Sri Lanka is very vegetarian-friendly but being vegan in Sri Lanka is difficult. There are very few vegan restaurants in Colombo and your best bet is to go to restaurants that have good vegan options. Here we will look at some vegan-friendly restaurants that we tried while living in Sri Lanka and how to order vegan dishes when travelling around Sri Lanka.
By my definition: A cafe is where the drinks are the main option and ordering food is optional. For The best vegan-friendly cafes and pubs in Colombo Click Here.
Other articles to bookmark
Sri Lanka Travel Guide with 16 Travel Tips – For everyone, not just vegans!
Table of Contents
Culture & Language
Out of sight and out of mind is where vegans and local thinking would end up in disagreement. In local culture, it’s ok to eat anything (for religious purposes which is the main reason for people to have dietary restrictions here) as long as you are unaware of the ingredients and the process. This is how and why monks end up drinking milk and eating eggs, fish and even meat without much concern.
We also almost had an incident at a top cafe that served us almond-flavoured cow’s milk labelled as almond milk. This is because allergies are not taken seriously.
Tip number 1 and this is super important: Saying “No milk” or “does this have milk?” is not enough. You need to go through the long list to make it very clear. “No milk”, “No butter”, “No cheese”, “No yoghurt”, “No curd”. And the same with eggs, “No eggs”, “No mayonnaise”. This was once responded with “No problem ma’am, we only use egg whites”.
It’s worth the effort to put up with this minor inconvenience as Sri Lanka is an amazing country for food, fruits, wildlife, beaches and people. It’s also my second home.
My article on Vegan Sri Lanka goes into more detail on veganism in Sri Lanka, and where to shop.
100% Vegan Restaurants in Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Poya Day (Full moon) Vegan Buffet – Mount Lavinia Hotel, Colombo
A vegan buffet is organised in Mount Lavinia Hotel once a month on Poya day (Full moon). You can spend all day at the hotel including the use of the private beach, swimming pool and vegan lunch. Every full moon day is also a public holiday in Sri Lanka.
The buffet was split into Sri Lankan, Asian, Indian, and Western cuisines with stations of pasta, salads, vegetables, juices, canapes, fruits and desserts.
Amazing Vegan Lunch at Mount Lavinia
We loved the food apart from one incident when my husband picked a baguette with melted cheese on top of it, assuming it was vegan. When he tasted a piece of melted cheese he immediately noticed that the cheese was “real” cheese. He addressed the concern to a manager. The manager apologised for the hotel’s mistake and immediately removed the cheese baguettes from the buffet.
Every full moon, Mount Lavinia Hotel, turns into one of the best vegan restaurants in Colombo.
Food: 5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Cost: Average $15 per person
Loos: 3/5
Address: Mount Lavinia Hotel, No 100, Hotel Road, Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka.
Phone: 0094 11 2711711
Parking – Available at the hotel
Yes, it’s a short list of just one! The VOV lounge was one of the main 100% vegan restaurants in Colombo but they’ve been “temporarily closed” for a while now.
Top vegan-friendly restaurants in Colombo for authentic Sri Lankan dinner
Nuga Gama – Spectacular vegan food you must try in Colombo
This is my top recommendation when it comes to vegan restaurants in Colombo. It’s not 100% vegan, but there is enough vegan food. Also, the staff are well trained and knowledgable.
Our wedding anniversary was approaching and it was a perfect excuse to celebrate at this gem in Colombo.
Nuga Gama is a village-style restaurant that offers a buffet of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine. The dining area is set up under a 200-year-old Banyan Tree.
Each dish was made in a clay pot and stored in the pots for serving. There were plenty of vegan options including desserts. We asked the staff to point out the pots of vegan dishes before digging into delicious and authentic food.
The atmosphere was superb. There was a live band playing traditional Sri Lankan songs.
There were vegetable kottu, steamed rice, fried rice, different types of vegetables both fried and steamed, roti, potato curry, yam curry, side dishes such as papadam and pol sambal (grated coconut with chilli) as well as salads, fruit platters and desserts made from coconut. Each pot was labelled and it was easy to identify the dish. (just to be sure we asked the staff to confirm the ingredients).
The staff were very good and attentive. The service was superb. The waiters were traditionally dressed and we were looked after very well. They were making sure that we never ran out of drinks. I recommend having Toddy which is a traditional low-alcoholic drink made using coconut flowers. It was amazing!!
Perfect place for a special occasion or to impress tourists with traditional Sri Lankan culture and food in the heart of Colombo. On Mondays, they have a traditional dance show. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the show because we visited Nuga Gama at the weekend – twice!
