5 of the best places to eat sri lankan food in australia
whilst prevalent in many of australia’s immigrant-rich suburbs, sri lankan food has been hard to find in australia’s capital cities until late. thankfully in recent years, the cuisine has finally been getting its due credit. from paper thin hoppers perfect for sopping up that rich sambal or curry to sri lankan cooking with an australian twist, we’re bringing you the best eats from this tiny island right here in australia.
lankan filling station, sydney
owner and head chef o tama carey cut her teeth learning the ins and outs of the cuisine in sri lanka. the restaurant’s central focus are hoppers : paper-thin, bowl-shaped pancakes that are folded and dipped in sambals and curries. the pancake’s crisp latticed edges and spongy, doughnut-like centre are perfect for soaking up rich, spiced sauces. since the start of the pandemic, the restaurant has been creating take-home packs of its bestselling meals - making for an elevated friday takeaway meal. if you love crab, then the restaurant is bringing back its famous crab curry sundays. located in sydney’s trendy darlinghurst, the slick but cosy fit-out was designed by david mitchell architects
ground floor, 58 riley street, darlinghurst 2010
https://www.lankanfillingstation.com.au/
indu, melbourne
an offshoot of its original location in sydney’s angel place, indu melbourne continues to live the brands ethos - “a celebration of village culture, flavours, and local hospitality”. here you’ll find traditional dishes made using recipes from founder sam prince’s sri lankan mother, as well as modern twists on old favourites. think classic like a rich red potato curry sitting alongside rotisserie chicken with devilled sauce and beetroot, lime, and pomegranate raita with rose petals. the venue continues to host their extremely popular monthly gin and jazz events in collaboration with savant spirits, where diners can enjoy a long sunday lunch with live jazz musicians.
86a collins st melbourne, 3000
https://indudining.com.au/melbourne
banana leaf, canberra
dayan liyanage heads up banana leaf canberra, a tiny eatery serving up family recipes with an aussie twist. "fusion sri lankan friendly fine-ish dining", is written on the restaurant’s concise and curated menu, a tongue-in-cheek summation of the restaurant’s m.o. here you’ll find dishes like “humble Australian” lamb shank, cooked to melt-in-your-mouth texture with sri lankan spices, homemade sambal, curries, and coconut icecream for dessert. banana leaf also do their own at-home packs, if you’re craving a bowl of sambal but not wanting to venture outside the home.
17 kennedy st, kingston.
https://www.bananaleafrestaurant.com.au/
ayubowan by colombo foodies, brisbane
finding good sri lankan food in brisbane can be a challenge, but ayubowan by colombo foodies is a rare gem of authenticity in the tropical metropolis. this unassuming haunt in geebung road has an elegant yet relaxed interior, with leafy wall murals and neon signage to take you straight to the streets of sri lanka. head chef udeshika suradasa serves up a classic menu of sri lankan favourites, from string hoppers to mas roti with beef, lime, and coconut, to a rich black pork curry.
336 newman rd, geebung qld 4034
https://www.facebook.com/ColomboFoodiesBrisbane
soza’s truck, adelaide
soza’s truck was born when three sri lankan students in adelaide found themselves frustrated with the lack of authentic food from their homeland on offer. bringing sri lankan cuisine to the adelaide community in a street food format, the truck has been feeding some of the city’s most popular festivals and events for the past 5 years. their most popular dish is the morish hot butter squid - a sweet and spicy fried calamari that toes the line between sri lankan and australian cuisine.
various locations
http://sozas.com.au/
finding serendipity in sri lanka
october 1 - october 7
is this an astrological match? find out here
you don't make sri lanka happen. sri lanka happens to you. a place of serendipity, it is a rambunctious journey into awe. the people cocoon you with bountiful and authentic hospitality.
the environment enraptures, from waterfalls stowed in verdant jungle, to ancient temples on peaks. it was named serendib more than one millenia and a half ago, and the ability of tripping over happy accidents persists for travellers to this day.
here you learn how to let go and have faith. i arrived with no plans, beyond the first night’s hotel. i sent an unrelated work email from my villa the afternoon of arrival, explaining i was out of office in sri lanka. the reply introduced me to a call, and suddenly the next 6 days were designed. much of this trip follows that serendipitous route and encounter.