Best restaurants in Galle, Sri Lanka
_main_1507645033889.jpeg "Fort Printers")
In this post, we’ll be looking at the best restaurants in the Unesco-declared World Heritage site of Galle Fort, on Sri Lanka’s southern coast. We'll be looking at restaurants across two categories, fine dining and casual dining:
Fine dining:
Housed in a former 18th-century mansion, the Fort Printers Restaurant opened back in 2005. Since then, it has successfully built up a well-deserved stellar reputation. Its high-ceilinged dining hall is furnished with antique art and black-and-white photos of old Ceylon. Outside, there is a glorious courtyard, dotted with fragrant frangipani trees, and a terrace that overlooks the street. Fort Printers serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a sumptuous fine-dining menu served in the dining hall. The restaurant serves dishes made from predominately organic local produce; the menu features some delicious fresh seafood dishes and some Mediterranean-inspired specialties, together some mouth-watering Sri Lankan fare, including delicious grilled lobsters. Try it for yourself with Insight Guides' Sri Lanka: Culture and Coast trip.
Fort Printers Restaurant. Photo: Fort Printers
This hybrid Japanese and seafood restaurant opened in 2014. It is the creation of the famous Sri Lankan chef, Dharshan Munidasa, who also created Nihonbashi and The Ministry of Crab. Located in Galle Fort’s Old Dutch Hospital, The Tuna and the Crab seamlessly blends traditional Japanese cooking principles and ingredients with contemporary seafood cooking methods, serving unique dishes such as soy sauce sashimi and crab pasta.
The impressive entrance to Amangalla – through a high-ceilinged grand old colonial hall – sets the tone for a premier experience from the moment you arrive. Guests may choose to dine in the either the Zaal (Great Hall), the dining room or on the sunset terrace, which overlooks the fort’s quaint old tiled roofs. If you’re looking for something really special, you may also choose to dine by candlelight around the swimming pool, accompanied by flutists and fire dancers. Chefs at the Amangalla scour the early morning markets for the best ingredients to built their daily menu around, but the Amangalla generally specialises in top-notch Sri Lankan dishes. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and hosts excellent cooking classes.
Sri Lankan Cuisine at Amangalla. Photo: Amangalla
The Church Street Social, a lively dining experience in the Fort Bazaar hotel on Church Street, does exactly what it says on the tin. The restaurant provides a sociable and relaxing environment, whilst serving a quality fine-dining menu. Cuisine includes sumptuous dishes from Morocco, Turkey and the Middle East, as well as delectable Sri Lankan dishes and Asian fusion. Guests have the choice of watching the world go by from the street, perching at the award-winning bar, or sitting at the relaxing veranda. The lively and social atmosphere marks the Church Street Social as different to many fine-dining establishments, but rest assured, the quality of the food does not suffer in the slightest.
Fort Bazaar courtyard. Photo: Fort Bazaar
Specialising in seafood, the Sun House Restaurant also has a menu that changes daily, with influences from Thailand, Australia, the Mediterranean, and of course Sri Lanka. Guests can choose to eat in the graceful dining room, the airy veranda, or in the picturesque hotel garden, under the shade of a mango tree. There is also the newly opened Bamboo Bar and Grill, which provides an al fresco cooking experience in the hotel’s main courtyard. Every year, the Sun House invites an internationally acclaimed guest chef to host cooking classes, and also to train their chefs.
The Italian owner of Why Beach, Massimo, loves to source authentic ingredients from his homeland, and imports delicious cheeses, prosciutto and salami to Sri Lanka. As a result, Why Beach offers something different to many of Galle’s more traditional restaurants. Typical dishes here include mouth-watering homemade pastas and lasagnes, with delicious fresh bread. The coffee is great too, as you might expect!
Casual dining:
The Sugar Bistro fuses elements of Western and Sri Lankan cuisine together with modern design. The result is a relaxed and cosy dining atmosphere, perfect for escaping the hustle and bustle of Galle Fort. As a result, the Sugar Bistro is popular with tourists and locals alike. The Sugar Bistro is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and serves delicious light café-style food, including tapas, salads and sandwiches.
Occupying pride of place in the centre of Galle Fort, the Pedlars Inn is housed in an elegant former British post office. The contemporary interior design complements the original features, creating a relaxing and casual atmosphere. Pedlars Inn began life in 2004, with just four tables and one member of staff. Since then, it’s gone on to establish itself as one of Galle Fort’s most popular casual dining spots. The veranda is one of the best spots in town to sit, relax and watch the world go by. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the Pedlars Inn, and the menu includes Sri Lankan curries and other main dishes, seafood, salads and sandwiches. If you’re looking for a real treat, go for the banana pancakes – they are among the best in all of Sri Lanka! The coffee at the Pedlars Inn is fantastic too.
Morris Minor classic car next to the columns of Pedlar's inn cafe. Photo: Shutterstock
The award-winning restaurant at Bedspace Hotel serves refreshing versions of international classics, such as sausage and mash with apricot relish and rosemary jus. They also serve a range of healthy cocktails and juices, made from fresh ingredients grown in the hotel garden. All Bedspace chefs are all trained in-house, keeping traditions and customs alive.
Taking a trip to Sri Lanka: how to get started
Add a stop to one (or more!) of these delicious-sounding restaurants to any of our existing trips to Sri Lanka. Alternatively, simply get in touch with us, tell us your interests and budget, and our local experts will tailor a Sri Lankan itinerary to your suit your individual tastes. You can then adjust your itinerary until you are completely happy with it!
