Taste Sri Lanka
Tucking into Sri Lanka’s varied cuisine is delving deeper into its rich cultures.
With influences from India, Malaysia, and colonial Europe, Sri Lanka’s cuisine is a spicy, coconut-rich fusion of flavour and heritage. Meals are often served with multiple dishes – lentil dhal, sour lime pickles, seeni sambol, fiery fish curries – and are best enjoyed with hands and heart.
Seafood is wonderfully fresh, spices are aromatic and earthy, and coconut – in milk, oil or grated – brings a sweet creaminess to balance the fire. Whether you’re tasting a simple hoppers breakfast or a complex rice and curry dinner, food here tells a story of land, culture, and spice-laden history.
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Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.
What to expect of Sri Lankan cuisine:
- Outstanding restaurants in Colombo, from fine-dining to soulful local spots.
- Coconut-laced sambols and spicy quick-eats on every corner.
- Fresh seafood and sizzling street snacks with sea views.
- Authentic cookery classes with hands-on guidance.
- Join local families to shop, cook, and eat together.
True comfort food
“The mix of flavours and fragrant spices in Sri Lankan food is absolutely outstanding. ”
Colombo street food
Picture this; a morning spent with your guide outside the crush and chaos of Pettah Market, enjoying typical Sri Lankan ‘short-eats’: fried and filled snacks, cooked quickly and eaten hot, from spicy vegetable roti flatbreads and round potato cutlets to stuffed seeni sambol buns and crispy lentil vadai.
Later in the day, watch the sun go down at Colombo’s verdant Galle Face Green as the Indian Ocean crashes into the sea walls and you make your way around the smells and sights of the colourful street food stalls.
Fine dining
From elegant hotel restaurants to Colombo’s Ministry of Crab and Upali’s, Sri Lanka’s fine dining scene is world-class – without ever losing its soul. Think bold spices, fresh seafood and beautiful presentation.
Give it a go
Take a cooking class at Ashburnham Estate or in one of Colombo’s boutique kitchens, where you’ll grind spices by hand and stir coconut milk into bubbling curries – then sit down to enjoy your feast.
Cook with a local family
Go beyond the tourist trail by shopping at village markets and preparing a traditional meal in a local family’s kitchen. These experiences offer insight, laughter, and recipes you’ll want to recreate at home.
Inspiring experiences and places to stay
Lean into the details of your bespoke Asia trip to discover rare experiences, exceptional hotels, local connections, inspiring conservation and much more…
Start planning your journey here...
Give us a call 9am-5pm UK time Monday to Friday, or make an enquiry online at any time.
near Ella
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