Rice and Curry
~$4Vegetarian option
Rice and curry here leans on the lagoon and coast: a fish or prawn curry alongside the usual vegetable and dhal sides.
Food & Dining in Chilaw
Local dishes to try
Kottu Roti
~$4Vegetarian option
Chopped flatbread stir-fried with vegetables, egg or meat — a filling dinner-time staple sold at roadside kades around town.
Hoppers
~$3Vegetarian option
Fermented rice-flour pancakes, usually eaten at breakfast with a spicy lunu miris sambol or a coconut-milk curry.
String Hoppers
~$3Vegetarian option
Steamed rice-noodle nests served with curry and coconut sambol — a lighter alternative to hoppers, common at breakfast.
Lagoon Crab and Prawns
~$8Vegetarian option
Chilaw's lagoon and fishing harbour supply crab and prawns to kitchens along the coast road — the town's most distinctive dish, usually served in a dark, chilli-heavy Sri Lankan-style curry.
Ready to visit Chilaw?
Get a personalized itinerary built around Chilaw — free to start.