Colombo is a uniquely exhilarating place. The biggest, busiest and most active city of Sri Lanka is also the commercial capital of the country and brings together a vast number of religions, cultures and communities living together in the city. Due to the city's multicultural society and the large number of Muslim residents living in the city, Muslim travellers will be presented with a wealth of Halal dining options.
With numerous Halal restaurants and eateries available in Colombo, Muslim travellers may need help deciding on what spots to opt for. Hundreds of Halal restaurants and road-side food outlets owned by Muslims are available scattered across the city, serving a tantalising range of local and International Halal food. A few popular spots have been listed below.
Urban Kitchen is a popular restaurant located at Hyde Park, around Colombo 02. It is a famed for its extensive menus - which offer up to 25 pages of dining options - and for its elegant dining atmosphere. In addition to local food, a wide variety of cuisine is available at the restaurant including Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, Thai, European as well as Middle Eastern food. Alcohol is not served at Urban Kitchen and only Halal meats are used in dishes.
Also well-known in Colombo, Sen Saal is joint bakery-restaurant that serves a range of bakery products - such as cakes, pastries and various types of bread - as well as Sri Lankan, Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisine. An attached juice bar is also available.
For Muslim travellers who wish to sample authentic Halal Chinese food in Sri Lanka, the Flower Drum Restaurant is an ideal location. A wide variety of starters, soups, vegetables, noodles, seafood, dessert and set lunches are available at the restaurant, which also offers the option of ordering online or by telephone. To cater to Muslim travellers, only Halal meats are used for all chicken and beef dishes, and non-Halal food items are prepared separately, with different utensils to ensure that there no contamination takes place.
For a comfortable family dining atmosphere, Muslim travellers could try the Amrith Masala Talk - a popular Indian restaurant down Vajira Road, Havelock Town. Though the restaurant specialises in South Indian cuisine, an assortment of signature dishes from across India are available. The restaurant also features a shisha lounge as well as two separate VIP lounges.
A cheap but popular dining spot in Colombo is Hotel De Pilawoos, with over 10 outlets scattered across the city. The 24 hour eatery is well-known for its rich local cuisine which is perfect for a late-night bite or take-away. A must-try dish is the cheese kottu which is a hot favourite amongst locals.
In addition to the restaurants and eateries listed above, several other fast-food chains in Colombo such as McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino’s Pizza, The Sandwich Factory and Dinemore offer Halal food on their menus and are located across the city for easy access.
Plenty more Halal dining options are available in Colombo. The local residents, who are extremely friendly and hospitable by nature, will be more than happy to recommend a few of their favourite dining spots in town. A walk around the city will also reveal several other Halal outlets and restaurants. The options are endless!
