Food and Drink in the Galle Coast

We offer a range of experiences through which travellers can explore the food in Galle, from hosted cooking classes to tea plantation tours, as well as an extensive list of suggestions of where to eat and drink in Galle.

One of Sri Lanka’s biggest exports is cinnamon as it is widely acclaimed to be the best in the world. Mostly grown in the gentle hills of southern Sri Lanka, this spice has been used in traditional Sri Lankan cooking and medicinal treatments for centuries. Visit a working cinnamon plantation and have a go at the peeling process before enjoying a delicious cinnamon-themed lunch at Kahanda Kanda.

Sri Lanka’s southern hills are also used to grow tea, which is markedly different to that which is cultivated in the hill country. Take a tour round the Virgin White Tea Factory, which produces a highly-valued type of white tea that is untouched by human skin during its plucking and manufacture. Enjoy a cup of this delicious drink with a slice of chocolate cake after the tour.

To discover more about traditional Sri Lankan food, go on a culinary adventure with Village Rider. After visiting the Galle Market to purchase an array of tropical fruits and vegetables and spices, sail down the river towards a local village before cycling the rest of the way there. Once at the village, settle down in a rustic wattle-and-daub hut and learn how to make a range of traditional Sri Lankan curries.

Galle Fort is a gastronomic delight, offering a wide range of cafés and restaurants serving international and local cuisine. Go to the historic Amangalla hotel for afternoon high tea; dine on prawn curry at Fort Printers; head to Pedlar’s Inn Café for light meals and delicious drinks, or have lunch at the beautiful Fort Bazaar. Go further afield to Wijaya Beach, situated between Thalpe and Unawatuna, for the best pizzas in the island and a safe spot for a lunchtime swim.