Galle Fort is a fabulous place for an amble. Whether you’re in mood to shop (there are plenty of boutiques to discover, though prices are sometimes higher than elsewhere), stroll along the ramparts or visit the historic town’s multitude of heritage museums, there’s plenty here to help you work up an appetite.
Feeling peckish? From Lankan coffee and light lunches to sweet treats, short eats and romantic dinners, there are no shortage of cafés, restaurants and little eateries to sate your hunger. As regular diners in the Fort, we’ve picked out a few of our very favourite food and drink spots in the list below.
It’s worth noting that liquor licences are difficult to obtain across Sri Lanka – and even more so within the Fort. Many establishments do not serve alcohol, but will often be happy for you to BYOB. Call ahead or check before ordering. If you need to nip to a wine store, one of the best is M. P. Gomez & Sons – hiding on Havelock Road in Galle town, right behind the main bus stand (next to the train station). Several spots are also cash only. If you need to withdraw some readies, there are ATMs on Church Street and near the roundabout at the main gate.
For a morning coffee or a scrummy snack…
Heritage Café & Bistro
Corner of Pedlar & Lighthouse Streets | @theheritagecafeandbistro
Grab a seat amongst brightly painted antiques and trailing birds of paradise to enjoy a cracking coffee or brunch in the shade. The staff are friendly and efficient, plus the cakes are delicious. There’s also a selection of lunch and dinner dishes, though the sweet treats and smoothies are the real highlight. Reopening late 2022
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Isle of Gelato
60a Pedlar Street | @isleofgelato
As refreshing as scooped snacks can be, Isle of Gelato serves up ice-cold delights all day long. Stick with classic dark chocolate or branch out with mouth-watering lychee sorbet, sea salt caramel, coconut or myriad more. Dairy-free alternatives are available – and there’s a whole host of great flavours to sample and savour. Hide away on the first floor for a view of the rooftops, or take your cone out on the ramparts as you continue your coastal explorations. Open daily 10.00-22.00
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Pedlar’s Inn Cafe
92 Pedlar Street | @pedlarsinn_cafe
A classic choice for a meal or snack at any point during the day, Pedlar’s is a Galle Fort institution – even more so following its endurance during the 20/21 season, when little else in the Fort stayed open. This is a friendly spot for a big cooked breakfast, a milkshake or a pizza on Galle Fort’s main thoroughfare. The sister café across the street serves takeaway ice cream, there’s a lovely jewellery shop inside and the group have a fun hostel just around the corner – peddling in all its forms. Open daily 7.30-22.00
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Dumplings Cafe
58 Pedlar Street | @dumplingscafelk
A hole-in-the-wall eatery just opposite Barefoot, this little nook does a roaring trade in Asian street food. Pop in to order your dumplings boiled or fried, then pick a perch just inside to gobble them – or take your eco-friendly banana leaf and plate up to the ramparts for a packaged snack with a seriously striking view. There’s great iced coffee and moreish bao buns, too. Open daily 10.00-17.00
For a lovely lunch…
Elita Fish Restaurant
34 Middle Street | @elitarestaurant
Chef Krishantha prides himself on creating mouth-watering seafood dishes using the freshest local ingredients. Perch at one of the bright yellow terrace tables during the day, head upstairs to the make the most of the harbour views or dine street-side in the evenings, when the whole place is lit with twinkling fairy lights. Choose your fish, select a sauce and savour a taste of the south coast, grilled to perfection. Try crab and huge prawns in flavoursome curries or with green salads and chips for a relaxed lunch in the heart of the Fort. Open daily 08.00-23.00
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Hoppa
20 Pedlar Street | @hoppagallefort
Hands-down one of Sri Lanka’s top dishes, the humble hopper is a highlight of any trip to the island. Nab a table at pint-sized Hoppa for the luxe version of this signature street snack. Bowl-shaped fermented rice flour pancakes come plain or filled with a fried egg, and are best dipped in spicy lunu miris – a zingy onion and chilli sauce with a serious kick. With a whole host of local flavours on the menu, this is a superb spot for a quick lunch or tasty Lankan dinner with a modern twist. Open daily 11.30-21.30
For a special evening…
Clamber up to the little bar atop Fort Dew Guesthouse, close to the Buddhist Temple on Rampart St, for a cold beer or a lime soda at sunset. Simple and friendly, this is a great spot to watch an impromptu game of cricket on the grass below, as monks from the temple light the candles at the shrine beneath the big Bo tree and the sun slips away over distant waves. A firm favourite for our first tipple of the evening. Hole up here or venture onwards for more of what the Fort has in store…
