Best Restaurants in Kandy (2026)

What’s the best restaurant in Kandy? It depends on what you’re hungry for. Mandiya is the pick for home-style rice and curry, Kandyan Muslim Hotel for halal kottu and curries, Balaji Dosai for cheap vegetarian dosas, and Theva Cuisine when you want a view and a special dinner.

This guide covers 21 places across the city centre, the lake and the hills, grouped by what each one does best. Addresses, hours and price tiers are included, so you can build a day around them.

Most are a short walk from the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and Kandy Lake. Two, Theva Cuisine and The Kandy House, sit up in the hills, so you’ll need a tuk-tuk or a driver.

Quick picks

Rice and curry served in Kandy, Sri Lanka

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How we picked these restaurants

We didn’t chase a single score. Each place made the list for what it’s known for, and we show price tiers instead of star ratings because ratings shift all the time.

The list covers the main reasons people eat out in Kandy: local food, halal meals, vegetarian food, views, cafés and nights out. Addresses, phone numbers and hours come from each restaurant’s own pages or its Google Maps and Facebook listings.

Price tiers describe a meal for one person:

• Budget: LKR 500–1,500 – A filling meal at a local eatery, including rice and curry, kottu, dosa or other casual local dishes.
• Mid-range: LKR 1,500–3,500 – A sit-down café or restaurant meal, including main dishes and a drink at many establishments.
• Upscale: LKR 3,500–8,000+ – A special-occasion dinner at a premium restaurant, boutique hotel or fine-dining venue.

Menus, prices and hours change, so check with the restaurant before you travel.

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Where to eat in Kandy by area

Most of these restaurants cluster in the compact city centre around the lake, and DS Senanayake Veediya alone has six of them. Picking by area saves you travel time between meals and sights.

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Local favourites: rice and curry, halal food and dosas

If you want to eat the way Kandy eats, start here. These four range from budget to mid-range and cover rice and curry, halal kottu, South Indian vegetarian food and a heritage café.

1. Mandiya

Best for: home-style rice and curry

Mandiya is a small, home-style Sri Lankan restaurant tucked at the back of a shopping complex on DS Senanayake Veediya. Reviewers love its rice and curry, and a steady stream of locals pick up takeaway. There are only a few tables, so it fills up fast at lunch.

What to order: the rice and curry.

Good to know: go early, since one reviewer warns the food can run out. It sits behind the shops, so it’s easy to miss the first time.

Address: Pushpadana Complex, DS Senanayake Veediya, Kandy
Hours: 9 AM. closing time 4 PM
Price:  Rs. 1,000 per person.

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2. Kandyan Muslim Hotel

Best for: halal kottu, kabul and biryani

Despite the name, Kandyan Muslim Hotel isn’t somewhere to sleep. It’s a busy eatery, and in Sri Lanka a restaurant is often called a “hotel”. It’s known for halal food, including kottu roti, biryani, parotta and samosas, and one food blog says it has been open since 1907.

What to order: the chicken kabul, a roti stuffed with curry, plus kottu or biryani.

Good to know: lunchtime is packed, so arrive a bit before noon or after the rush.

Address: Ward Street, central Kandy. Some listings say Sri Dalada Veediya.
Phone: +94 81 223 2036 and +94 81 222 9129
Price: Price per person: Rs 1,000–2,000

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3. Balaji Dosai

Best for: cheap vegetarian South Indian food

Balaji Dosai is a pure-vegetarian eatery serving South Indian and Sri Lankan dishes like dosa, idli and vadai. It’s cheap and usually buzzing. Locals and visitors both recommend the masala dosa and the cheese dosai.

What to order: a masala dosa.

Good to know: vegetarian doesn’t always mean vegan. Some reviewers report dairy in many dishes, so ask if you eat vegan.

Address: 03 DS Senanayake Veediya, Kandy 20000
Hours: about 7 AM to 10 PM daily.
Phone: +94 81 220 8080
Website: balajidosai.com
Price: per person: Rs 1,000–Rs.2,000

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4. The Empire Cafe

Best for: lunch or coffee next to the Temple of the Tooth

The Empire Cafe takes up the ground floor of the Olde Empire Hotel, a colonial-era building on Temple Street, right opposite the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The menu runs from rice and curry to pasta, salads, sandwiches, soups, cakes and juices, and Time Out calls the rice and curry platter a hit with customers. The décor is retro, with posters and old-style furniture.

