One meal in particular that is sought after when you’re in Sri Lanka is, of course, the famous Sri Lankan rice and curry! Locals sometimes even indulge in a hearty plate of rice and curry for all 3 meals of the day, and it’s not difficult to see why. The options are limitless when it comes to what goes into a plate of rice and curry; red rice, white rice, yellow rice, fried rice, any vegetable you can think of in the form of a delectable curry, a leafy sambol, and any choice of protein at all. You can pick and choose so that it meets your dietary (and flavour) requirements. That’s what makes a dish of rice & curry so versatile!
That being said, rice and curry can be quite a complex, multi-faceted meal and each community in Sri Lanka has its own renditions of it where one version of it may have a plethora of curry options while another has only 3-4 standard curries that are served alongside a certain preparation of rice.
So if you want a short and sweet list of some of the best rice and curry spots in Colombo, including the versions that come from different communities in the country, we’ve got you covered:
1. Beruwala Eating House - Galle Road, Colombo 06
We’re starting our list with the Muslim community’s take on rice and curry; Kidu Rice. This is generally a meal you’d have with the family at home as it is usually prepared to feed at least 3-4 people where the rice is packaged into a big woven basket made from coconut or areca leaves. However, if you don’t have the time or space to have this ordered to your accommodation, you can indulge in these unique flavours at The Beruwala Eating House located on Galle Road in Colombo 06. The standard curries served in this meal are dhal, potato, kaliya (cooked ash-plantain and brinjal), sweetened ambarella, as well as a choice of chicken or beef.
If you’re eager to try Kidu Rice, you can find your way to The Beruwala Eating House, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QaoQTc8e1o6iAjrJ9
2. Mayura Hotel - Colombo 01
Next up is one of the Tamil community's takes on rice and curry, which can be found at the Mayura Hotel. It would be ideal to bookmark this spot for a day you've set aside to explore the Colombo Fort area because that’s exactly where you’ll find this popular restaurant. Along with your meal, you get 3 standard veggie curries here: dhal, carrot, and green beans (which has sprats cooked in it as well), and you get to choose a meat curry, too. The crab curry is frequently recommended here because the Tamil community’s way of preparing this dish combines some epic spices. Another recommendation would be to ask for an omelette with your rice and curry as this adds another dimension of flavour to your meal.
Mayura Hotel gets some extra brownie points thanks to the fact that this eatery is also air conditioned, which is not a commonality in most of the restaurants you’d find in the area and is a much welcomed feature given how hot it can get in the tropical Sri Lankan weather.
You can find the Mayura Hotel, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/A7XbrG6R4qfaPyPs6
3. Ranbath Organics - Colombo 05
Making our way to a spot where you can delight in a more traditional Sinhalese preparation of rice and curry, we’ve got Ranbath Organics which is a great choice if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. Additionally, their ingredients are organically sourced as well, so if you're on the lookout for a healthier take on rice and curry, look no further!
Unlike many other eateries in the country where you get served quite a bit of rice on your plate, Ranbath Organics lets you opt for a smaller serving of rice if you want to cut down on the carbs, while also compensating that with larger portions of the curries you choose for your meal. You can usually select your preferred rice, and pair it with up to a generous choice of 5 curries. As such, if you’re a non-vegetarian, you’ll barely even miss having any meat on your plate!
Located quite close to the heart of the city, you can find Ranbath Organics, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gkxzetXPvmFEznLeA
4. Praneetha Foods - Colombo 03
Praneetha Foods is a rice and curry spot that’s frequented by many office-goers here in Colombo, owing not only to its central location but also because of the variety of curries they have to offer with their rice and curry. You can choose up to 4 vegetable curries as well as 1 meat curry for your meal.
A special characteristic of Praneetha Foods is that you get to serve yourself, which is not something you'd usually see at your everyday rice and curry spot, and they heavily emphasize not wasting your food (you should only serve what you can eat). If you’ve got room for second servings, they also offer free refills here!
