How to Explore Sri Lanka's Latest Food and Drink Trends

Discover the vivid and diverse world of Sri Lankan food, where traditional recipes and strong flavours combine to produce a gastronomic experience that will never be forgotten. Sri Lankan cuisine caters to a wide range of tastes, from the country's staple dish of rice and curry to a hot plate of hoppers served for breakfast. Even more fascinating than the country's savoury and sweet cuisine is its beverage culture. Want to know more? Check this out!

Exploring the Sri Lankan food culture 

Thanks to the island's rich history, different landscapes, and multiethnic populations, Sri Lankan cuisine is a dynamic fusion of various influences. The spirit of Sri Lanka's tropical landscape and centuries of cultural interchange is reflected in its cuisine, which is renowned for its robust flavours and impressive use of aromatic spices. Even when you go to one of the high-end resorts in Sri Lanka, you will be served the local dishes (of course, they have a widespread that includes international dishes too) like milk rice (Kiribath), hoppers (appa), string hoppers (indi appa) and many more! 

Full of spices, full of flavours 

For decades, Sri Lanka was a major centre for the spice trade, and the country's cuisine reflects this expertise. Essential components including cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper are used heavily, accompanied by fresh herbs like pandan and curry leaves. These spices are carefully matched to produce complex, rich flavours in various foods, such as rice dishes, snacks, and curries.

The streetfood culture

The abundance of tasty and reasonably priced snacks available on the streets is a major component of Sri Lankan cuisine (which can be called the street food culture in Sri Lanka). Kottu roti, which is chopped flatbread stir-fried with veggies, egg, or meat, isso vadei, prawn fritters, and samosas are widely preferred options among locals as well as foreigners.

Going vegan 

Naturally, there are many vegetarian and vegan options in Sri Lankan cuisine because of the island's Buddhist and Hindu heritage. Coconut milk offers a richness to curries made with leafy greens, jackfruit, eggplant, and lentils (parippu), even in modern food items such as pizza and burgers. If you are also a vegetarian, Sri Lanka surely has one of the best food cultures. 

Beverages in Sri Lanka 

Did you know that Sri Lanka is the birthplace of the world-renowned Ceylon Tea? The traditional tea of Sri Lanka is served with milk and sugar and frequently with a bakery item. A popular cooling drink in addition to tea is thambili, or king coconut water, particularly the best option to beat the tropical heat. In addition to that, you can find a lot of fresh juices in Sri Lanka including lime juice, watermelon juice and many more!

Sweets and desserts 

In Sri Lankan celebrations, especially during festivals like Sinhala and Tamil New Year, sweets and desserts have a prominent place. These celebrations wouldn't be complete without traditional sweets like kiribath, aluwa, and kokis which have a very special taste. Rice flour, coconut, and sugar are common ingredients in Sri Lankan desserts, giving them rich, tropical flavours.

Modern restaurants and food hubs 

Modern fusion restaurants, which combine local flavours with international cuisines, are becoming more prevalent in Colombo and other large cities. Popular hospitality chains such as Aitken Spence Hotels often combine Western methods or Asian inspirations when serving their guests and these properties provide inventive takes on traditional fare such as seafood curries, pittu, and kottu. 

Food trucks - a modern concept 

Urban food truck culture is flourishing in Sri Lanka, elevating street food culture to a new level with gourmet options. Pop-up food markets are also gaining popularity, where regional chefs test out modern twists on classic Sri Lankan Street food dishes.