Ceylon Tables Kandy Food Tour with 15+ Tastings

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Kandy City Center

  Kandy was the last great stronghold of Sri Lanka's kings, a mountain-ringed capital where ancient Sinhalese traditions survived long after European powers had taken control of the coast. Over four hours and 15+ tastings, we're leaving the tourist trail behind, jumping aboard tuk tuks to explore the roadside kitchens, women run co-ops and food specialists around Kandy's lush surrounding hills. Before we get started, our tour reflects the local cuisine and traditional eateries may not be able to accommodate every dietary restriction. Please let us know about any requirements before booking so we can advise whether the experience is suitable.
 ✓ Suitable for vegetarians, pescatarians, no pork diets, mild nut allergies, and no seafood diets. None of the stops are halal certified but all tastings can be vegetarian. ⚠ Possible for vegans, gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance, though some tastings may be unsuitable.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 2
  Kandy City Center

  Begin outside the historic Bake House with a proper Sri Lankan breakfast. Attack wandu adai, soft steamed rice cakes, sticky-sweet jam paan buns and a steaming cup of kiri thé, the strong, milky tea that fuels much of the island. Ceylon tea may have conquered the world, but it tastes considerably better on home turf. Then jump aboard our tuk tuks. Buzz past Kandy's historic clock tower and leave the city bustle behind for winding roads, tropical greenery and glimpses of the lake. Our next stop is a small women-run cooperative serving traditional Sri Lankan breakfasts. Slurp down kola kanda, a nourishing herbal rice porridge made with leafy greens, before unwrapping helapa, sweet finger millet cake steamed inside a fragrant leaf. Then comes kiribath, creamy coconut milk rice traditionally served at celebrations and auspicious occasions. Alongside, crisp ulundu vadai, savoury lentil doughnuts, arrive with fiery chilli and coconut sambals.

  45 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 3
  Kandy District

  First, a roadside pit stop for fresh king coconut, its naturally sweet water providing a welcome break from the tropical heat. Then we're attacking another round of Sri Lankan favourites. Bite into golden polos cutlets, crisp fritters made with young jackfruit, an ingredient that has fed Sri Lankan households for generations. Follow them with sambala pittu, crumbly steamed rice-flour cakes, before tackling string hopper kottu. Unlike the better-known flatbread version, this local favourite uses delicate nests of rice-flour noodles, chopped and tossed with vegetables over a hot griddle. Ours comes with piquant kade sambol and rich tomato curry. Wash everything down with diwul kiri, a creamy, sweet-tart drink made from wood apple. It's one of those distinctly Sri Lankan flavours that rarely makes it beyond the island.

  45 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 4
  Kandy District

  Back into the tuk tuks. The roads twist through thick greenery, with the hills rising around us and Kandy's lake occasionally flashing between the trees. We're heading for Sujika's hut, where coconut rotis are still cooked the old-fashioned way over an open fire. Watch as the dough hits the heat, blistering and charring until the outside develops smoky, golden patches. These humble flatbreads are made with flour and freshly grated coconut, then cooked using little more than fire, experience and a well-practised pair of hands. Tear into the warm rotis with spicy sambal and comforting parippu, Sri Lanka's beloved red lentil curry, gently simmered with coconut milk, curry leaves and aromatic spices. No fancy equipment. No elaborate presentation. Just one of the island's great everyday foods, prepared the traditional way.

  45 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 5
  Kandy District

  Still hungry? Good. We're saving the heavyweight for last. Pull up a chair for a proper Sri Lankan banana-leaf feast, the sort of generous spread that brings together the island's extraordinary rice and curry traditions. Expect nutty sahal red rice, rich slow-cooked beef curry, fresh gotu kola pennywort salad and crisp papads, alongside fragrant curries packed with the spices that made Sri Lanka famous. Rice and curry might sound like a simple meal, but the magic lies in the contrasts: rich and fresh, fiery and cooling, crunchy and soft, all eaten together in one glorious spread.

  45 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 6

  Climb back into our tuk tuks for the journey into central Kandy, where there's time for one final raid on the city's bustling Central Market. Explore stalls piled high with tropical fruits, discovering the extraordinary variety grown across Sri Lanka's different climates. Then finish with one of the island's great desserts: thick, tangy buffalo curd, drizzled with golden homemade treacle. The sharpness of the curd against the deep sweetness of the syrup is a combination Sri Lankans have enjoyed for generations.

  45 minutes • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Not recommended for severe allergies

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