Is it easy to find strictly vegan food in local restaurants?
I am vegan (no dairy, no eggs, no ghee). Will I struggle to find food in everyday local restaurants, or is Sri Lankan cuisine naturally vegan-friendly?
4 Answers from travellers
You are in luck! Traditional Sri Lankan curries are almost entirely vegan. We use coconut milk instead of dairy cream, and coconut oil instead of ghee. Dhal (lentils), jackfruit curry, and gotu kola sambol are amazing vegan staples.
Just be careful with certain sambols and vegetable dishes—always ask if they contain "Maldive Fish" (umbalakada). It is a dried fish flakes used as a flavor enhancer in many vegetable dishes.
Thank you so much! I didn't know about the Maldive fish. I will learn how to say "no fish" in Sinhala just to be safe.
Roti and hoppers are naturally vegan too, but make sure you order plain hoppers, not egg hoppers. Street food is super cheap and mostly plant-based.
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