Sri Lankan cuisine is a blend of traditional recipes and those inherited from the Portuguese and Dutch. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries are relished in Sri Lanka along with the staple food, rice. The basic meal comprises a main dish made from chicken, mutton, beef or fish and other dishes made using lentils, vegetables or even fruits. There are mouth-watering varieties of side dishes like chutneys and pickles along with the main dish.
The local speciality, however, is a ground mixture of onions, coconut, chillies, limejuice and dried fish known as the sambhol. A hot and spicy side dish, sambhol goes well with plain cooked rice.
This page gives a brief indication of the dishes you are likely to come across at our local restaurants, as well as some of our suggestions. To read about Sri Lankan cuisine in more detail, check out our Sri Lanka Restaurant Guide. Further down the page, we have also included some local restaurants on the Southern Coast that you may wish to try. And don't forget to also read up on Southern Coast Shopping, for that perfect gift or souvenir.
Southern Coast Food & Cuisine Guide
Sri Lankan cuisine is influenced heavily by India, and indeed draws most of its culinary tradition from Indian dishes. Other countries that colonised the country during the course of its history have also played a part in the cuisine. Staples include rice and spicy curries, which are common at almost every main meal.
Another native recipe is the hoppers or aappams made of fermented rice batter. A mixture of rice flour and coconut milk is allowed to ferment after adding a tad of palm toddy. Toddy helps in fermenting the batter and also in providing a characteristic sour flavour to the dish. Dry or fresh yeast is also used instead of toddy to achieve the same taste and texture. A well-fermented batter results in soft and well-cooked hoppers. They usually form a part of breakfast or lunch, and are enjoyed with a hot dish of spicy onions known as lunumiris.
Foreign culinary influences on Sri Lanka have been very strong. Till date many Malay, Portuguese, British and Dutch recipes are prepared in Sri Lanka and savoured by the locals. Apart from the most popular lamprais (rice) and frikkadels (meatballs), a whole range of sweets is also enjoyed here. The lamprais-frikkadel delicacy is made from rice cooked in stock, meatballs and a special side dish. These ingredients are packed in a banana leaf and then baked. This cooking process lends the dish a distinct taste. Do try out this dish while in Sri Lanka. You could also taste roasted chicken and beef, which are the local favourites.
The Southern Coast restaurants feature seafood quite heavily on their menus, allowing visitors the chance to try some of the freshest seafood in all of Sri Lanka!
