Food & drinks
Rice & curry
A typical Sri Lankan favorite, rice and curry are a very important part of the national cuisine. In fact, it's not uncommon for people to enjoy this staple diet for all three meals; while you get varieties of white and red rice, it is served with meat dishes and a variety of vegetables. To complement this culinary journey, curry and rice dish usually also comes with a choice of accompaniments, be it pickle, dried fish, or coconut sambal.
Other main food
They say that "variety is the spice of life" and it is certainly true for Sri Lankan cuisine as well. Arouse your taste buds with the dazzling selection of dishes you can enjoy at a city hotel, holiday resort, or even bustling roadside restaurant. You must try Sri Lankan dishes like hoppers, kottu, string hoppers, pittu or rotti, a type of flatbread that ideally comes with some sambol chili, vegetables and a selection of meats depending on your preferences.
Seafood
What better place to enjoy the most delectable seafood than by the coast! Sri Lankans love their seafood and you can find an assortment of freshly prepared dishes from spicy crab curries to succulent jumbo prawns; these spice-filled creations not only provide a flavorful dining experience but also offer insights into the island’s rich food traditions.
Desserts
It’s not just spicy food that Sri Lanka is famous for and those with a sweet tooth will encounter plenty to tempt their taste buds. From the local favorite of buffalo curd with an ample topping of coconut treacle to the always popular vanilla ice cream served with chocolate sauce, local desserts will have you craving for more. There is a large variety of fresh fruits that you can sample after a meal as well, perfect on those hot days.
Traditional sweetmeats
The various annual religious and cultural festivals present the ideal time to savor traditional dishes known as ‘sweetmeats’. Due to Sri Lanka’s multicultural nature, each community has their own specialties that you can try. Kavum a kind of hot oil cake can be enjoyed during the period of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year along with other traditional treats like kokis and aluwa. When the Eid season comes along, watalappam is a favored dish and is a kind of sweet pudding made using jaggery and egg white.
Fruits
For those looking to eat healthily and have a delicious treat as well, Sri Lanka has lots of fresh fruits to enjoy. Be it bananas, pineapples, papayas or fresh strawberries grown in the mountains of Nuwara Eliya, there is much to choose from. Sour or sweet mango varieties are also favored here and are sometimes eaten with chilli and salt in a variation known as “achcharu”. Papaya juice is a popular drink to start to the day, while exotic fruits such as mangosteen, pomegranate, rambutan and durian should definitely be tried at least once!
