Sri Lanka has never really needed to be told to eat less meat. Rice and curry, pol sambol, dhal, mallum – the backbone of everyday Sri Lankan cooking – have always largely been plant-based, rooted in fresh, locally-grown ingredients and centuries of culinary tradition. So, when we set out to explore plant-based eating across three very different restaurants in Colombo, we weren't just looking at menus. We were asking: how does a food culture that has long known how to eat well from the earth sit alongside a modern dining scene that is still finding its footing?
Where the old ways still shine
Upali's by Nawaloka was our most memorable stop, and not just because of the food. We visited their Avurudu sweets action station, where everything was made fresh in front of us. An aunty worked the station with quiet confidence, turning out konde kaum, asme, pani wallalu, and kokis with the kind of ease that only comes from years of practice. Each sweet was made with ingredients that have been part of Sri Lankan kitchens for generations: rice flour, coconut, and treacle.
What struck us most was how effortlessly plant-based it all was. There were no labels, no asterisks on the menu, no conscious positioning. It simply was what it was: traditional food, made well, with ingredients sourced from the land. In many ways, Upali's made us reflect on the fact that Sri Lanka has never really lacked plant-based inspiration.
When good intentions break the norm
Cheers Pub at the Cinnamon Grand is a very different kind of space. The atmosphere is welcoming, and it is easy to settle in. The plant-based options are limited, but they exist, and that matters. A mock duck dish and a panko-crumbed mushroom dish both show a kitchen willing to experiment, even if the menu as a whole isn't oriented toward plant-based or vegetarian dining.
There's something worth appreciating in that small step. Pubs and casual dining spots aren't typically frontrunners in plant-based dining, but spaces like this are exactly where the shift needs to happen if plant-based eating is going to move beyond the niche. We'd love to see those options expand, and perhaps lean more into locally-sourced produce to give them a more grounded identity.
Clean eating, carefully executed
Seed Cafe wears its values openly. The menu reflects the cafe’s philosophy of clean, healthy food with a good spread of vegan and vegetarian-friendly options. We had the Seed Avocado, a generous avocado on sourdough toast with pickled vegetables, and the Vegan Nutty Granola served with coconut milk. Both dishes were simple and well put together. The coconut milk felt like a nod to local ingredients, which we appreciated.
That said, fully plant-based choices were fewer than we expected, and compared to the rest of their menu, they felt slightly cautious. For a cafe that's clearly given considerable thought tot where its food comes from, leaning further into Sri Lanka's wealth of plant-based, locally-sourced ingredients could take their offering from good to genuinely exciting.
A scene in motion
Across three very different spaces – a traditional sweets counter, a casual pub, and a health-conscious cafe – what became clear is that Colombo's relationship with plant-based food is layered. The foundation has always been there, in home kitchens, festival tables, and village cooking. This foundation, together with changing consumer preferences, has gradually influenced modern dining spaces to introduce more plant-based options and contribute to a broader shift towards more sustainable food systems.
Sri Lanka has never really needed to be told to eat less meat. Rice and curry, pol sambol, dhal, mallum – the backbone of everyday Sri Lankan cooking – have always largely been plant-based, rooted in fresh, locally-grown ingredients and centuries of culinary tradition. So, when we set out to explore plant-based eating across three very different restaurants in Colombo, we weren't just looking at menus. We were asking: how does a food culture that has long known how to eat well from the earth sit alongside a modern dining scene that is still finding its footing?
Where the old ways still shine
Upali's by Nawaloka was our most memorable stop, and not just because of the food. We visited their Avurudu sweets action station, where everything was made fresh in front of us. An aunty worked the station with quiet confidence, turning out konde kaum, asme, pani wallalu, and kokis with the kind of ease that only comes from years of practice. Each sweet was made with ingredients that have been part of Sri Lankan kitchens for generations: rice flour, coconut, and treacle.
What struck us most was how effortlessly plant-based it all was. There were no labels, no asterisks on the menu, no conscious positioning. It simply was what it was: traditional food, made well, with ingredients sourced from the land. In many ways, Upali's made us reflect on the fact that Sri Lanka has never really lacked plant-based inspiration.
When good intentions break the norm
Cheers Pub at the Cinnamon Grand is a very different kind of space. The atmosphere is welcoming, and it is easy to settle in. The plant-based options are limited, but they exist, and that matters. A mock duck dish and a panko-crumbed mushroom dish both show a kitchen willing to experiment, even if the menu as a whole isn't oriented toward plant-based or vegetarian dining.
There's something worth appreciating in that small step. Pubs and casual dining spots aren't typically frontrunners in plant-based dining, but spaces like this are exactly where the shift needs to happen if plant-based eating is going to move beyond the niche. We'd love to see those options expand, and perhaps lean more into locally-sourced produce to give them a more grounded identity.
Clean eating, carefully executed
Seed Cafe wears its values openly. The menu reflects the cafe’s philosophy of clean, healthy food with a good spread of vegan and vegetarian-friendly options. We had the Seed Avocado, a generous avocado on sourdough toast with pickled vegetables, and the Vegan Nutty Granola served with coconut milk. Both dishes were simple and well put together. The coconut milk felt like a nod to local ingredients, which we appreciated.
That said, fully plant-based choices were fewer than we expected, and compared to the rest of their menu, they felt slightly cautious. For a cafe that's clearly given considerable thought tot where its food comes from, leaning further into Sri Lanka's wealth of plant-based, locally-sourced ingredients could take their offering from good to genuinely exciting.
A scene in motion
Across three very different spaces – a traditional sweets counter, a casual pub, and a health-conscious cafe – what became clear is that Colombo's relationship with plant-based food is layered. The foundation has always been there, in home kitchens, festival tables, and village cooking. This foundation, together with changing consumer preferences, has gradually influenced modern dining spaces to introduce more plant-based options and contribute to a broader shift towards more sustainable food systems.
