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Hikkaduwa was one of my very last destinations during my Sri Lankan journey across the country, and after endless days lounging about its beaches and eating all the delicious local bites, not to mention visiting the seafood market (where prices are dirt cheap), we swiftly understood the local catchphrase:
“What to do in Hikkaduwa?” Why, all of the above, of course!
This coastal town is one of the most popular beach towns in Sri Lanka. I quickly noticed that restaurants in Hikkaduwa cater to international crowds, but also have a slew of very local eateries. Surfers love it here, so that explains a lot. You’ll find similar vibes as Arugum Bay. In fact, a few restaurants have a branch in Hikkaduwa and then in Arugam Bay, each one opening and closing for the opposite season simultaneously.
So, I took it upon myself to become an expert of the best restaurants in Hikkaduwa (yes, that involves trying all of them). Without further ado, here are the 8 best restaurants in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka.
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- 1. SaltyBeer Restaurant & Bar: All day brunch and open for dinner
- 2. Natura Italian Restaurant: Best handmade pasta in town
- 3. Amaroo Hikkaduwa: Right on the sand
- 4. Sunny Side Up: Incredible vegan
- 5. FRIENDS INDEED: A great space for digital nomads
- 6. Two Brother’s Palace: For authentic Sri Lankan & best curry
- 7. Moon Cafe Restaurant: For poke bowls
- 8. Hello Burger: Naughty but so nice
1. SaltyBeer Restaurant & Bar: All day brunch and open for dinner
If you’re like me and love to discover where everyone is eating based on social media, then you might have already seen SaltyBeer. It’s one of those popular trendy spots serving proper Western-style coffee, i.e., a strong cappuccino, and a good ‘ol granola/smoothie bowl brekkie. For this reason alone, it’s one of my best restaurants in Hikkaduwa.
Local tip: One thing I must say is that Sri Lankan coffee, or “kopi,” isn’t as strong as I like it. I find that their Ceylon tea is more dominant (go figure), which I way preferred to its coffee.
The restaurant/cafe is the sort you find in Bali, you know, hipster-cool-health-conscious vibes — not that I am complaining.
Do yourself a favor and order the pancake (flapjack) stack, or if you’re having lunch, their Pan-Asian style kitchen does an amazing, incredibly fresh salmon tartar, finished with edible flowers. The smoky grilled octopus is also a winner.
2. Natura Italian Restaurant: Best handmade pasta in town
Not in the mood for curry? Similar to other Sri Lankan towns, like Galle, Hikkaduwa is also home to ristoranti serving some mean Italian cuisine.
The best part, well, one of the best, about Natura is that it’s right on the beach! Not to mention the interiors are stylish and exude an elevated coastal kinda feel.
Of course, you have to dive right into the handmade pasta, and if I could recommend any, it’ll definitely be the handmade tagliolini with pork ragu or the hand-rolled fish ravioli with pesto. Order your pasta with a classic caprese salad, and you’re golden!
You’ll also find some excellent pizza fired up in the oven is Napoletana-style, just the way it should be!
3. Amaroo Hikkaduwa: Right on the sand
Amaroo is the type of place, among the best restaurants in Hikkaduwa that just makes you fall in love with Sri Lanka…Feet in the sand, sun beating down on your sun-kissed skin, the smell of salt in the air, and the waves crashing in front of you just a stone’s throw away. Chuck in a delicious meal, and well, this is holiday bliss!
Tables are spread between dried palm leaf-roofs, or you can order your meal from the comfort of one of the beach sun loungers and lap it up right there. It’s all easy breezy feels at this beachfront locale.
Food-wise, it’s a mixed bunch of seafood, Sri Lankan, and some international flavors. But if there’s one thing you have to order, it’s the seafood platter. For me personally, nothing beats seafood when you’re sitting just steps from the ocean. The fish and chips are also super yum.
4. Sunny Side Up: Incredible vegan
Here’s an amazing option for all our plant-based eaters: Sunny Side Up, where you feel the joy in every bite, and can’t help but smile. Whilst most of the menu is vegan, there are also vegetarian and gluten-free picks.