It is one of the few restaurants that we visited twice because it was truly an amazing experience.
Food: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Cost: Average ($45 for a couple)
Loos: – 5/5
Address: 77 Galle Rd, Colombo 3, 00300, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 497 468
Parking – Valet parking
Taj Samudra – Nice hotel with vegan-friendly options at the restaurants
We booked a room and stayed at Taj for one night because a friend was having their wedding reception at this place.
Everything was perfect. The late-night room dining service had vegan options.
The breakfast buffet we had the following day was worth highlighting. They served the best breakfasts! There were many platters of fresh fruits and juices along with tea, coffees, continental breakfast, and many other varieties of freshly made food.
We asked for a paper dosa and it was made to perfection, crispy and delicious which we had with various types of pickles.
All staff spoke English and we were able to confirm exactly what the ingredients were.
Food: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Loos: 5/5
Address: 25, Galle Face Center Road, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 446 622
Kaema Sutra – Bar with delightful vegan options
We found Kaema Sutra by accident and wanted to check this place to see if they offer vegan options. We decided to pick a table outside because the place has a beautiful seating area with comfy furniture and modern decor with a spectacular view.
After some time, it was getting windy and we moved to the bar area. The first thing that struck my eyes was a large wall decorated from top to bottom with colourful wooden masks. The masks were different sizes and it was a bit scary to look at them at first. But the more you look at them the more you appreciate the beauty and the quirkiness of this decor. This striking decor was definitely the highlight of the bar.
It was difficult to figure out which dish was vegan-friendly and we needed help from a waiter.
We ordered jackfruit rolls and jackfruit pizza. Both dishes were very well presented, freshly made, crispy and absolutely delicious. If you love jackfruit, I would recommend those dishes. The only thing I would say is that the portions of the dishes were quite small. So if you’re hungry you will need to order at least two portions.
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 5/5
Cost: $20 per person – One beer and snack
Address: 1, Galle Face, Colombo 2, Colombo 00200, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 670 722
Parking: Valet parking at the hotel
Thuna Paha – Authentic Sri Lankan Food
The name means ‘curry powder’ in Sinhalese (Thuna is 3, Paha is 5, but together it means curry powder). The waiters are knowledgeable and can tell you which food is vegan-friendly. There were live performances as well.
It’s just outside of the heart of Colombo and is in a beautiful location. Food is brought in traditional baskets that were used for carrying food for farmers working in paddy fields. Each table gets a private buffet.
You can get authentic Sri Lankan food from all around Sri Lanka. A top recommendation for a dinner date or a small group.
Food: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Cost: $15 per person.
Loos: 5/5
Address: Thuna Paha, Battaramulla, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 77 322 2462 , +94 76 673 3167
Parking: Private parking
Vegan Indian dining options in Colombo
Chutneys – Cinnamon Grand Colombo – Stunning Vegan Indian food in Colombo
Chutney’s menu is divided between the four Southern states of India offering a variety of distinct flavours. The vegetarian selection is very good, but for vegans, you’d need to speak to the waiters and insist on asking them to confirm with the chef (something that all Hotels by Cinnamon appear to be comfortable with). Not all chefs understand Vegan and you may need to explain. Check out the free guide on the website to avoid confusion.
Food: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Cost: Prices are reasonable: we averaged $20 per person in total.
Loos: 5/5
Address: 75 Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
Parking: Vallet parking or Cinnamon Grand Underground parking
Chef Saab Veg Fine Dining – Good vegan Indian food in Colombo
Located at the food court of the rather large Arpico Super Center, this vegetarian restaurant can provide some dishes suitable for vegans. This wouldn’t make it to the top of Vegan Restaurants in Colombo, because it’s neither fine dining as they advertise nor is it for budget food adventurers. However, the food is delicious.
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 1/5 – Exactly as expected.
Cost: $10 dinner for two
Loos: 2/5 (not their own)
Address: 69 Arpico Super Center Hyde Park Corner Colombo 002, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 75 311 8119
Sri Vihar Restaurant – Vegan Indian food in Colombo – Budget-friendly and authentic
Sri Vihar Restaurant is a ‘Pure Vegetarian’ (Vegetarian and no eggs, but they use milk and ghee) restaurant where some items are vegan but not marked as such on the menu. Most ‘Dosas’ are safe to eat here and the ones that aren’t are quite obvious because the names mention cheese, paneer (cottage cheese), ghee or butter. Most waiters will be able to understand vegan requirements. Use the vegan tourist guide section on this website to avoid usual confusion when asking for vegan food in Sri Lanka.
