With plenty of coastal areas and a huge fishing industry, Sri Lanka has a variety of seafood options to choose from. From lobsters to mud crab to cuttlefish and prawns, many restaurants are specializing in bringing out tantalizing flavors in these seafood varieties.
Crab Factory – Colombo
A crab specialist restaurant in Colombo is at the Taj Samudra Hotel. An exciting range of crab delicacies are prepared in Asian flavors; each dish cooked to your choice of perfection along with a unique twist. Some popular dishes here are the Tandoori Crab, Black Pepper Coconut Crab, Kerala Crab Curry and Sri Lankan Style Crab Curry. Other seafood dishes such as prawns, cuttlefish and lobsters are also served here.
Ministry of Crab – Colombo
Founded by Sri Lankan cricketing heroes – Mahela Jayawardane and Kumar Sangakkara, in partnership with master chef Dharshan Munidase, the Ministry of Crab was established at the Dutch Hospital precinct in 2012. It did not take time for the restaurant to become very popular amongst locals and tourists – known for its delicious seafood, particularly the sweet and succulent crabs. In fact the founders have recently opened a ‘Ministry of Crab’ branch in Mumbai as well!
Specializing in crabs, the menu offers different sizes of crabs and a variety of ways in which it is cooked. The restaurant only opens in the evenings and reservations are highly recommended, specifying if you would like a table on the inside where the open kitchen shows preparations of your food, or on the outside courtyard that gets lively in the evenings.
The Ocean Seafood Restaurant – Colombo
At Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo, the Ocean Seafood Restaurant offers a fine dining experience with views of the Indian Ocean and the sound of live cooking. Oysters, crab, salmon and lobsters are on the menu along with starch, vegetable and herb options included in your dish. The luminosity of light in the interior of the restaurant creates an essence of elegance. Opening out to the ocean for outdoor seating, a mood of delightful liveliness is automatically created here.
Sea Fish Restaurant – Colombo
Established in 1969, the Sea Fish Restaurant is one of the oldest seafood specializing restaurants in Sri Lanka. Along with local seafood favorite dishes, they also offer pastas, soups, rice and hoppers. The dessert menu consists of fruit salad, chocolate biscuit pudding, bread pudding and jaggery pudding. If you dine here, don’t forget to try the Chili Crab, the Negombo Prawn Curry and the Ceylon Sea Fish Signature Premium Mixed Boat with roast paan on the side.
Lagoon – Colombo
Imagine going into a busy fish market, choosing your fresh fish and sending it to a work station where specialty chefs can prepare that fish in Thai, Sri Lankan, Indian, Chinese or Continental Style! That is exactly what you get at the Lagoon Restaurant – Hotel Cinnamon Grand. Over 40 varieties of crab, lobsters and other fish are displayed. Customers weigh their selection and then have another 30 varieties of sauces which they can choose for preparation of their seafood.
Seafood Cove – Mount Lavinia
If you are looking for a peaceful ambience to indulge in your seafood delicacies with your partner, Seafood Cove is the place to be. Candlelit tables are set besides the beach, giving a feel of the breezy, rustic island atmosphere. Freshly caught seafood from the nearby ocean is displayed on ice until a customer picks what he/she wants to eat and chooses the method of preparation as well – grilled, devilled, sautéed, poached or fried. While you wait for your food, a live band enhances the charisma with soft music in the background.
Moya Restaurant (Negombo)
Moya restaurant is an exclusive fine dining restaurant at the beautiful Amagi Aria hotel in Negombo, offering views of the Indian Ocean and the lagoon. Diners can choose their seafood catch and watch while it is being prepared through the open kitchen.
Lords Restaurant – Negombo
Delicious food and warm hospitality welcomes guests to a one-of-a-kind culinary experience at Lords Restaurant. The wrought iron furniture, sculptures and aqua life presents a unique interior, reflecting the owner’s desire to do things ‘with a difference’. Bright and luminous lights make this restaurant stand out from far away on the roads of Negombo. Seafood dishes such as the batter fried prawns are a specialty here. Other international and Sri Lankan cuisines are also available with special attention to presentation of food.