We loved the food in Sri Lanka! Neither of us had any experience with Sri Lankan cuisine before visiting this beautiful country, so we didn’t really have any expectations. Lucky for us the food was delicious and varied throughout the country. We were constantly impressed with the freshness and spiciness of the dishes. Here is a list of our top 11 foods to try when visiting Sri Lanka in no particular order.
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Dahl Curry – We fell in love with this simple lentil curry. This dish can be found on nearly every menu throughout the country and is commonly served for breakfast. One of our favorite meals we had during our month in Sri Lanka was a breakfast of dahl curry, string hoppers and pol sambol overlooking the sea in Mirissa. Perfection!
Hoppers – Hoppers are a typical breakfast dish that we absolutely loved! The three most common types are regular, egg and string hoppers. Regular hoppers are a bowl-shaped savory crepe made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk. To make egg hoppers you simply crack an egg into the bottom of the regular hopper while cooking. String hoppers are like little mats of noodles made from rice flour and steamed. They are so good when eaten with dhal curry and pol sambol!
Pol Sambol – This amazingly addictive side dish can be served with any meal of the day. Also known as coconut sambol, it is made from ground fresh coconut, chilies, lime and other seasonings. It gives amazing heat and flavor to any food. No Sri Lankan meal would be complete without some sambol to sprinkle over it.
Curry – There are so many delicious curries to try in Sri Lanka, all with varying degrees of spiciness. From seafood, chicken, pork and all sorts of veggie options, there is a curry for everyone. One of our favorites was jackfruit curry which had a good spice level and the consistency of tender beef. Hard to believe it is a veggie dish.
Rotis – This is the Sri Lankan version of a tortilla. It is thin and soft and usually served for breakfast. You can also find them stuffed with meat, veggies or cheese and served for lunch or dinner. Vegetables with cheese are my favorite!
Kottu – This is probably the most common dish we encountered in Sri Lanka. It consists of rotis sliced thin and mixed with vegetables, egg and sometimes meat or cheese then stir fried. It’s a super simple dish and super delicious as well!
King Coconut – This is the yellow coconut you will see everywhere. Make sure to ask for them cold and without a straw. Once you are finished drinking the milk, ask them to cut them open so that you can eat the young coconut meat inside. Super delicious, healthy, and a zero waste snack, as they will make you a spoon out of the outside of the coconut.
Lamprais – Also known as Lump Rice, this delicious dish left over from the Dutch colonial days, can be found across Sri Lanka. It consists of rice, curried meat, and all sorts of other goodies and spices wrapped in a banana leaf. There is a lot going on inside that banana leaf and it is amazing! The closest thing I can compare them to are Nicaraguan nacatamales.
Smoothie Bowls – Although not uniquely Sri Lankan, we fell in love with smoothie bowls during our month on the island. With all of the amazing tropical fruit available across Sri Lanka, you have all of the ingredients necessary for a good smoothie bowl. Our favorite was in Arugam Bay at the top of the Bay Vista Hotel on the main drag. Not only do you get delicious smoothy bowls, but they also have an epic view of the bay below!
Gelato – Ok, so this one is not a uniquely Sri Lanka food, but we couldn’t get enough of the gelato from Love Gelato in Unawatuna! Hands down the best gelato that we both have ever had! Our favorite flavors were the salted caramel and the peanut butter. They also had sorbetto for the lactose intolerant. Not to be missed if you are in the Unawatuna area.
Parata – parata is an Indian flatbread similar to Rotis that usually accompanies breakfast. You can use them to scoop up Dahl Curry or any other curry in replace of String Hoppers. Our favorite were the stuffed Parathas from The Matey Hut in Ella, Sri Lanka. They were stuffed with vegetables, cheese, and some serious spice. They are absolutely delicious!
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