This is a place for a food adventure, it’s the Indian equivalent of fast food. It’s cheap, it’s cheerful and it’s delicious. But not romantic – and it’s not meant to be. Though it’s not 100% vegan, there are enough tasty vegan options to make it one of my top vegan restaurants in Colombo.
You can eat in or take away
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 1/5 – Exactly as expected.
Cost: $5 dinner for two
Loos: -1/5 (that’s a minus, not a dash)
Address: Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanti Mawatta, No 3, Colombo
Phone: +94112 596 597
Top Vegan Restaurants in Colombo for Traditional Sri Lankan Lunch
Curry Pot Restaurant – Budget-friendly and authentic restaurant with vegan options in Colombo
Curry Pot Restaurant is a very budget-friendly eatery based in Colombo 3 where you can taste traditional Sri Lankan food. The cafeteria is simple and always overcrowded with locals at lunchtime. It is a place where you can eat as much as you like for a very good price and leave as soon as you finish.
They don’t have a menu but you can see all the dishes in clay pots at the counter. To ensure any of those dishes were vegan, we asked the manager and he pointed out which dishes were vegan-friendly. And I must say there was quite a good selection. The food was tasty and full of flavours.
I’d take this over most fancy places. If you are hungry and want to try authentic and real Sri Lankan food on a budget this is an easy place to recommend.
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 2.5/5
Cost: Average ($2 lunch for 2 plus a bottle of water)
Loos: N/A
Address: 314, 1/A Marine Drive, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 370 119
Parking – On the road
Gemi Uyana – Budget eating in Colombo with vegan options
Gemi Uyana is a budget eatery serving breakfast and lunch. Its customer base is mainly professionals in nearby buildings. This is one of my favourite budget vegan restaurants in Colombo.
The name Gemi Uyana is pronounced GA-MEY OO-YANA which means “village kitchen.”
We popped in to have breakfast as it was advertised for $1.00 (175 Rupees) We went to check out what you can get for that price. It was a breakfast buffet and the food was freshly made in clay pots.
The majority of the food was vegan-friendly but it is necessary to confirm with the staff before you serve yourself.
The process was quick and efficient and what you get for the price was phenomenal. Most people walk in, eat food and leave very quickly as you would expect from the target crowd.
Food: 5/5 Delish!
Ambience: 2/5
Cost: $1 for a meal, this is cheap in Colombo
Loos: N/A
Address: No. 397, Galle Road, Colombo 3
Parking – Paid parking on Galle Road.
Crescat Boulevard Food Court – Vegan food in Colombo
I wasn’t there, particularly for food but we were hungry after some shopping and wanted to eat something.
The food court is based in the basement of a Crescat Boulevard shopping mall. You can find many franchises offering everything from pizzas to Mongolian and South Indian dishes at a reasonable price. There is also a fruit juice stall selling smoothies and juices. I particularly loved their wood apple juice.
The first option we had in mind was the South Indian vegetarian outlet. But we were disappointed to find that every dish had ghee or milk.
We ordered from the Sri Lankan food option: We had steamed rice with side dishes: salad, pol sambal (made from coconut and chilli – but without Maldive fish), yam and Dambala (winged beans).
The food was good but nothing special. However, it was nice to know that there was an option available for vegans at this popular shopping mall.
Food: 2.5/5
Ambience: 2/5
Cost: Average $5 for a meal.
Loos: 2/5
Address: Mahanuga Gardens, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
Parking: Underground parking.
Arcade Independence Square – Vegan options in Colombo
Arcade Independence Square is a popular place amongst locals and tourists for great shopping, leisure and dining.
Godamba Roti and Coconut Sambol
It was a bit disappointing to find out that Arcade’s cafe offers very few options for vegans. But we found Godamba Roti and Pol Sambol.
Godamba Roti is Sri Lankan large round bread that looks like wraps but is very soft and stretchy. This delicious bread is normally cooked on a hot plate and can be eaten on its own or with curries and sambals.
Pol sambal (coconut sambal) is a traditional Sri Lankan condiment made from grated coconut with chillies.
Caution: pol sambal (and other sambals) isn’t usually suitable for vegans because they usually contain Maldive fish. So you need to check the symbol before ordering.
Don’t go here for the food, but if you find yourself here for shopping, then this is your best option.
Food: 2/5
Ambience: 2/5
Cost: Average $5 for a meal.
Loos: 2/5
Address: Independence Square, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka
Parking: Underground parking.