If this looks like a lunch spot you want to pop by, you can visit it, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/rmTrZf5JwTtud3fs7
5. The Saturday Good Market Event - Colombo Racecourse, Colombo 07
As it is with most cities anywhere, Colombo also comes alive with many communal events, exhibitions and marketplaces taking place during the weekends. One of the OG weekend marketplaces is The Good Market which takes place every Saturday (they also now have a permanent physical store where you can shop for sustainable goods, organic produce and more!). Branching from Good Market Global, this is a curated community of social enterprises and responsible businesses which aim to be good for people and the planet.
The Saturday Good Market at the Colombo Racecourse features Good Market-approved vendors, which include stalls where you can not only enjoy a hearty, organically sourced meal of rice and curry, but also get your hands on clothes, toys, souvenirs and more that are all ethically and sustainably made.
Swing by the Saturday Good Market, and enjoy some great food, live tunes and more! You can find them, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/gxBab4C7kbAb68v77
6. New Banana Leaf - Galle Road, Colombo 03
There are quite a few roadside kadés that feature the Sri Lankan take on biriyani, but if you’re in Colombo, one of the top spots to visit would be the New Banana Leaf restaurant conveniently located on Galle Road in Colombo 03.
The staples that come with the aromatic rice are chicken gravy, a spicy sambol, green pea and cashew curry, as well as an egg. They also offer a variety of meat curries, each made in different ways for you to pair with your biriyani. The restaurant also houses a juice bar, so if you need cooling down from the tropical heat, this would be a stellar way to hydrate!
Visit the New Banana Leaf restaurant, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pomg3yhgdnziGmNj9
7. Curry Pot - Marine Drive, Colombo 03
Located on Marine Drive with a remarkable view of the ocean, Curry Pot is a personal favourite because this rice and curry spot arguably has one of the most extensive ranges when it comes to curry options. This includes some uncommon curries that you'd only usually find when rice and curry is prepared at home, but not at most restaurants.
Along with your choice of rice, you can opt for up to 4 vegetable curries and 1 meat curry at this eatery.
If you’re in the mood for a gastronomical adventure, drop by Curry Pot! You can find them, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/darfZcDzeS1iV78u6
8. The Dutch Burgher Union - Colombo 05
Last, but not least, we have Lamprais, the Dutch Burgher community’s take on rice and curry, and where better to try it than the Dutch Burgher Union!
Lamprais was first introduced to Sri Lanka by the Dutch community who were previously in Indonesia and those influences are heavily seen in the way this particular meal is prepared as it is wrapped and baked in a banana leaf as the last step in the cooking process. The lamprais at the Dutch Burgher Union typically comes with chicken, chicken meatballs, sambol, and brinjal moju.
The yellow rice and curry at this longstanding establishment also deserves an honourable mention because it is YUM! This is generally served with a sambol, cutlet, potato curry, brinjal moju, mango chutney, and egg, and is usually paired best with a classic black pork curry.
Pop by for this refreshingly one-of-a-kind meal at the Dutch Burgher Union, here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7tC44zTB6vmL5VD9A
And that wraps up our shortlist of rice and curry spots in Colombo!
A few helpful points to note:
Most of these places and any other smaller eateries in and around Colombo only accept cash. Depending on where you get your rice and curry from, the prices can range from as low as Rs. 300 to as high as Rs. 2,000, so make sure you have enough cash on hand!
If you’re up for it, try to embrace the local culture and ditch the cutlery! There’s something about eating a plate of rice and curry with your fingers that simply elevates the experience of digging into something that flavourful. All these eateries usually have a sink and soap for you to thoroughly wash your hands when you’re done!
Although you can only choose up to 3-4 vegetable curries and 1 meat curry in most places, you’re not limited to just that number. For a few Rs.100s more, you can add on more veggies and/or meats as you please!
If you’d like to see a more in-depth guide to where to eat rice and curry in Colombo, check out our full video here