Upali's by Nawaloka

I visited Upali’s On my short trip to Sri Lanka for a dinner with my two friends (2 of us are vegetarians). I went in with really high expectations because every Google search about the best Sri Lankan food places suggested this restaurant, but it really felt short of its reputation. We went at around 8:30 pm on a Sunday and the restaurant was not full, there were 5 to 6 families at max. Despite not being so crowded, nobody came to take our order until 9:30. When I called the waiters multiple times they just blatantly ignored me and went to other tables. The manager even made grumpy and rude faces at me. When the waiter finally came to take our order, he was extremely hasty and wasn’t patient while we spoke to him about the cuisine and enquired what we should get. Many of the things that I wanted to try from the menu were not available in spite of it being a Sunday night. He finally recommended that we go for the Hathmaluwa and Sudu Lunu Roti (and mutton for my non vegetarian friend). The food itself took long to arrive. Now I will not let the poor service cloud my opinion of the food, it was extremely mouth watering and decadent. I would definitely get the same dishes again, however it was not worth all that wait and frustration. The bread was excellent as well— I really liked the flavour of the garlic. However, the portion sizes of the bread were humongous. The food was scrumptious, but the service is unbecoming of the reputation that this restaurant holds, at least on the Internet. I’m not sure if this is a cultural thing in Sri Lanka to take food, especially dinners, very slowly; but the slow service was definitely a shocker. I would love to visit this place under better circumstances once again and then from my actual opinion. However, my first experience was not very enjoyable. In spite of the food being so good, we were so annoyed by the time that it came that we couldn’t enjoy it to the fullest. I don’t think this was because we did not have a reservation because the restaurant was practically empty. I did see the same treatment with another group of people at another table who did seem like outsiders. They have plates signed by all the famous cricketers who had dined there, but their service seemed contrary to this popularity. To sum everything up, good food but horrendous service.

Recently visited Upali’s by Nawaloka. We tried the mix fried rice which was quite flavorful. However, the cheese chicken kottu was a bit disappointing, as the cheese was just placed on top instead of being mixed in. We also ordered a cheese roti but it didn’t meet expectations. The dishes overall were not very spicy. We tried the watalappan as well, but it tasted like it had been refrigerated for a long time. Service was okay, nothing to complain about, but nothing special either.

The highlight of our short stayover at Colombo before heading to explore other parts of SL. When the 2 of us, ordered the Jaffna Crab Curry we were warned that the portion size is usually fit for 3-4 people. And to be fair, it is but little did they know our capacity to devour that delicious crab and soak in all the gravy into our set lunch menu plate with rice, bread and vegetables. I'm going to have dreams about that crab gravy. There were so many other things on the menu that caught our eye but our stomachs betrayed us by only allowing us to eat so much. Coming back again on the next visit to Colombo to savour more.

The service was exceptionally friendly, and the staff took the time to guide us through their extensive menu and explain the dishes. The food was delicious as well. We had roti paratha, veggie curry, prawns, milk hopper and buffalo milk. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a sri lankan experience in Colombo! :)

Fantastic Sri Lankan Fare in Colombo Upali's by Nawaloka is an absolute must-visit for anyone craving authentic Sri Lankan cuisine in Colombo. From the moment you walk in, you'll appreciate the trendy, welcoming atmosphere—it's a chic spot to enjoy traditional food. The location is excellent, too, right in the heart of Colombo and conveniently close to Viharamahadevi Park. The menu truly delivers. Whether you're craving comforting staples like roast paan or looking for perfectly cooked meat dishes, Upali's has you covered. The flavors are genuinely authentic and utterly delicious. If you want a taste of real Sri Lanka in a vibrant setting, make a stop here. Highly recommended!

Greeted with smiles. We had fried rice both chicken and prawns. The isso thel dala was really nice. Spicy but delicious 😋. Also the potato fry was excellent. Service is excellent. The drinks were excellent. Genuine sri lankan culinary experience in the heart of colombo. You got nelum pokuna and the colombo council building for the view. Easy to have a conversation. The watalappan was fantastic as well. I didn't notice any artificial flavors or enhancers. It's a healthy genuine experience. Highly recommend!

Choosing where to spend our final night in Colombo was a saga. After a week of debating, researching, and reconsidering our life choices, we proudly landed on Upali’s. Originally, we had planned on going to Ministry of Crab (MOC), but even after emptying our accounts and borrowing money from ex-friends (ex because I refuse to pay them back), we simply could not justify dropping $200+ on a single meal, especially when we had never even seen a crab up close, let alone eaten one. So, after much back and forth, Upali’s it was. We arrived at 8 PM, an important detail because they close at 10:30 PM, and ordered like two people who had been stranded on a desert island: Pol Sambolaya, Game Batu Moju, Rotis, Mutton Varuwal, Appa (with an extra Egg Hopper), Jaffna Crab Curry, Roast Paan, and a Coke to wash down our questionable decision-making. The service is advertised as slow, and yes, it takes a bit of time, but not in a frustrating way, more like a “good things are happening in the kitchen” way. Egg Hoppers: We got the last egg hoppers of the day and honestly, I am still smiling as I type this. Hoppers have been the high point of our entire Sri Lanka trip and these were no exception. Crispy edges, creamy yolk, and delicious with absolutely anything. If I could have packed a suitcase full of them, I would have, but apparently the people I borrowed money from demanded gifts instead. Selfish, right? Game Batu Moju: We have eaten more Batu Moju on this trip than I would like to admit, but this one was the clear winner. I have never been this attached to eggplant in my life. Every day in Sri Lanka I would text my partner the eggplant emoji and we both knew what it meant: Moju time. Mutton Varuwal and Rotis: The Mutton Varuwal was delicious but dry enough to eat without bread. The Rotis, on the other hand, flaky, crispy, and shimmering with ghee, were a must. Just remember to leave your calorie concerns at the entrance. Then came the big question: should we order the crab? We were full. We were inexperienced. We were afraid. And before I even finished thinking about it, my mouth bypassed my brain and ordered the Jaffna Crab Curry. Now listen, we were crab virgins. The menu suggested asking for help and we absolutely did. Our server, who was also the GM, Mr. Eranda, graciously walked us through Crab 101. Bib on, cracker in hand, we began. Crabs are strange. The meat is amazing, sweet, delicate, almost creamy like sweet corn, but the effort is unreal. I can count on one hand the number of things I have worked that hard for only to get so little in return. By the time I managed enough meat for two bites, it was cold. At several points I genuinely contemplated charging them a service fee for all the labor I was doing. The gravy was fantastic and the Roast Paan soaked it up beautifully, but I was so relieved we had not gone to MOC. I cannot imagine paying $200 to fight for scraps of meat like a medieval knight. We were going so slowly that at one point we genuinely considered asking if we could stay overnight and continue in the morning. We did not even get to have dessert, which was a tragedy because we really wanted to try some. Final Verdict: Despite the crab workout, Upali’s is absolutely worth visiting. Every dish we tried was something we would happily recommend and it deserves a place on anyone’s must-eat list in Colombo.

I tried the Sri Lankan mixed flavors platter and one of their desserts (photos attached). Both were delicious! The waiter was very kind, friendly, and attentive — he even gave us information while chatting with us. One small note: if you don’t want spicy food, make sure to mention it in advance. Overall, it’s definitely a place where you can comfortably enjoy a meal if you’re around. Highly recommended!