Pagoda Tea Room – Historical cafe with vegan food
The Pagoda Tea Room is located in the fort area of Colombo and it was established in 1884. Due to its history, this old classical place is also one of the attractions for tourists in Colombo. Moreover, It was featured in Duran Duran’s Hungry Like the Wolf music video.
It was like stepping back in time. The hall is quite spacious with a tall ceiling supported by columns. However, It felt like it hadn’t been maintained for a while and needed some love. Otherwise, the place was clean with adequate seating.
The main focus of this tea shop is to serve inexpensive food and snacks along with patties, quiches, cakes and pastries.
The service was super quick and efficient. By the time I finished my last bit of the dish, my empty plate was snatched away by the waiter. I guess the waiters get trained to be super-efficient when comes to lunchtime. The price is very cheap and it gets quite crowded during lunchtime.
It was exceptionally good for the price we paid.
Food 3.5/5
Ambience: 3/5
Cost: Average – $4 for a couple
Loos: We didn’t check
Address: 103 Chatham St, Colombo 00100, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 323 086
The Dutch Burgher of Sri Lanka – Cafe with vegan options
We were passing by and decided to pop into the cafe for breakfast. The VOC Cafe at the Dutch Burgher Union is a small eatery cafe, very subtle with a pleasant atmosphere that takes you back through Ceylon’s history.
They are known for their lamprais and they don’t offer any vegan options on the menu but they were happy to make a toasted bread served with pol sambol. The toasted bread arrived cold but the pol sambol was perfect, freshly made with full of flavour. Tea and coffee were good but nothing to shout out.
Burghers are a small Eurasian ethnic group in Sri Lanka descended from Portuguese, Dutch, British and other European men who settled in Sri Lanka (or Ceylon at that time) and developed relationships with native Sri Lankan women.
Great seating area inside and outside.
Great place for a quick bite but nothing fancy for vegans.
Food: 2/5 (Rating is for the vegan options)
Loos: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5
Cost: Average ($4 for 2 sandwiches and 2 hot drinks)
Laptop Friendly? – Not particularly
Parking – Own parking
Address: Dutch Burgher Union, Thunmulla, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 584 511
Amro Vegetarian Cafe -Vegan options in Nugegoda
Amro Vegetarian Cafe offers home-style vegetarian Sri Lankan food and vegan western-style ‘Short Eats’.
‘Short Eats’ – A Sri Lankan term for finger food that is suitable for having on the go.
We particularly loved the vegetable ‘Chinese Rolls’ (they are not ‘Chinese’, except in Sri Lanka) are vegan and are delicious when it’s just out of the frying pan. You can also ask for a vegan Sri Lankan curry. (mostly traditional Sri Lankan food is vegan) and have fresh juices too.
Amro Vegetarian Cafe looks clean and hygienic. You can either eat in the cafeteria or takeaway.
The cafeteria is quite close to the road which can be a bit noisy due to traffic otherwise, the atmosphere is welcoming.
Food: 4/5
Loos: n/a
Cost: Average $10 for 2
Address: Station Ln, Nugegoda 10100, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 114 343 366
Parking: Own limited space
Best vegan restaurants in Colombo for healthy food
Calorie Counter – one of the best healthy vegan options in Colombo
There aren’t many healthy vegan restaurants in Colombo, let alone, vegan restaurants in Colombo. But this place makes it to the list due to their options.
Nice and modern small cafe offering healthy options. We decided to visit this cafe because of its name and wanted to check it out. They have a few vegan dishes on the menu, unfortunately, they were not available and we had to pick vegetarian dishes and get them modified.
The menu is set in 3 ways, you have options to choose protein dishes, carbohydrates dishes and vegetable dishes as well as dessert (if you like). We had red rice noodles, lentils burgers, corn on a cob, roasted bell peppers and a roasted vegetable sandwich. The dishes were very tasty, particularly the burgers; they were simply delicious.
I will definitely recommend this place but you must consult with the waiter before ordering. Although, some dishes are labelled as vegan on the menu the staff is still not fully aware of veganism. After checking that the almond latte is made using almond milk (unlike Dilmah’s almond-flavoured cow’s milk) I ordered the latte which was delicious.
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Loos – 1/5
Cost: Average ($15 for a couple)
Address: 59 Ward Pl, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 580 980
Parking: Available
Vegan options cuisine from around the world found in Sri Lanka
Thai – Dao Krua Thai street food – Vegan options in Colombo
Dao Krua Thai Street Food is a small roadside restaurant offering Asian street food. We had early evening meals there a couple of times and both times absolutely loved it. The food was freshly prepared by the owner who is the main chef and the quality of the dishes was amazing.
