For many Sri Lankans travelling overseas there comes a time when they tire of local cuisine and yearn for a good rice and curry or in some cases some good hoppers. With London being a melting pot for many global cuisines, Sri Lankan food is slowly but surely making a name for itself. Gone are the days when a Sri Lankan restaurant conjured up images of a dimly lit red walled incense wafting through the air gaffe. Now the Sri Lankan restaurants are totally on posh with beautiful interiors and a charming ambiance. If ever you are in Blighty and fancy some Sri Lankan nosh then here’s our guide to Sri Lankan restaurants in London.
Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Opening its doors in the heart of Central London, in Soho to be exact, Kolamba is a lovely restaurant that offers good quality Sri Lankan food just like ammi would make it. Still in its infancy the restaurant looks set to becoming a roaring success as it has all the right ingredients to make this an award winning curry house, albeit a Sri Lankan one at that. The menu is typically Sri Lankan and has all your favourites from hot butter cuttlefish to cutlets and patties for starters indulging the diner with a whiff of good old Sri Lankan nostalgia. Main courses include hoppers, yellow rice, and stringhoppers with kalu pol pork curry, monk fish curry, dhal, wambattu and a host of others that are familiar to Sri Lankans. If you are on holiday in Blighty and need your curry fix then Kolamba is your home away from home.
21 Kingly St, Soho, W1B 5QA
Tel: +44 20 3815 4201
Words: Tina Edward Gunawardhana
Catering to a discerning clientele in search of Sri Lankan food in West London, Papaya is the choice of many. With a warm ambiance and friendly staff, Papaya situated in the leafy environs of Northfields has perfected the art of providing good quality Sri Lankan and South Indian cuisine. Their portions are generous and offer excellent value for money. Their signature dish is undoubtedly their dosa which is simply huge. Served with either sambar and if you wish a fish or meat curry, the dosa are crisp and filling. They also take pride in their Sri Lankan kotthu rotti which they cook to your spice requirement. For our Sri Lankan palette the hot is indeed hot. It’s warm hospitality and consistent quality of food has most certainly been its strength. Perfect to wipe away those Monday blues or indulge in a Friday curry night, the Papaya ticks all the boxes.
161 Northfield Ave, Ealing, London W13 9QT
Tel: +44 20 8579 1662
Words: Chanaka Wirasinha
Located in the heart of the financial district by the docks of Canary Wharf, Karapincha provides Sri Lankan cuisine in the form of finger food and platters for the office folk who frequent it. A fully stocked British pub with a Sri Lankan kitchen gives Karapincha its unique selling point.
The twist of Sri Lankan dishes like the Pol Sambol stuffed Roti with Pineapple pickle and the hot chilli chicken wings are a firm favourite when sitting by the water on a lovely Summer day.
29-30, 10 Fishermans Walk, Cabot Square, London E14 4DH
Tel - 020 7513 0255
Words: Alice Luker
Situated right behind Buckingham Palace, Dhammika’s is a relatively new Sri Lankan restaurant. Moving into what was formerly Sekera another iconic Sri Lankan restaurant, Dhammika’s is in a prime spot in central London. Walking into Dhammika’s, the walls adorned with vibrant photos of the island, with the scent of fragrant curry cooking in the kitchen you’re transported to Sri Lanka. The menu would make any Sri Lankan foodie’s eyes light up; brinjal, green bean, parippu, hoppers, string hoppers and all the sides and sambols. The food is authentic Sri Lankan and despite the hefty mark up compared to a humble plate of rice and curry on the island, a fix in London at Dammikas will keep you going till your next trip. After a hiatus without rice and curry the food at Dhammika’s was most welcome as their varied menu had something to satiate Sri Lankan food lovers.
3 Lower Grosvenor Place, Westminster, London SW1W 0EJ
Tel: +44 207 834 0722