What to order: the rice and curry, then a dessert or a cold juice.

Good to know: it’s an easy stop between the temple and the lake, so most visitors just wander in.

Address: 21 Temple Street, Kandy 20000
Hours:7:30 AM and 8:30 PM
Phone: +94 81 223 9870
Price: Rs 1,000–Rs.2,000

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Views and special dinners

Both of these are upscale and up in the hills. Sort out your transport first, and call ahead.

5. Theva Cuisine

Best for: a view and a polished dinner

Theva Cuisine is the restaurant at Theva Residency, a boutique hotel on the Hantana slopes above Kandy. Time Out describes careful presentation, small gourmet-style portions and views of the Hantana range. You don’t have to be a guest, since non-guests can book lunch or dinner.

What to order: the fusion menu, which one guide says draws on Sri Lankan plant-based cooking and daily fresh fish.

Good to know: prices run higher than in the city centre, and a Sri Lankan magazine called them steep. Call ahead for dinner.

Address: Theva Residency, Hantana Road, Kandy
Phone: +94 81 738 8296
Hours: 11 AM–3 PM and dinner 7–10 PM.
Price: Rs. 2,000 – Rs. 3,000

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6. The Kandy House

Best for: a romantic dinner

The Kandy House is a boutique hotel in a restored manor house at Gunnepana, outside the city centre. Its restaurant is known for dinner on a lantern-lit verandah, with a mix of Sri Lankan and European dishes. Every so often it also puts on special Sri Lankan curry dinners, so ask when you book.

What to order: past menus have included fish poached in tea and a spicy chicken biryani, though menus change.

Good to know: it’s roughly 4 to 6 km from the centre, so line up a driver who knows the way.

Address: Amunugama Walauwa, Gunnepana, Kandy
Phone: +94 81 492 1394
Hours: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Price: Rs.2000 – Rs.5000

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Cafés, brunch and vegetarian food

These five suit breakfast, brunch and lighter meals, and two of them are vegetarian.

7. Cafe Nuwara

Best for: a casual meal when the group can’t agree on cuisine

Cafe Nuwara is a relaxed café on DS Senanayake Veediya with a broad menu that blends Sri Lankan and international dishes. Listings show breakfast, lunch and dinner, with pasta, rice and curry, sandwiches and desserts.

What to order: pasta or rice and curry, then dessert.

Address: No. 146, DS Senanayake Veediya, Kandy 20000
Phone: +94 76 022 1222
Price: Rs 1,000–3,000

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8. Fab Ceylon

Best for: a modern café with Sri Lankan and international dishes

Fab Ceylon is a Sri Lankan café and restaurant brand that pairs local flavours with contemporary hospitality. The original branch is on E. L. Senanayake Veediya. A bigger branch, Fab Ceylon Grand, sits on the third floor of a building on DS Senanayake Veediya and is listed as open from 10 AM to 11 PM.

Address: No. 121/3/1, E. L. Senanayake Veediya, Kandy 20000. Fab Ceylon Grand: No. 3/163, Third Floor, DS Senanayake Veediya
Phone (Fab Ceylon Grand): +94 070 771 1777
Website: thefabceylon.com
Price: Rs. 1,000–Rs.6,000

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9. Hungry Brunch Café & Restaurant

Best for: brunch and groups with different tastes

Hungry Brunch mixes café favourites with a wider menu. Listings show smoothie bowls, avocado toast, salads, pasta, snacks and coffee, plus rice and curry. That range helps when one person wants brunch and another wants a full meal.

What to order: a smoothie bowl or avocado toast.

Good to know: online listings give slightly different addresses and phone numbers, so double-check before you head over.

Address: No. 99/2, DS Senanayake Veediya, Kandy 20000.
Phone: +94 77 605 7554
Price: Rs. 1,000–Rs.2,000

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10. Soul Food

Best for: vegetarian and vegan meals

Soul Food is a vegetarian café with vegan options. Published details mention smoothie bowls, fresh juices, coffee, breakfast dishes, toast and other light meals. It makes a nice break from heavier curries.

Good to know: if you have allergies or strict dietary needs, confirm ingredients with staff before ordering.

