Top 5 Lively Places To Eat In Sri Lanka – All About Food And Fun!

Food is an emotion, isn’t it? – Something that we can soulfully connect with. Though you may have a lot of choices for food, eating in a lively place is something way beyond just satiating your hunger. Good food, good mood and that’s everything you need for a great vacation. Trust me, Sri Lanka is an expert in providing you with such an experience. It has plenty of restaurants and places offering the best street food, with a lively environment, of course. You may think that finding a good restaurant is easy but it needs research. We have made it easier for you by handpicking the best options to eat. So, to everyone who is planning a trip to Sri Lanka, have a look at these top 5 lively places to eat and take your pick.

The top 5 lively places to eat in Sri Lanka

Hey foodies! Here are the top 5 picks in the major cities of Sri Lanka which are Colombo, Kandy and Galle. As you read through the blog about each restaurant, make sure you plan your must-try places accordingly.

1. Park Street Mews
2. Ministry of Crab
3. Helga’s Folly
4. Raswasala Restaurant
5. Fortaleza

1. Park Street Mews

About the place:

Park Street Mews is for everyone who has a great passion for food. Because the street will be filled with lights and tables with food, no wonder this place is listed as the first among the top 5 lively places to eat in Sri Lanka. The entire street has many restaurants lining both sides of the street. It majorly attracts not only tourists but also the locals who want to have some chilled-out time with friends after a hectic day at work. There are many restaurants which include Park Mews restaurant, Cafe Francais, Kuraku, Park Street Trattoria, Curve, Monsoon, Chambers and Butter Boutique.

There are many festivals and happenings in this place. Know what? They even conduct weddings here. Trust me, it will be one hell of a celebration.

Also read: Places to visit in Sri Lanka

What’s special:

A perfect place to have both food and fun. You get to meet a lot of people enjoying food with beautiful lights around you. No less than a food festival, right? But it happens here, every day. The friends you make here can be your friends for life as you share one common emotion – FOOD.

Must-try:

Kuraku, Cafe Francais and Park Street Trattoria are some must try restaurants in Park Street Mews.

2. Ministry of Crab

About the place:

Any seafood lovers out there? Colombo has something special for you. Though this itself is a great reason for you to visit this place, I would like to let you know about the history of this place and the people who created it. The very famous chef “Dharshan Munidasa” from Sri Lanka when he was featuring the Sri Lankan lagoon crab on his show “Culinary Journeys with Dharshan”, got an idea to open a restaurant strictly dedicated to seafood. That’s how the super-lively “Ministry of Crab” was started in 2011. Let me spice this up. Dharshan being a best friend to the stars of Sri Lankan cricket, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, put forward this idea to them and know that? They stepped into partner with Dharshan.

What’s special:

A restaurant solely dedicated to seafood in an island country that’s home to the world-famous Sri Lankan lagoon crab started by a great chef – I believe I have answered why Ministry of Crab is special.

Must-try:

Garlic chilli crab, oysters, clams and fresh water prawns are some of the must try dishes here.

3. Helga’s Folly

About the place:

Fun fact : This hotel in Kandy is said to be one of the haunted hotels and the picture below will speak for itself.

Forget about food. Helga’s Folly is one of the oldest hotels that have great interiors. It has been built with such colours and traditional looks and not missing the modern touch as well. They have a fixed menu for each day and serve it the tastiest. While visiting Kandy, you must plan your stay here and try their amazing food. Though you might have to get through some supernatural stuff, the food will make it all worthwhile. Hence no doubts that it deserves a place in the top 5 lively places to eat in Sri Lanka.

What’s special:

Isn’t having yummy food in one of the restaurants where you will feel the most alive, considered special? You know the answer. In addition to this, they have good dining options as well.

Must-try:

Most of the options that they have are vegetarian. If you have a preference for non-vegetarian food, let them know. Some must-try dishes are Coconut Soup, Fish Cakes, Kedgeree, Pittu and Chicken Abigail.

4. Raswasala Restaurant

About the place:

Have always been a fan of rooftop restaurants? You have landed on the right page. If your idea of a perfect dining experience is having a meal on an open terrace surrounded by lush greeneries, then Raswasala restaurant is your pick. It has a lot of delicious local and international cuisines as well. While in Kandy, plan some time here.

What’s special:

You can have a laid-back experience in both the outdoor and indoor dining options and a great place to show your photography skills since it has been located in an amazing location, Amaya Hills.

Must-try:

Multi-cuisine in a buffet.

5. Fortaleza

About the place:

Fortaleza is situated near the Galle Fort which makes it easy for you to cover both places easily. After wandering around the fort for hours, the best thing to do is to visit the Fortaleza restaurant and try any of their tastiest meals. Such a lively place to eat with a top attraction right next to it. The highlight of this restaurant is its ambience which is a perfect combination of the traditional and modern setup.

What’s special:

Fortaleza is one of the restaurants where the staffs are so friendly that they make you feel at home and serve food more or less similar to the ones fed at home. And, that homey touch is all you want in a vacation. Agreed?

Must-try:

Fajitas, Fish and Chips are some of the must-try dishes in Fortaleza.

Choosing the best place to eat should be one important part of the whole trip planning. So, while you are there in Sri Lanka, make sure you try these top 5 lively places for good food and cherish the experience for life. You might even become a food blogger. But how do you plan your Sri Lanka vacation in line with these expectations? Let us help you. We have some Sri Lanka tour packages and Sri lanka honeymoon packages for you on the Pickyourtrail website to which you can add your favourites and plan a personalised itinerary yourself. We will curate it for you in the best way possible and make your dream Sri Lanka vacation happen.