By Sawbhagya Perera
A good Kottu is an instant mood fixer. Therefore, for the love of the street food sensation of Sri Lanka; Kottu, we decided to dig into some of the best Kottu joints in the Colombo area, so that you can drop by and enjoy with your family and friends.
1. BARS cafe
Being in town for quite some time, BARS cafe is a restaurant that has evolved in every way; calming interior décor, friendly ambiance, and a variation of exquisite dishes. Start with a promising dish of hot butter cuttlefish or battered fried fish for the appetizer.
They have a delicious range of kottus like grilled chicken kottu and double egg omelet kottu, but they are best known for their signature beef kottu. Paring your kottu with a heavy milkshake is sure to make a filling meal. For desserts, BARS cafe has a yummy chocolate biscuit pudding, chocolate mousse, and more to choose from!
Location – No. 156 Thimbirigasyaya Rd, Colombo, Sri Lanka (Less than half a kilometer from Healthguard Pharmacy – Thimbirigasyaya)
Price Range – 1000LKR – 1700LKR for two
Opening Times – 10 a.m. to 10 p.m
Contact Number – +94114369393
Visit their Instagram page @barscafe.sl or Facebook page @barscafesl
Or visit their website for more information.
2. Hotel De Plaza
Hotel De Plaza, simply called by regulars as “Plaza” is one of the very few restaurants in Colombo that has an unbelievably wide variety of Kottus in town! The roasted chicken cheese kottu, roasted chicken masala kottu, and their signature chicken cheese dolphin kottu are the three most loved kottus in the restaurant, typically devoured with iced milo. Though Plaza is not your fancy restaurant, it’s the local’s go-to for a scrumptious kottu bite even at 3 am as it’s open 24 hours.
Location – No. 329, Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka (1km from Gangarama Buddhist Temple)
Price Range – 700LKR – 1500LKR for two
Opening Times – Open 24 hours
Contact Number – 011 485 2600
Visit their Instagram page @hoteldeplaza or Facebook page @hoteldeplaza for more information.
3. The Embazzy
Resting on the fancy side of restaurants, The Embazzy is ideal for your dinner date, or simply to spend quality time with your friends and family. It’s one of those restaurants which serve everything with a theatrical flair. The mutton cheese kottu is a must-try on their menu. Their cheese kottu range also has chicken, pork, and egg kottu to choose from. Don’t forget to order their incredibly refreshing virgin mojitos and mouth-watering loaded fries for the appetizer. Complemented with the great interior décor and the friendly ambiance, it was definitely a win for us!
Location – No. 76/1, Flower Road, Colombo 07, Sri Lanka (
Price Range – 600LKR – 2500LKR for two
Opening Times – 7 am to 10 pm
Contact Number – 0112 576 027
Visit their Instagram page @theembazzybistro or Facebook page @theembazzy
Or visit their website for more information.
4. Mr. Kottu Grand
Mr. Kottu is a famous chain of restaurants loyally dedicated to kottu lovers. If you are craving a gooey seafood cheese kottu, we recommend Mr. Kottu Grand. Their signature “Sinhala Ariya Kottu” is an absolute spicy banger too! Regulars normally order the iced milo with a kottu dish as it is the perfect delight after a chili hot kottu. Apart from kottu, Mr. Kottu Grand also serves burgers and short eats to prepare your appetite for a grand kottu meal!
Location – No. 293, Thalapathpitiya Road, Nawa Rohala, Sri Jayawardenapura (500m from Cargills food city Thapathpitiya)
Price Range – 350LKR – 1000LKR for two
Opening Times – 9:00 am to 11:00 pm
Contact Number – 0112 778 440
Visit their Instagram page @mrkottu or Facebook page @mrkottu.grand for more information.
5. The Vegan
You may be vegan; you may be not; the bottom line is; you will absolutely love these kottu dishes. The Vegan has a classic kottu range including kochchi kottu, cheese kottu, and devilled mock meat kottu but you must try their two signature vegan kottus; “Shiitake Mushroom Kottu” and “The Sri Lankan’s Kos Kottu (Jackfruit Kottu)”.
Their appetizers include crispy mock meat nuggets, hot battered mushrooms, salads, and more. Enjoy a mouth-watering Sri Lankan vegan kottu with a refreshing passion fruit mojito!
Location – No. 50/1 Old Kesbawa Road, Raththanapitiya, Boralesgamuwa 0094 Colombo, Sri Lanka (Opposite side of the road to Keells Super Raththanapitiya)
Price Range – 500LKR – 1500LKR for two
Opening Times – 10.30am – 10pm
Contact Number – 0113 640 470
Visit their Instagram page @theveganlk or Facebook page @theveganlk.
Or visit their website for more information.
6. Kottu labs
You get to be the master chef of your own kottu at Kottu Labs as you can create your own recipe! That’s pretty fun, isn’t it? We got to experiment and have fun with choosing the right ingredients for our palate. If not, “Classic Seafood Kottu” and “Cheesy Chicken Kottu” are local favorites from their signature kottu dishes. And many love the pineapple fries for starters with a glass of refreshing iced milo.
Location – No. 31, D. M. Colombage Mawatha, Nawala Road, Nugegoda 10250 (3km from DFCC Bank Nugegoda)
Price Range – 800LKR – 2000LKR for two
Opening Times – 11am – 11pm
Contact Number – 077 6680 000 / 011 2 822 858
Visit their Instagram page @kottulabs.lk or Facebook page @kottulabs.lk.
Or visit their website for more information.
7. Hotel De Pilawoos
Hotel De Pilawoos aka Pilawoos is an all-time favorite eatery for locals around Colombo. This chain of restaurants is popular among youngsters at it is the ideal place to grab a quick late-night snack after a drink or two. Definitely try their devilled chicken and cheese kottu with a glass of iced milo or a milkshake for a filling meal. They also have burgers, rotis, and noodles with delicious twists to them. Prices are relatively cheap as well!
Location – 163, Main Street, Battaramulla 10120 Colombo, Sri Lanka (200m from The Fab Battaramulla)
Price Range – 350LKR – 1000LKR for two
Opening Times – Open 24 hours
Contact Number – 077 336 6571
Visit their Facebook page @pilawoosbattaramulla for more information.
