Where To Eat In Unawatuna

Unawatuna is one of the most popular cities in Sri Lanka for tourists. They have a fantastic main beach, great surfing, hidden beaches, and cute shops. Not to mention it’s only a 10 minute tuktuk ride away from Galle Fort. Of course, if you are staying in Unawatuna you’ll want to know where to eat in Unawatuna. Here are 5 places we recommend for all different types of people.

Nautilus

Nautilus is a great seafood restaurant. As is common in these beach cities, you will see fresh fish and other seafood in front of the restaurant so you can just choose what you like. The restaurant also has great deals of the day. We got Jaffna crab curry with toast, rice, and vegetables for Rs 400 each. Not to mention the fact that it was amazing and a must try in Sri Lanka. The restaurant is very cozy and at dinner time almost all the tables are busy.

The restaurant’s chef actually teaches cooking classes for those who want to learn more about Sri Lankan cuisine. Cody ended up getting the recipe for the crab curry to put up on his site.  In my opinion this is the best place to eat in Unawatuna for the value.

Jina’s Vegetarian And Vegan Restaurant

Jinas is a great vegetarian place with a large variety of tasty food. Cody and I decided to take a break from the meat and seafood for once and eat something healthy.  Jina’s Vegetarian and Vegan restaurant seemed like a good place for us. As we understood it is a family business. The restaurant wasn’t crowded so we were worried that the food is not very good. Cody ordered falafel and I got nachos. And despite empty tables the food was good.

Ok, the nachos weren’t anything special but if you stick with traditional Sri Lankan or Indian food you will be pleased. I don’t understand why he has Mexican food on the menu, but it’s easy enough to avoid.

Daffodil Holiday Resort

This is a cute, cozy restaurant located on the grounds of a hotel. The place is full during lunch and dinner time. The menu has a big variety of burritos and wraps which is perfect for lunch.

We both got their chicken burritos, which were really quite tasty. And I drank fresh coconut that was served in a cute way. The waiters were really nice and the service was good.

Catamaran Pub

Catamaran Pub is a beachfront restaurant. And of course, the best thing about this place is the view, especially during sunset. But the food is quite good as well. The restaurant has a good choice of seafood, and you can choose a fresh fish or crab by yourself.

Another big plus is that the restaurant had hookah and it was not overpriced. You can just meet the sunset on the beach with a glass of cold beer, grilled fish and hookah. How relaxing does that sound?

We did hear some mixed reviews about the Western food during our couple hours enjoying the afternoon, but from experience just stick with the grilled seafood and you’ll be fine.

Taphouse By R&R

If you are looking for where to eat in Unawatuna but can’t find anything you like, you should find your way to Galle Fort. It doesn’t matter if it’s a day trip or you are staying overnight, but it is worth a visit. It is an old Dutch Fort, where you can see the colonial styles buildings and a beautiful light house. Not to mention it’s just a 10 minute tuktuk ride away.

Another thing that you should do in Galle Fort is to eat. The food is great here. And one of the places that is worth your attention is Taphouse by R&R. This restaurant is located in an old two stories building with columns on the first floor. The building used to be the old Dutch hospital, and it has an open terrace in the courtyard.

The place serves good food and beer. I got myself a porkchop and Cody got a crab pasta and I must say the food was delicious. Although for dessert we got churros (my favourite Mexican dessert), but it didn’t look or taste like churros at all. The service here was great and waiters are friendly and nice.

Learn How To Cook Sri Lankan Food With These Recipes:

AMBUL THIYAL – SRI LANKAN SOUR FISH CURRY RECIPE

SRI LANKAN DHAL

SRI LANKAN ROTI

CHICKEN DEVEL (SRI LANKAN DEVILLED CHICKEN)

MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY (SRI LANKAN STYLE)

Where To Eat In Unawatuna