Avartana
Progressive South Indian tasting menus with Sri Lankan touches at ITC Ratnadipa, one of the most acclaimed restaurants in Colombo.
- Luxury
- Restaurant
- Fine dining
- Tasting menu
- South Indian
Capital Bar & Grill
Shangri-La Colombo’s steakhouse, with premium meats and seafood, a show kitchen and an ocean-view terrace.
- Luxury
- Restaurant
- Fine dining
- Steak
- Seafood
The Gallery Café
A stylish restaurant and gallery in Geoffrey Bawa’s former office, known for elegant Sri Lankan and international dishes and famous desserts.
- Upscale
- Restaurant
- Black pork curry
- Prawn curry
- Desserts
Hotel de Pilawoos
Colombo’s legendary late-night kottu spot on Galle Road, famous for its cheese kottu.
- Budget
- Restaurant
- Kottu
- Cheese kottu
- Late night
Galle Face Green Street Food
The stalls along Galle Face Green come alive at sunset, serving isso vadai, kottu, devilled seafood and snacks by the ocean.
- Budget
- Restaurant
- Isso vadai
- Kottu
- Devilled cuttlefish
Upali’s by Nawaloka
A popular, good-value Sri Lankan restaurant in Colombo 7 for curries, hoppers, kottu and rice and curry.
- Mid-range
- Restaurant
- Rice and curry
- Hoppers
- Kottu
The London Grill
Colombo’s classic fine-dining room at Cinnamon Grand, known for European cooking, cloche service and a big wine list.
- Luxury
- Restaurant
- Fine dining
- Steak
- Wine
Peshawri
ITC’s famous North-West Frontier restaurant, known for tandoor kebabs and slow-cooked dal, now at ITC Ratnadipa in Colombo.
- Luxury
- Restaurant
- Fine dining
- Kebabs
- Dal
Curry Leaf
Hilton Colombo’s Sri Lankan restaurant, with a dinner buffet of string hoppers, pittu, kottu and fresh seafood in a garden setting.
- Upscale
- Restaurant
- Buffet
- Hoppers
- Kottu
Raja Bojun
A big Sri Lankan buffet restaurant in Colombo 3, with dozens of curries, seafood and traditional dishes at a fixed price.
- Mid-range
- Restaurant
- Buffet
- Rice and curry
- Seafood
Nuga Gama
A traditional Sri Lankan village-style restaurant under a banyan tree at Cinnamon Grand, serving a big spread of local dishes.
- Upscale
- Restaurant
- Rice and curry
- Hoppers
- String hoppers
Table One
Shangri-La Colombo’s all-day restaurant, with market-style buffet stations spanning Sri Lankan, Asian and Western food and views over the ocean.
- Upscale
- Restaurant
- Buffet
- Brunch
- Hoppers
The Lagoon
A famous seafood restaurant at Cinnamon Grand where you pick fresh fish, crab and prawns and choose how they are cooked.
- Upscale
- Restaurant
- Seafood
- Crab
- Lobster
Shang Palace
Shangri-La’s signature Chinese restaurant, with Cantonese, Sichuan and regional dishes, dim sum and elegant private rooms.
- Luxury
- Restaurant
- Fine dining
- Dim sum
- Cantonese
Palmyrah
A long-running restaurant at Renuka City Hotel serving Jaffna-style Tamil food, famous for crab curry and milk hoppers.
- Mid-range
- Restaurant
- Crab curry
- Milk hoppers
- Jaffna food
Ministry of Crab
Colombo’s most famous restaurant, celebrating Sri Lankan lagoon crab in a restored colonial building at the Old Dutch Hospital.
- Luxury
- Restaurant
- Crab
- Pepper crab
- Garlic chilli crab
Hotel Nippon
A historic old hotel in Slave Island, known locally for egg hoppers and simple Sri Lankan dishes.
- Budget
- Restaurant
- Egg hoppers
- Street food
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Our 17 favourite restaurants in Colombo
We have marked 17 restaurants in Colombo, each picked by locals rather than ranked by an algorithm. You will find them around Shangri-La Colombo, Cinnamon Grand, ITC Ratnadipa and Kollupitiya, Colombo 3. Prices range from budget to luxury.
Start with Avartana, Capital Bar & Grill and The Gallery Café, then use the filters to narrow it down by price.
What you’ll find: fine dining, seafood, kottu, hoppers, rice and curry, buffet, steak, ocean views, street food and string hoppers.
Good to know
- In Sri Lanka, a “hotel” is often a local restaurant, not a place to stay.
- Rice and curry is a lunchtime dish; kottu and hoppers are best in the evening.
- Book ahead at popular restaurants on weekends.
Also in Colombo: Best hotels in Colombo · Hostels & poshtels in Colombo · Best cafés in Colombo · Things to do in Colombo. Or see the full Colombo guide.
Good to know
What are the best restaurants in Colombo?
Our current picks include Avartana, Capital Bar & Grill and The Gallery Café. See all 17 on this page, picked by locals.
Are there budget restaurants in Colombo?
Yes. Good-value options include Hotel de Pilawoos, Galle Face Green Street Food and Hotel Nippon. Use the price filter on this page to see them all.
Where can I eat kottu in Colombo?
Try Hotel de Pilawoos, Galle Face Green Street Food, Upali’s by Nawaloka and Curry Leaf. Tap through to each one for what to order and when to go.
Where is the best seafood in Colombo?
Try Capital Bar & Grill, Galle Face Green Street Food, Curry Leaf and Raja Bojun. Tap through to each one for what to order and when to go.
Where can I find fine dining in Colombo?
Try Avartana, Capital Bar & Grill, The London Grill and Peshawri. Tap through to each one for what to order and when to go.
How do you choose the restaurants you list in Colombo?
Every place is chosen by our team for its location, value and character. Paid placements are always labelled “Premier choice”; “Team’s pick” is never paid for.