There aren’t any vegan options on the menu but going through the menu you can figure out which ones are vegan (or can be vegan by leaving out one thing) and of course, don’t forget to confirm with the waiter. We ordered kangkong (water spinach, an Asian vegetable dish), tofu vegetables curry and rice. The flavours were so great that we came back on the following day and had lunch there again.
Good option if you want something different.
Food: 4.5/5
Ambience: N/A
Cost: $7 per person
Loos: N/A
Address: 618 Colombo – Galle Main Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 77 960 3760
Parking – Street parking on Galle road, can be difficult.
Momo’s by Ruvi – Tibetan vegan dumplings in Colombo
Momo’s by Ruvi is a very nice small eatery tucked away down a dark alley in Bambalapitiya offering some vegan options in Colombo 04. The cafe is decorated with small ornaments, and pictures creating a quirky look.
Momos have a small menu and one of the featured items is vegan.
The Tibetan dumplings are steamed, shallow fried or wok-fried and you can buy a platter of veggie dumplings which are vegan. They are so addictive with really tasty fillings and great sauces. You can either eat in or takeaway. The dumpling price seems reasonable and you are getting the value that you are paying for.
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 2.5/5
Cost: $12 for a couple
Loos: N/A – They will direct you to public loos which you should avoid if at all possible
Address: 43/1D, Galle road, Bambalapitiya, Colombo 00400, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 72 764 1333
Parking – surrounding street parking available. Majestic City, Underground Parking is on the other side of Galle Road
Monsoon – Dishes from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam & Malaysia
Monsoon is a South-East Asian restaurant that serves authentic dishes from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam & Malaysia.
We went here with friends. As my husband and I are both vegans we went for vegan options. The menu doesn’t specify which ones are vegan but you need to select the vegetarian dishes and confirm with the waiter if they are suitable for vegans. The waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and well aware of what vegan means.
The dishes came fast from the open kitchen. We ended up ordering tofu, rice cakes with vegetables in coconut curry, rice with vegetables, rice-paper spring rolls and sliced potatoes. The potatoes were bland and the spring rolls were tasteless. But the rest were very good.
For dessert, we ordered the lemongrass sorbet but a few minutes later the waiter doubled checked with the chef and asked us to change it to sago pudding in coconut milk instead. The dessert was rich and delicious.
Food: 4/5
Ambience: 4.5/5
Cost: Average ($75 per couple with one drink each)
Loos: 4/5
Address: 50/2 Park St, Colombo 00200, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 302 449
Parking – Own car park
Your questions
Where to go for the best vegan Sri Lankan food in Colombo?
Nuga Gama is your best option, it’s not vegan but offers lots of vegan food. Nuga Gama is a village-style restaurant that offers a buffet of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine. The dining area is set up under the 200-year-old Banyan Tree.
Address: 77 Galle Rd, Colombo3 00300, Sri Lanka
Phone: +94 112 497 468
Food: 4.5/5
Ambience: 4.5/5
Cost: Average ($45 for a couple)
Loos: – 5/5
Parking – Valet parking
What’s the best Indian Restaurant in Colombo, Sri Lanka?
Chutneys – Cinnamon Grand Colombo.
Chutney’s menu is divided between the four Southern states of India offering a variety of distinct flavours. For vegans: You’d need to speak to the waiters and insist on asking them to confirm with the chef (something that all Restaurants operated by Cinnamon appear to be comfortable with)
Address: 75 Galle Rd, Colombo 00300, Sri Lanka
Food: 5/5
Loos: 5/5
Ambience: 5/5
Cost: Prices are reasonable: we averaged $20 per person in total.
Parking: Vallet parking or Cinnamon Grand Underground parking
What are the best vegan restaurants in Colombo on a tight budget
Curry Pot Restaurant – Address: 314, 1/A Marine Drive, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Cost: Average ($2 lunch for 2 plus a bottle of water)
Gemi Uyana – Address: No. 397, Galle Road, Colombo 3
Cost: Average ($1 for a meal, this is cheap even for Sri Lanka)
Sri Vihar Restaurant – Address: Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanti Mawatta, No 3, Colombo
Cost: $5 dinner for two
Related articles
Vegan Restaurants in Colombo & 19 Best Vegan Options
Final thoughts
I don’t visit all the restaurants each time I visit Sri Lanka.
Let me know if any of my information is outdated, or if I’ve missed your favourite restaurants.
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