Street Eats To Try In Colombo – Quick Island Snacks

Isso wades are the most scrumptious and easiest to find street food! Isso wades are basically deep fried prawns served on a rounded disc shape of deep fried lentils. This spicy dish is not for the faint hearted; as it is packed with spice and flavour and will almost leave you in tears if you're not a fan of chilli! Isso wades are usually sold at small street carts on the famous Galle Face Green stretch. You should definitely head over here in the evening for a quick snack if you've run out of things to do in Colombo.

Kottu is a mouth watering delicacy served in many restaurants and street vendors around the city and country. This dish is a common dinner time in many households. Kottu is a perfect concoction of chopped up roti mixed well with lightly tempered onions, leeks, onions and an assortment of other vegetables. This is then mixed together with a curry with large metal blades on an open oven. You can choose whether to opt for an egg, vegetarian, cheese, chicken or seafood dish.

Hoppers are the local version of a pancake; made with a similar batter with a slight addition of coconut milk, this dish is a favourite amongst tourists! Hoppers are either served plain or with an egg cooked at the base of the hopper. They can be eaten with a serving of lunu miris; a spicy onion pickle and with a spicy curry!

Sri Lankan rice and curry is a common favourite and a staple in almost every local household. Rice and curry can be found in almost any restaurant, with varying tastes and side dishes. Many restaurants around the country such as Rare at Residence by Uga Escapes serve local rice and curry on their lunch menu. Although vegetables and curries on offer may vary according to the type or restaurant and the price per dish, you should definitely try it out for a true taste of local cuisine! Keep in mind to have a glass of cold water next to you while enjoying this meal as it can get quite spicy.

If you're travelling by public transport quite often in Sri Lanka, you will come across a number of small vendors located outside or near the train and bus stations, serving a bunch of fried goodies. One such fried delicacy is samosas. Samosas are either packed with a mix of meat and vegetables or just vegetables before being coated with a light crispy outer layer, making it a delicious mouth watering snack! Samosas usually come in the shape of a triangle and are quite cheap to buy, however, it is packed with spice and if you're not too used to eating spicy food, do keep a bottle of cold water near you.