Sri Lanka Vegan: Ultimate Guide For Vegans in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s vegetarian culture

Sri Lanka is a culturally diverse country which is one of the reasons it's so appealing for visitors.

The country is made up of a Sinhala (Buddhist) majority, followed by Tamils (Hindus) and Muslims. This diversity leads to a fascinating blend of culture, religious buildings and ceremonies... and of course, food.

The Sinhalese and Tamil communities eat mostly vegetarian. As Sinhalese make up close to 75% and Tamil close to 13% of the population, you'll be surrounded by vegetarian (and vegan) food.

It's also a good idea to seek out specific Hindu communities in the northern and eastern regions where you'll find even more vegan eats.

 

Eating vegan in Sri Lanka

When it comes to local Sri Lankan food, it's quality over quantity.

Sri Lanka doesn't have a wide array of local dishes - but what it does have is more than enough.

Local food is commonly served buffet style and you only pay for what you eat.

Sometimes locals will personally serve plates of food to foreigners at local buffets as a kind gesture, but don't fret about the amount of food put on your table. You won't be charged for the food you don't eat.

 

Sri Lanka’s most popular meals

The two staples of Sri Lankan food are daal and Sri Lankan rice and curry.

Sri Lankan rice and curry is not as simple as it sounds. You'll usually be served four or more unique and flavorsome curries. I've never had some many single plates of food on my table as I had in Sri Lanka.

Dal is usually eaten with roti, which is an Indian bread similar to naan.

There are two different types of roti: coconut roti and paratha roti.

Coconut roti is always circular shaped and has a thick doughy texture. Whereas paratha roti is thin and flakey. Both are delicious.

 

Where to eat?

You can always find somewhere to eat in Sri Lanka.

Local buffets and bakeries are everywhere.

Sometimes the cheapest meals are found hidden inside tiny convenience stores. While these “restaurants” appear extremely cramped, they serve some of the tastiest and affordable meals in Sri Lanka.

 

Restaurant etiquette

Eating in Sri Lanka is an experience, especially for first-timers.

Locals eat with their hands, but most restaurants will provide cutlery if you prefer.

Every restaurant has a trough for washing hands before and after eating - and with all the tumeric in Sri Lankan food, make sure you scrub well, else you'll have yellow hands.

It's not uncommon for locals to sit next to you in a restaurant - even if tables are available. Sri Lankans don't share the western mentality when it comes to personal space and sharing tables is normal. You'll likely share a few smiles and maybe even a laugh at how you're eating.

You won't always decide what you're eating, either. Local waiters sometimes get excited when foreigners dine at their restaurants and they will automatically serve you what they think you'll like.

But you'll almost always only pay for what you actually eat.

Tipping is common in Sri Lanka, but not always expected. Even tipping small amounts is always received gratitude.

Sri Lanka’s hidden non-vegan ingredients

The most common non-vegan ingredient in Sri Lankan food is ghee. Ghee is a form of butter made from animal fats and is used to cook Sri Lankan curries.

Like all butter, it's non-essential to meals, so simply asking for no ghee doesn't cause many issues at restaurants.

Another hidden ingredient, which caught us by surprise, was the Maldive fish inside coconut sambal. Somewhat naively, we assumed coconut sambal was solely made up of coconut meat. It wasn't until after eating this dish, we found out it commonly contains fish.

Some Sri Lankan curries contain shrimp paste, so be mindful of that when ordering.

If you pay close attention to ghee, shrimp paste and Maldive fish, you shouldn’t have any issues eating vegan in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Breakfast

Local Sri Lankan breakfast is delicious, but it's very different from a typical western breakfast.

Expect string hoppers, daal, coconut roti as standard. You might also be served hoppers, coconut sambal (check if its vegan) and fresh bread.

While breakfast isn't always spicy in Sri Lanka, it often is. It took me a few times to get used to a spicy breakfast - and now I love it.

String Hoppers

String Hoppers are weirdly good.

While they don’t appear overly appetizing, these oddly shaped noodles are a staple of Sri Lankan breakfasts. They are made from rice flour and are often eaten with daal or curry and, of course, with your hands.

Dal and roti

The simplest and probably tastiest of Sri Lanka breakfasts is to dip roti into daal (Sri Lankan lentil curry) and repeat in a foodies' bliss.

Coconut pancakes

These are not your typical pancakes.

A rolled-up yellow pancake is a common item at breakfast or on the go. They are very sweet and resemble more of a stuffed crepe than a pancake.

It can be common to make these with eggs, so check before you eat.

Sri Lankan Lunch and Dinner

There is little variation between meals in Sri Lanka. We would often eat the same meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner - and we're not complaining.

Sri Lankan Rice & Curry

Sri Lankan Rice and Curry is everywhere in Sri Lanka. While there are some meat options, it's most commonly made vegetarian/vegan depending on whether ghee is used.

There are two ways you'll eat rice and curry. One is at a buffet, where you'll serve yourself on a single plate. The other is more likely at a restaurant where you'll be served anywhere between 4-8 plates of varying curries.

Common curries are:

• Jackfruit curry
• Daal fry
• Potato curry
• Pineapple curry
• Eggplant curry

Kottu

Kottu is chopped up roti served with veggies.

The wonderfully obnoxious dish, kottu, can be heard being prepared from the streets as the clang of a cook chopping roti into hundreds of pieces.

Veggie kottu is vegan and one of the cheapest meals you'll find.

Daal and roti

A breakfast, lunch and dinner staple. We couldn't get enough of daal and roti, no matter the time of day or night.