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AQUA Forte & AQUA Pizza
62 Leyn Baan St | @aquaforte.galle
Step off the narrow cobbles of Leyn Baan street and through the arches of AQUA Forte for top-notch Italian cuisine in an atmospheric setting. From squid ink tortellini to fresh fish dishes, the fare here is sumptuous and truly scrumptious. Equally compelling is the wine list: peruse pages of pairing suggestions while sipping a Negroni – or tap into the proprietor’s extensive knowledge for vino to tantalise the palate. Leave space for dessert: the tiramisu is to die for – and best enjoyed with a glass of limoncello. Heading out for a romantic meal? This place is perfetto. Open daily 12.00-22.00
56 Leyn Baan St | @aqua.pizza
Just a few doors down sits the team’s second venture — AQUA Pizza. Tuck in to terrific Neapolitan pizza with a beer or two. Casual and friendly, this is a great spot for a simpler dinner. Walk through to the courtyard at the back for a perch with a view of the pizza oven and the best ambience. Open daily 12.00-22.00
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The Galle Fort Hotel
28 Church Street | @galle_fort_hotel
Our top spot for a smarter early evening drink, the terrace at the gorgeously restored Galle Fort Hotel is a very special spot. Sit steps back from the street with a cold beer or a glass of rosé as night falls, peering out at the cobbles through huge wooden shutters. Reminiscent of a bygone era, this historic merchant’s house turned boutique hotel has won a UNESCO award for heritage architecture. Don’t leave without admiring the art on the walls of the dining room, bar and sitting area. The uplit courtyard pool also looks magical in the evenings – settle in for a romantic dinner at one of the nearby tables to soak it all up. Open daily
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Sugar Bistro
Dutch Hospital Precinct | @sugarbistro
An offshoot of the Colombo-based Sugar brand, Sugar Bistro is nestled on the ground floor of the Fort’s renovated Dutch Hospital, now filled with shops and restaurants. Recline here with a sundowner in the courtyard overlooking the frangipani trees. Sugar Bistro offers great cocktails in a laid-back setting, as well as excellent nibbles and dinner dishes. You can’t go wrong with a vegetable korma or crab kotthu. Open daily 08.00-00.00
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Church Street Social
26 Church Street | @teardrop_hotels
Another wonderful boutique property, the Fort Bazaar boasts a striking tiled terrace that’s home to Church Street Social. Between the outside tables, the dining room proper and the beautifully-appointed bar, there’s no shortage of places to perch. Pop in for a cooling lime soda or a fresh seafood lunch after a morning spent exploring, or return for an atmospheric evening experience. The menu offers a lovely mix of local and Western dishes, there’s a great drinks list and plenty of cracking curries to savour. Open daily
Read our full review of Fort Bazaar here
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The Mer.chant
64 Pedlar Street | @themer.chant
A recently restored merchant’s home dating back to 1710, this boutique hotel is set around an expansive courtyard. Think woven lights dangling from leafy branches, prettily painted shutters and oversized peacock chairs – a fun, fresh feel in an historic setting. The bar is awaiting its liquor licence (notoriously tricky to acquire, as above) so you’re welcome to bring a bottle of your own – or to sip tasty mocktails before savouring Sri Lankan flavours with a modern twist. Open daily
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The Fort Printers
39 Pedlar Street | @thefortprinters
Not a place to get your postcards printed, The Fort Printers is in fact a striking heritage establishment – formerly a school, before its turn as a print house. The 18th-century building is now home to an atmospheric restaurant, a range of authentically restored rooms and several secret entrances. Take a seat on the street-side terrace to watch the world go by, perch inside for low-lit ambience or dine in the courtyard for a cosy al fresco affair. Culinary offerings centre around fresh seafood – we’re big fans of the tuna sashimi. Open daily
Read our full review of the Fort Printers here
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The Bungalow – Crab & Co
3 Lighthouse Street | @thebungalowgallefort
A recently reopened offshoot of a nearby boutique hotel, The Bungalow — previously called Crab & Co — is a stylish courtyard restaurant serving some of the Fort’s most spectacular seafood in stunning surroundings. With luxe modern design and cosy seating set against a backdrop of the building’s original exposed brick walls and floors, The Bungalow has an appealing sense of drama. Share a bottle of wine or sip a cocktail as you demolish freshly caught fish or show-stopping prawn curry. Open daily