Top 5 Authentic Sri Lankan Restaurants in Australia
Authentic Eats with a Contemporary Twist
Sri Lanka may be small, but the country is absolutely filled with incredible and scenic landscapes, beautiful people, and—most importantly in this context—delicious regional cuisine.
While Sri-Lankan food is just as good as Indian, it’s not nearly as mainstream. This can make it quite hard to find a restaurant serving that classic Sri Lankan flavour. However, Australia is a multicultural country and a melting pot of cuisines from all over the world, meaning it was only a matter of time before some great Sri Lankan restaurants started popping up.
In this list, you’ll find restaurants embracing traditional Sri Lankan influences and cuisine with their own contemporary twist. Check out some of the best places to find authentic Sri-Lankan food in Australia!
ALBA by Peter Kuruvita
Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast
Tucked away in tropical Noosa Heads, ALBA by Peter Kuruvita is a hub of food and beverage offerings with Sunshine Coast produce and the local community at its heart. Peter Kuruvita is well known in the cooking world and the hearts of food lovers for his traditional Sri Lankan influence mixed with his love for fresh, local produce.
This newest venture of his combines a cafe, providore, pizzeria, cocktail bar, and linen-set restaurant into a beautiful space perfect for a night out, a relaxed breakfast/brunch, or all-encompasing dining experience. Those looking to enjoy Peter’s signature style of quality produce spiced with global flavours, including the now famous snapper curry and mouth-watering crustaceans, will not be disappointed.
One of the big draws of the restaurant is the banquet style Sri Lankan breakfast held on the first Saturday of every month. This banquet contains classic Sri Lankan dishes, delicious twists, and incorporates Ayurvedic spices and combinations for a healthy and filling authentic experience.
The other major feature of ALBA by Peter Kuruvita is the ALBA Chef’s Kitchen. This space is functions as a cooking class, a private chefs table for a tailormade dining experience, and a kitchen studio available to rent out. Featuring cooking demonstrations and classes from distinguished guest chefs and Peter himself, this is a great way to see the professionals at work and learn from the best.
Book in quick though, as Peter has a mass following and his private cooking classes sell out almost immediately! Follow all the events on their instagram, @albanoosa, and book a table or cooking experience on the ALBA website!
The Fold
Dulwich Hill, Sydney
Mixing traditional Sri Lankan and modern Australian, The Fold is a cozy Sri Lankan cafe and restaurant in Dulwich Hill, Sydney. Taking inspiration from their rich Sri Lankan heritage, The Fold does classic Lankan food with a modern twist. This restaurant is known for their Lankan dishes such as their world-renowned hoppers and Kiri Bath, while keeping classic Australian brekky items such as bacon and egg rolls and avo on toast, just with a sprinkling of Sri Lankan influence.
Two generations of cooking expertise have come together to create this exquisite menu. With Executive Chef and father, Augustus with over 35 years experience, at the head of the team along with momager Dilki holding the team together as Front of House Manager, this restaurant serves simple yet delicious food. The two sons, Travin and Jason, are distinguished pastry chefs running the show at Franca Brasserie, and along with Saaya, Pastry Chef De Partie at 3 hat restaurant sixpenny, the pastries served at The Fold are world class.
With new specials constantly being added to the menu and the restaurant celebrating its 2nd birthday, now is the time to check out the cozy cafe and restaurant serving high-quality Lankan food in Dulwich Hill, Sydney. Follow The Fold on instagram @thefold.srilankan to keep up to date with beautiful new dishes, and book a table here to try some authentic Sri Lankan cuisine.
Colombo Social
Enmore, Sydney
Colombo Social serves up soulful Sri Lankan food perfect for celebrating the sharing experience that Lankan food is known for. The restaurant features great share-food options blending home recipes and techniques with contemporary Aussie favourites, affordable set menus, and fun cocktails featuring Lankan ingredients and spirits.
Shaun Christie-David and Peter Jones-Best are the minds and founders behind Colombo Social and PlateItFoward, instilling their vision into every aspect of the business: no one should go hungry. From this vision, the business has been providing meals, practical experience and training, and employment opportunities for people seeking asylum. So far, Colombo Social has provided over 147,000 meals and over 7,500 employment hours to vulnerable community members.
Follow their instagram @colombosocial to get your mouth watering over delicious food pics and when you do decide to book a table, make sure to order from ‘Amma’s Banquet Menu’ to #PlateItFoward and provide a meal for an asylum seeker in need.
INDU
East End, Melbourne
Believing that good food and hospitality comes from the home, INDU features delicious home-cooking from the coast and villages of southern-India and Sri Lanka modified for the Melbourne locale. The menu is small yet soulful, with the terracotta-clad dining space providing the perfect backdrop for authentic village cookery and fresh seasonal produce.
With the original INDU opened in Angel Place, Sydney in November 2015, INDU Melbourne brings everything that worked to the bustling Paris End of Collins Street. Surrounded by historic buildings and other great restaurants, INDU is quickly becoming one of the most popular restaurants in Melbourne.
In addition to the culture they bring to Australia through food, the restaurant is partnered ACFID accredited grassroots organisation, Palmera. With a focus on assisting rural communities in Sri Lanka and India, Palmera has set up the Village to Village program to help create a sustainable economy through building local infrastructure. Ask about Palmera’s book HANDMADE in the restaurant to help support these fantastic communities that INDU’s food is based around.
To find out more about INDU Melbourne, visit their website here and don’t forget to stay updated by following their instagram @indumelbourne.
Lankan Filling Station
Darlinghurst, Sydney
From the creative mind of chef O Tama Cary and the influence of her Sri Lankan heritage, Lankan Filling Station was born. When you arrive, you’ll find a bustling, narrow dining room overflowing with the incredible aromas of hand pounded spices and an open kitchen with roaring fire. Lankan Filling Station was designed as a casual eatery, with customers circling their selection of dishes on paper menus to order and quick service.
Head Chef Jemma Whiteman runs the kitchen, offering a selection of traditional Sri Lankan short eats and curries touched up with modern flair. One of the main draws is their hoppers: fresh-made-to-order savoury pancakes made from rice flour and coconut milk built to mop up te selection of sambals and curries. Opened in July 2018, Lankan Filling Station has been serving authentic Sri Lankan to the people of Darlinghurst, Sydney for years now and has become increasingly popular during that time.
‘A Tale of Nine Spices and a Curry Powder’ is a book recently released by O Tama Carey which explores her style of Lankan cooking. Focusing on the curry powder that forms the backbone of her cooking and the ten spices that go into it, it’s a must read for those interested in Sri Lankan cooking.
Take a look at the food on offer at Lankan Filling Station and book in a table to try some authentic Sri Lankan food today! Follow their instagram for tasteful foodie photos and events @lankanfillingstation.