# The best Sri Lankan dishes

The Sri Lankan dishes every food guide tells you to try, from rice and curry to kottu, according to Migrationology, LocalHi and Sri Lanka travel guides.

- 11 votes · 13 items
- Aug 10, 2026 · fitfam_victoria
- https://even.best/en/l/878/the-best-sri-lankan-dishes

## Top 12

1. **Pol sambol** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — Grated coconut with chilli, onion and lime, on everything.
2. **Ceylon tea** (2 · ▲2 ▼0) — The island's famous black tea, from Nuwara Eliya to Uva.
3. **Rice and curry** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Rice with several small curries, sambols and papadum; the everyday national meal.
4. **Kottu roti** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Chopped godamba roti stir-fried on a griddle with vegetables, egg and meat, to a clanging rhythm.
5. **Egg hoppers (appa)** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Bowl-shaped fermented rice and coconut pancakes with an egg in the middle.
6. **String hoppers (idiyappam)** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Steamed nests of rice noodles with curry and pol sambol.
7. **Dhal curry (parippu)** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Red lentils in coconut milk, the most common curry.
8. **Kiribath** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Milk rice cut into diamonds for New Year and celebrations.
9. **Wambatu moju** (1 · ▲1 ▼0) — Sweet and sour fried aubergine pickle.
10. **Lamprais** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Dutch Burgher rice and curry baked in a banana leaf.
11. **Fish ambul thiyal** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Sour, peppery dry fish curry with goraka from the south.
12. **Isso vadai** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Lentil fritters topped with prawns, Galle Face street food.
13. **Watalappan** (0 · ▲0 ▼0) — Spiced coconut and jaggery custard.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.