Unawatuna
One of the most progressive, enjoyable restaurants in the country, Bedspace Kitchen has it all right. Around 95% of their ingredients are sourced in Sri…
Must-see restaurants in The South
Galle
For authentic Galle-style rice and curry, this minuscule place (there are only four tables) can't be beat. Chef Shamil Roshan Careem hails from one of the…
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Galle
A classy retreat from Galle's steamy streets, this refined air-conditioned hotel restaurant is the perfect setting for a great meal, with the formality of…
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Galle
Right across the small canal from the namesake station, this fashionable upstairs cafe has artfully mismatched furnishings and a boho vibe. You'll find an…
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Galle
The sign says 'Relax Zone' and this is a fine place to sit back and enjoy the company of cafe owner Fazal Badurdeen, who has a million stories to tell. He…
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Galle
The ideal venue for a memorable meal, this hotel restaurant offers a concise menu featuring fresh seafood and organic local produce. It's especially good…
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Jinas Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurant
Unawatuna
This mighty fine place offers a wide array of Indian food (thalis and masala dosas) as well as great falafel, wholesome soups and Mexican-style dishes…
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Mirissa
The original and still the best local rotti shop. It also makes kotthu (rotti chopped up and mixed with vegies) and delicious, more substantial rice-and…
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Tangalla & Around
Down a lane, 300m inland from the beach, this is the place for home cooking, Sri Lankan style, with richly spiced sauces, fresh seafood and very moderate…
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Matara
A cool new cafe-restaurant serving well-priced international dishes (saucy fried chicken wings, battered fried prawns) in the colonial enclave of Matara…
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Galle
Malini Perera and her daughters have been cooking for curry-hunting travellers for decades, and their much-loved and dead-simple rice and curries still…
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Unawatuna
This new place offers a mod take on Sri Lankan cooking, with perfect hoppers available all day (including fusion-versions of this dish – try the eggs…
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Starbeans Ocean Restaurant & Cafe
Galle
This modern cafe-restaurant enjoys a privileged position on the upper deck of the Dutch Hospital, with comfortable seating facing the big blue offshore…
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Galle
This enjoyable cafe has bagged the best site in the Dutch Hospital, with sweeping bay views from its breezy terrace tables and a small air-con interior…
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Unawatuna
For inexpensive, authentic rice and curry, this appealingly rustic place is well worth seeking out. Mati gedara refers to the large earthenware pots the…
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Weligama
A bustling little place serving filling meals including noodle and fried-rice dishes as well as tasty snacks (the shawarmas are superb). There's good ice…
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Galle
Thirteen years of work as a chef in Belgium gave Krishantha Suranjith myriad skills in preparing seafood. His restaurant has great views out to the…
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The South
This boutique hotel's restaurant is one of southern Sri Lanka's most renowned places to dine out, famed for its pizza cooked in wood-burning ovens. Bar…
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The South
Quirky but brilliant shack on the beach run by a father-and-son team; you climb a rickety ladder to an ocean-facing deck for your meal. The seafood is…
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Le Cafe Francais Bakery & Boutique
Unawatuna
A lovely, civilised little French-owned cafe where you can savour wonderful croissants, cakes and sandwiches, while sipping a latte or cup of tea from a…
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The South
A fine new beachfront place run by a young team who know their way around a menu. It's perhaps a tad pricey, but the seafood is excellent: try the crab…
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Galle
The King family have been whipping up Galle's best ice cream for many years from their window-front outlet. The crunchy cashew and passionfruit flavours…
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Unawatuna
A very simple place with a couple of street-side tables. Offers tasty rottis, including dozens of sweet and savoury breads jammed full of cheeses, fruits…
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The South
Tucked away just back from the shore by a little lagoon, this lovely cafe has a cool vibe and serves up meaty burgers, crisp waffles, fine juices and…
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Unawatuna
Eat alfresco while being serenaded by classical music at this Italian restaurant. The secret to enjoying the pasta and fish dishes here is remembering…
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Galle
The menu here covers all bases with filling sandwiches, pasta, steaks and, yes, even local curries. Choose between eating on the sunny terrace, under the…
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Unawatuna
This simple beachfront place gets our vote as the best location in Unawatuna, tucked away near the temple on the west side of the resort, away from the…
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Unawatuna
A popular seafront restaurant with a good reputation and a wide-ranging menu that – no surprise – focuses on seafood. The lobster is a treat, as are the…
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Galle
A large colonial courtyard restaurant surrounded by deep colonnaded porches. It's a quiet and classy scene and the menu matches the mood, with well…
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Galle
A very popular cafe in the British-era post office, with a choice of street-terrace, rear-patio or interior seating. Shakes, coffee and sandwiches are…
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Unawatuna
At this family-run beachside restaurant you can enjoy good local fare plus seafood and cheap beer with your feet in the sand and your eyes on the ocean…
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Mirissa
This restaurant has a prime beachfront location on the east side of Mirissa with tables dotted around a large garden shaded by palms. The menu takes in…
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Galle
The praise for this rice-and-curry joint is far wider than its narrow dining room. It also serves tasty Chinese-style fried rice and noodle dishes and…
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Coconut Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant
The South
A fine place to taste the fruits of the sea, with delicious crab, prawn, squid and fish dishes served up right by the ocean. Located on a pretty little…
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Unawatuna
The beach bar for those who literally can't wait to get home for a tasty burger and fries or authentic fish and chips. Chicken kebabs and fish tacos are…
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Unawatuna
A popular traveller cafe with fine espresso coffee and good snacks and meals (curries, fish dishes and breakfasts) in a street-facing, open-sided dining…
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Galle
This boho cafe has a fusion menu that includes Western sandwiches and Eastern curries, fresh juices and shakes, bacon-and-egg hoppers and filter coffee…
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Galle Oriental Bakery Restaurant
Matara
The best central option is a creaky but historic place with lots of little dining rooms, a wooden interior and warped display cases bulging with baked and…
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Tangalla & Around
Sitting on wobbly stilts 1.5km east of the town centre near the 198km post, this eccentric wooden shack is worth considering for the mangrove views; the…
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Tangalla & Around
With a wonderful beachside location, this hotel restaurant is a memorable setting for a meal. You can wiggle your feet in the sand and feast on fresh…