Address: 48 Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe Mawatha, Kandy 20000
Phone: +94 76 666 7747
Hours: 7:30 AM–9 PM daily
Website: soulfoodsrilanka.com
Price: Rs 2,000–Rs.3,000

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11. Organica Lounge

Best for: a vegetarian café stop in the centre

Organica Lounge is a vegetarian café with vegan options on Yatinuwara Lane in central Kandy. It works well for breakfast, light meals and coffee between shopping and sightseeing.

Good to know: dietary details vary by dish, so ask staff about ingredients.

Address: Yatinuwara Lane, Kandy 20000
Phone: +94 77 630 1625
Hours: 6:30 AM–10 PM
Price: Rs 2,000–3,000

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Japanese food, curries and evenings out

Here you’ll find a Japanese grill, a curry house and three spots for a relaxed night.

12. YakiMaki Japanese BBQ

Best for: Japanese food and groups

YakiMaki specialises in yakiniku, where you grill meat and vegetables yourself on a grill built into the table. The menu also lists sushi, sashimi, ramen, donburi, yakisoba and fried rice. It’s a rooftop restaurant in the Revolucion City building.

What to order: the yakiniku grill, or sushi if you’d rather not cook.

Address: Revolucion City, Rooftop, 475 Peradeniya Road, Kandy
Phone: +94 81 222 3355
Hours: 11 AM–11 PM, as listed by the restaurant
Website: yakimaki.lk
Price:Rs. 2,000–Rs.8,000

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13. The Golden Curry Restaurant

Best for: curry lovers and halal enquiries

The Golden Curry is a curry-focused restaurant in central Kandy, near the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic area. The menu lists beef, chicken and vegetable curries with parotta and roti, and it’s listed as halal-certified.

What to order: a curry with parotta or roti.

Good to know: if halal matters to you, check the current certification with the restaurant.

Address: No. 111/1/1, E. L. Senanayake Veediya, Kandy 20000
Phone: +94 76 669 2222
Price:Rs 1,000–Rs.3,000

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14. Slightly Chilled Lounge, Sports Bar & Restaurant

Best for: friends, sports fans and a relaxed evening

Slightly Chilled is a social restaurant and sports bar near Kandy Lake. Listings mention grilled food, snacks and drinks, and one tour operator describes a rooftop balcony with some of the best views in the city. You come for the evening more than the meal.

Good to know: the venue has several online descriptions, so check the address, seating and hours before you go.

Address: 29A Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha, Kandy 20000
Phone: +94 81 223 8267
Price: Rs 2,000–Rs.6,000

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15. Hideout Lounge

Best for: a casual meal, coffee or a drink near the lake

Hideout Lounge is a restaurant and lounge on Sangaraja Mawatha, close to Kandy Lake. Published details list breakfast, coffee, pizza and all-day meals, with evening entertainment, so it works at pretty much any hour.

What to order: pizza or an all-day main.

Address: 52 Sangaraja Mawatha, Kandy 20000
Phone: +94 81 222 7022
Hours: 7:30 AM–11.00 PM

Price: Rs .2,000–Rs.5,000
Website: hideoutlounge.lk

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16. Scooby’s Hideaway

Best for: burgers, board games and an informal night out

Scooby’s Hideaway is a hidden first-floor venue with themed décor. Menu listings highlight chicken burgers, jackfruit burgers, shrimp wraps and poke bowls, and there are board and card games on the tables. The jackfruit burger is the meat-free option.

Good to know: if you eat strictly vegetarian, ask how the jackfruit burger is prepared.

Address: 160 DS Senanayake Veediya, Kandy 20000
Phone: +94 75 896 4619
Hours: 10.00 AM–11.00 PM

Price: Rs 2,000–Rs.7,000

17. Helga’s Folly

Best for: afternoon tea, a pre-dinner drink, or a dinner that’s an experience

Helga’s Folly is an art-filled hotel on a hillside above the lake, famous for its eccentric, painted interior. It’s part hotel, part unofficial art gallery, and non-guests can eat in the restaurant. One reviewer says the experience matters more than the food, so go for the atmosphere.

What to order: afternoon tea or a drink before dinner.

Good to know: the bar closes at 10:30 PM. Book ahead for dinner, and confirm visiting hours before you go, since listings disagree.

