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Colombo is the favourite tourist destination of many people because of its beautiful views. However, street food in Colombo is another major attraction here. You will find all types of flavours to satisfy your taste buds. It can be savoury bites to sweet treats. Multiple street food stalls focus on traditional Sri Lankan foods like kottu roti and hopper. On the other hand, you will also find other diverse dishes, like samosa and fish bun, which you’ll enjoy as well.
Top 10 Street Food In Colombo
Explore the street food in Colombo with your family and friends. The following are the best and most popular street foods, along with other details:
1. Kottu Roti
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Kottu Roti is one of Colombo’s most iconic street foods, and there is a reason behind that. The dish is made by chopping roti into small pieces and mixing it with multiple types of spices, vegetables, and your choice of meat or egg. This dish is healthy but, most importantly, tasty. That’s why both locals and visitors enjoy Kottu Roti for its vibrant flavours and textures. It is one of the best non – veg street foods in Colombo. Whether you go for chicken, beef, or vegetarian options, each bite will flavour your taste buds.
Popular Places To Try: Kottu Canteen in Colombo 05, Valampuri in the city centre
2. Hoppers (Appam)
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Hoppers, or appam, are a delicious breakfast and snack item beloved in Colombo. This flavourful meal is a bowl-shaped pancake made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk. Hoppers have a beautiful texture that is crispy at the edges and soft at the centre. In most places, hoppers are served with fried eggs, sweet coconut milk, or spicy sambal. This way, it creates the characteristic shape. This is a beautiful and delicious dish full of flavours and textures with balanced sweetness, spice, and richness. So, whether you enjoy sweet or savoury, hoppers are a must-try.
Popular Places To Try: Palmyrah Restaurant, Pettah Market
3. Pittu
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Pittu is a very preferred traditional Sri Lankan dish that has been a staple in local households for generations. That’s why, along with the locals, tourists also started to enjoy this comforting and flavourful dish. Pittu is made from steamed cylinders of rice flour mixed with coconut, which are layered in a cylindrical steamer. In most street stalls and restaurants in Colombo, pittu is paired with spicy curries. These include coconut milk-based chicken or vegetable curry and tangy sambal. It is definitely a part of the top veg street food in Colombo.
Popular Places To Try: Local eateries and breakfast stalls near Pettah Market
4. String Hoppers
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Next on the list are string hoppers, known locally as idiyappam. It is a popular and traditional breakfast item in Colombo. Similar to plain hoppers, it is also made with rice flour, but in a noodle-like shape. String hoppers have a delicate texture, with a slightly chewy bite. They are mainly served with a variety of curries, such as coconut milk-based or spicy fish curries. Together with the soft noodles with flavorful sauces, string hoppers make a satisfying and delicious meal. Being a versatile dish, you can enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Popular Places To Try: Pettah Market
5. Vada
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Not only in Colombo, but Vada is famous all over Sri Lanka. Vada is a deep-fried, savoury snack originating from South India and Sri Lanka. Vada is fried in a way that has a crispy exterior and soft interior. As it is delicious in taste and texture, it’s a delightful addition to any dish or can be eaten as a snack. There are actually multiple types of vada that you will find on the streets of Colombo. These include parippu vada, where the batter is mixed with split chickpeas, and then medu vada, which is softer and served with sambar and coconut chutney.
Popular Places To Try: Street stalls and local snack shops all over
6. Fish Ambul Thiyal
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Fish Ambul Thiyal is a signature Sri Lankan sour fish curry dish, and it is very popular among the locals. The fish ambul thiyal has a bold and tangy flavour, making it a very tasty dish to try. The dish is made using firm fish, typically tuna or mackerel. Then the dish is cut into chunks and marinated with a mixture of spices, including turmeric, black pepper, and coriander. After that, the key ingredient is added, which is goraka, a local fruit in Sri Lanka. This ingredient gives a sourness to the curry.
Popular Places To Try: Galle Road, and at street food stalls specialising in fish dishes
7. Samosas
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Samosas, a popular snack in Colombo, are deep-fried, triangular pastries filled with spiced vegetables, lentils, or meats. People from Sri Lanka enjoy samosas a lot as an evening snack or appetiser, accompanied by a side of chutney or sambal. The layer is thin and crisp, and on the inside, the filling is full of spices and vegetables like cumin, coriander, potatoes, peas, and onions. After filling the pastries and sealing the opening, they are deep-fried until golden brown and crispy. This snack is a delightful blend of Indian and Sri Lankan flavours.
Popular Places To Try: Commonly served at street food stalls and bakeries
8. Green Porridge (Kola Kenda)
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Kola Kenda, also known as herbal porridge, is a traditional Sri Lankan dish. This is a local favourite for its nutritiousness and flavour. It is a wholesale breakfast dish made from a mixture of rice, herbs, and spices. The medicinal leafy greens, such as gotu kola and karapincha, are good for health. Enjoy the benefit of herbal porridge, which has a distinctive green hue, with coconut milk or jaggery. The added sweetener adds to the dish’s rich flavour profile and also balances the natural bitterness of the herbs.
Popular Places To Try: local eateries and street stalls
9. Coconut Roti
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Coconut roti, locally known as pol roti, is a delicious flatbread that is a day-to-day meal in Colombo’s culinary scene. Coconut roti is made of simple ingredients, which are a simple mixture of flour, freshly grated coconut, and water. Sometimes, spices are added depending on personal preferences. After that, the dough is rolled out and cooked on a griddle until both sides achieve a golden brown colour. It is a very versatile dish, and you can have it any time of the day. It mainly tastes good with spicy sambal, coconut milk, or curries.
Popular Places To Try: Local bakeries and roadside stalls in Colombo, particularly in areas like Mount Lavinia
10. Fish Bun (Maalu Paan)
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Maalu Paan, or, as it is commonly known in English, fish bun, is a popular snack in Colombo. This dish is special mainly because it combines the softness of a bun with the savoury flavour of fish. The slightly sweet bun is filled with a spicy mixture of canned tuna or mackerel, potatoes, and aromatic spices. This dish is filled with flavours, and you can have it at your convenience. If you want, you can try it with some chutney, but accompanied by a refreshing cup of tea would be great.
Popular Places To Try: popular snacks at Pettah Market and street stalls
As you can see, street food in Colombo is enough to satisfy your hunger. Here, you will not only fill your tummy with delicious food but also learn about the vibrant culture and culinary artistry of Colombo. Visit the bustling street corners and local stalls to enjoy Colombo’s diverse flavour. Book your trip to Colombo with TripXL, your trusted travel companion. Go and enjoy a delicious adventure in Colombo that you’ll never forget.
Cover Photo: Sandaru Muthuwadige / Unsplash