Their magic mushroom burger (and no, it’s not what you think) gets a buttermilk deep-fried coating (if you didn’t know any better, you’d think it was chicken), and is served Southern-style with crunchy slaw.
Open from morning until 10 pm, they serve all-day meals. There’s this gigantic chia seed smoothie that just hits the spot, and is more like dessert than anything else, and all of their drinks and food are just as colorful as the next. And (yay), their coffee is of course brewed with milk alternatives, whether you’re in the mood for a flat white, iced latte, mocha, or even matcha.
P.S. Whilst you wait for your food, or need yours to settle, check out their little clothes corner with some funky tees and more for sale.
5. FRIENDS INDEED: A great space for digital nomads
Come get a morning caffeine kick at FRIENDS INDEED, or swap that buzz for a festive one and order a cocktail with your lunch or dinner instead. The spicy marg is a winner!
Also, super random, but I am a sucker for an incredible Caesar salad. Even if I arrive at a restaurant and am in the mood for something in particular, if I check a Caesar on the menu, that swiftly changes (or I just end up ordering it as a side, anyway). Theirs is scrumptious, and YES, it does have parm and a homemade anchovy dressing. Instead of the classic chicken, you can order yours with prawns instead.
In general, everything here is delicious; it’s kind of hard to choose what to eat. Some of my recommendations include the tuna melt bagel, mango coconut prawn curry, and jackfruit tacos.
This is an ideal work-op space. And if it means anything to you, matcha and coffee are served with Biscoff cookies!
6. Two Brother’s Palace: For authentic Sri Lankan & best curry
No matter which curry you order from Two Brother’s Palace, you won’t be disappointed. This restaurant is like so many of the country’s classic beachside eateries – which I am simply mad about, and just another one of the reasons why I fell head over heels for the island.
If I could spend the rest of my life in my bikini, feet in the sand, eating fragrant seafood curry on the beach, sauce dripping down my hands without a care in the world, I would!
Staff are amazing, super friendly and attentive (another regular you see all over Sri Lanka), and everything about this place feels relaxed. The food can sometimes take a little longer than some of the other best restaurants in Hikkaduwa, but you don’t really care once you’re here.
It’s got that classic Sri Lankan beachy boho feel – no floor, only sand. I love it.
7. Moon Cafe Restaurant: For poke bowls
My friends think I am so weird with this one, but whenever I am hungover, I don’t want a greasy breakfast. Instead, fresh poke bowls (or sushi) are my go-to, hence my favoritism toward Moon Cafe Restaurant, specializing in poke and smoothie bowls. It’s a great post-surf option, too.
But Sri Lanka is the perfect country for them: rice in abundance and the freshest seafood. These ingredients are the ideal makings of a divine poke. They use premium, quality ingredients here, and you leave every time feeling just the right amount of full and very healthy. Apart from the bowls, there are some other dishes, like whole grilled fish and salads.
The cute restaurant is all built from wood, with love letters from guests etched across its planks.
8. Hello Burger: Naughty but so nice
Before you go questioning why a burger joint has made its way onto our list of the best restaurants in Hikkaduwa, have you seen these beasts?! Plus, after I spent a couple of months in Sri Lanka, the first time I ate a burger once I was back home in Hanoi was like eating the best burger of my life!
Also, if you’ve been traveling for a while, I am sure you would agree, sometimes those Western food cravings just hit, and there’s nothing wrong with that. So go, treat yourself and satisfy your cravings.
Expect tall towers with double-loaded patties, right ratios that even Gordon Ramsay would approve, and a perfectly crisp bun. Hello Burger is always busy, FYI.
I’ve been lucky enough to explore the ins and outs of this magical country, and have loads of other food recommendations for other parts other than just these 8 best restaurants in Hikkaduwa.
Eat your way through my list of the 9 Best Restaurants in Negombo, Sri Lanka for Seafood Feasts. Or, if you’re heading to Galle next, here are some excellent restaurant options. If you’re like me and enjoy knowing what the locals eat so you can try for yourself, discover these 11 classic Sri Lankan must-try snacks, which locals call “short eats.”
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