Address: 70 Rajapihilla Mawatha, Kandy (off Mahamaya Mawatha)
Phone: +94 81 223 4571

Hours: 10.00 AM–11.00 PM
Price: Rs.30,000/= – Rs.40,000/=

18. The Whizz (rooftop)

Best for: a rooftop meal in the city centre

The Whizz is a café-restaurant on the fifth floor of a building on Bandaranaike Mawatha, and reviewers single out the evening view from the roof. The menu mixes fried chicken, burgers, pasta and pad thai with mojitos, brownies and fruit ice cream.

Good to know: it’s five floors up, so expect stairs or a lift. Check the lift before you go if mobility is an issue.

Address: 5th Floor, 155 S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike Mawatha, Kandy 20000
Hours: 11:30 AM–10.00 PM
Price: Rs 2,000–Rs.5,000

19. Bommu Rooftop Bar

Best for: cocktails and music by the pool

Bommu is the rooftop bar at Radisson Hotel Kandy, with a pool, cocktails and city views. It suits an evening drink more than a full meal.

Address: Radisson Hotel Kandy, 31 Saranankara Road, Kandy 20000
Price: Rs 2,000–Rs.7,000

20. Honeypot Restaurant

Best for: river views and a relaxed family-run meal

Honeypot is a simple, family-owned restaurant known for a balcony overlooking the river. The menu covers Sri Lankan, South Asian and Western dishes, with a good choice of vegetarian food, and Culture Trip recommends saving room for the Regal Cake.

What to order: a curry or biryani, then the Regal Cake, a chocolate cake with chocolate sauce.

Address: 33 Deveni Rajasinghe Mawatha (War Cemetery Road), Kandy
Phone: +94 81 238 4082
Hours: 8.00 am– 12.00a.m
Price: Rs 1,000–Rs.5,000

21. Licensed to Grill – Permanently closed

Best for: burgers, steaks and wraps on a budget

Licensed to Grill is a small outdoor grill, run as a roadside stall near the park by the war memorial. Reviewers rave about the burgers and steaks.

Good to know: listings give different addresses, so check Google Maps before you go. Hours aren’t published reliably.

Address: George E. de Silva Park area, Kandy (one listing says 186/A Dharmashoka Mawatha)

Phone: +94 81 238 4082
Hours: 8.00 am– 12.00a.m
Price: Rs 1,000–Rs.5,000

Permanently closed

Best rooftop restaurants in Kandy

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Compare all restaurants

Match a restaurant to your plan with this table, then click its name to jump to the address and hours.

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Sri Lankan dishes to try in Kandy

Eight dishes cover most of what you’ll see on a Kandy menu, and several have an obvious place to try them.

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Tips for eating out in Kandy

A few habits will save you time and head off disappointment.

• “Hotel” often means restaurant. Kandyan Muslim Hotel is a place to eat, not to sleep.
• Eat with your right hand at local eateries. Cutlery isn’t the norm there, but staff will bring a spoon if you ask.
• Beat the lunch rush. Mandiya is small and can run out of food, and Balaji Dosai and Kandyan Muslim Hotel get crowded around midday.
• Book ahead in Perahera season. The Esala Perahera usually falls in July or August, and the dates change each year. Hotels and sit-down restaurants fill early.
• Ask about vegan food. Vegetarian dishes may still contain dairy.
• Confirm hours before you go. Listings often disagree, so check the restaurant’s Google Maps or Facebook page, or just call.
• Carry some rupees. Small eateries may not take cards.
• Plan the ride to the hills. Theva Cuisine and The Kandy House are outside the centre, so arrange a tuk-tuk or driver for the trip back too.

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A one-day food and sightseeing plan for Kandy

This plan keeps meals close to the sights, so you spend more time eating than travelling. Feel free to swap in any restaurant from the list.

• Breakfast: dosa at Balaji Dosai, which opens around 7 AM, or a café breakfast at The Empire Cafe.
• Morning: visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a short walk from Temple Street. Dress respectfully.
• Lunch: rice and curry at Mandiya (go early), or kabul and kottu at Kandyan Muslim Hotel.
• Afternoon: stroll around Kandy Lake, then take a coffee break at Soul Food or Organica Lounge.
• Early evening: a drink at Slightly Chilled Lounge or Hideout Lounge, both near the lake.
• Dinner: YakiMaki on Peradeniya Road, or a taxi up to Theva Cuisine or The Kandy House for a special night.

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Best seafood restaurants in Kandy

Kandy is inland, so seafood isn’t the city’s strength, but a couple of places do it well.

