo-rustic log cabin that looks suspiciously like a backwoods hipster hang-out but is actually just a simple, very cheap roadside joint run by a jovial, talented chef. You can't go wrong with a rice and curry (which might take in mango, pumpkin and okra dishes and a dash of coconut sambal). It's tiny, so be prepared to wait for a table.

They also offer excellent cooking classes here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Ella attractions

1. Ravanna's Cave

0.69 MILES

This cave is associated with the Ramayana story. Located in a cleft in the mountain that rises to Ella Rock, the cave is reputed to be where the king of…

2. Newburgh Green Tea Factory

0.85 MILES

The tours at this green-tea factory are pretty rushed and the guide may or may not be informative – some are more intent on flogging leaves. Newburgh is…

4. Ella Rock

1.19 MILES

This huge rocky outcrop looms over Ella. It's a popular hiking destination.

5. Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory

1.35 MILES

The Uva Halpewaththa Tea Factory, 5km north of Ella, runs some of the better tea plantation tours in Sri Lanka. After you've enriched yourself with…

6. Dowa Temple

2.09 MILES

The highlight of the charming Dowa Temple, 6km east of Bandarawela, is a 4m-high standing Buddha cut into the rock face. The walls of the adjacent cave…

7. Rawana Ella Falls

2.36 MILES

The 19m-high Rawana Ella Falls are about 6km down Ella Gap towards Wellawaya. During rainy months, the water comes leaping down the mountainside in what…