• Kandyan King Seafood: a seafood restaurant on DS Senanayake Veediya serving seafood, fish and chips, and Sri Lankan, Asian and Chinese dishes. Address: 136 DS Senanayake Veediya. phone: 0777095677.
• Theva Cuisine: its chef’s special menu, “bringing the sea to the mountains”, features seafood such as chilli crab, per a Yamu review.

Local Kandyan food leans on coconut, spices and rice and curry, not fish, so seafood is the exception here. Tip: at local eateries, order the rice and curry.

Restaurants in Kandy: frequently asked questions

What are the best restaurants in Kandy?

Mandiya for rice and curry, Kandyan Muslim Hotel for halal food, Balaji Dosai for cheap vegetarian meals and The Empire Cafe for a stop by the temple. Theva Cuisine and The Kandy House are the ones for special dinners.

Where can I eat rice and curry in Kandy?

Mandiya and The Empire Cafe both serve it, and so do most local eateries. Get to Mandiya early, because it’s small and can run out of food.

Is there halal food in Kandy?

Yes. Kandyan Muslim Hotel is the best-known halal eatery, and The Golden Curry is listed as halal-certified. If it matters to you, confirm the certification with the restaurant.

Where can I find vegetarian or vegan food in Kandy?

Balaji Dosai is pure vegetarian, and Soul Food and Organica Lounge are vegetarian cafés with vegan options. If you eat strictly vegan, ask about dairy.

Which restaurants are near the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic?

The Empire Cafe is right opposite the temple on Temple Street. Balaji Dosai, Kandyan Muslim Hotel and The Golden Curry are all a short walk away.

Which Kandy restaurants have a view?

Theva Cuisine looks over the Hantana range, Slightly Chilled Lounge has a rooftop balcony, and YakiMaki is a rooftop restaurant on Peradeniya Road.

Where should I go for a romantic dinner in Kandy?

The Kandy House serves dinner on a lantern-lit verandah, and Theva Cuisine adds hillside views. Both are outside the centre, so arrange a driver.

Where can I eat near Kandy Lake?

Hideout Lounge and Slightly Chilled Lounge are both close to the lake, and both stay open into the evening.

What does “hotel” mean on a Sri Lankan restaurant sign?

Plenty of local restaurants in Sri Lanka are called hotels. Kandyan Muslim Hotel, for example, serves food only.

How much does a meal cost in Kandy?

A rice-and-curry lunch at a local eatery sits at the budget end, while Theva Cuisine and The Kandy House are priced for special occasions.

Do I need to book a table?

Call ahead for Theva Cuisine and The Kandy House, and for any dinner during the Esala Perahera.

Where can I eat seafood in Kandy?

Kandyan King Seafood is the most-recommended seafood restaurant, and Theva Cuisine has seafood on its chef’s menu.

What are the best rooftop restaurants in Kandy?

The Whizz, Slightly Chilled Lounge and YakiMaki are rooftop restaurants, and Bommu Rooftop Bar is the rooftop bar to try for cocktails.

Can I eat at Helga’s Folly if I’m not staying there?

Yes. Non-guests can eat in the restaurant, but book ahead for dinner.

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Plan more of your Kandy trip

Now you know where to eat. These guides help with getting to Kandy and moving around.

• Is the Kandy to Ella train actually worth it? 
• Sri Lanka train travel: tickets, classes and Kandy to Ella
• Getting around Sri Lanka: trains, drivers and apps
• Sri Lanka travel budget: what two weeks costs
• The puja city of Kandy
• Dawson Tower on the Colombo–Kandy road

Related articles

• “The Puja City of Kandy”: “…after the temple, here are the best restaurants in Kandy.”
• “Is the Kandy to Ella Train Actually Worth It?”: “Before you leave, see where to eat in Kandy.”
• “Dawson Tower, Kadugannawa”: “Heading on to Kandy? Here are restaurants in Kandy.”

Sources:

• Helga’s Folly official page
• Culture Trip: gourmet guide to Kandy
• Culture Trip: dining in Kandy
• Eat Go See: Helga’s Folly
• Red Dot Tours Kandy guide
• Regency Holidays
• Restaurant Guru: The Whizz
• Radisson Hotel Kandy: Bommu
• Yamu: Theva Residency restaurant
• Wanderlog: Licensed to Grill

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