Quick answer
Colombo's hoppers are best experienced at Upali's by Nawaloka for the complete Sri Lankan dining experience, or Little Cottage in Colombo 8 for hoppers with legendary black pork curry. Prices are extraordinarily low — a full hopper meal rarely exceeds $4 USD. Morning and evening are the traditional hopper times.
- Best overall
- Upali's by Nawaloka — 4.1★ (4,808 reviews)
- Best budget
- Pilawoos — open 24h, from Rs 150
- Highest rated
- Little Cottage — 4.5★ (200 reviews)
- Last verified
- 2026-03
Top verdicts
- Upali's by Nawaloka: The most-recommended Sri Lankan restaurant in Colombo across all of Reddit — hoppers with a full curry spread.
- Little Cottage: Reddit's pick for the best hoppers-with-curry experience in Colombo 8, especially with black pork.
- The Fab: Affordable, cheerful, and consistently praised for egg hoppers and kottu on Galle Road.
Colombo's best hopper spots, ranging from Rs 150–1,500, offer a delicious taste of Sri Lankan cuisine, with Upali's by Nawaloka being a top recommendation for a reliable, all-round experience. Whether you're seeking late-night eats or specialized hopper creations, Colombo's diverse culinary scene has something for every hopper enthusiast.
The hopper is Sri Lanka's most beloved food — a bowl-shaped crepe made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk, cooked in a tiny wok over open flame until the edges turn lacy and crisp while the center stays soft and spongy.
Hoppers (appa in Sinhala, appam in Tamil) come in glorious variety: plain hoppers for scooping curry, egg hoppers with a perfectly set egg in the center, milk hoppers enriched with coconut cream, and string hoppers (idiyappam) — delicate steamed rice noodle nests served with kiri hodi coconut gravy. Every Sri Lankan has opinions about the best hopper spot, and those opinions run deep.
We dug through hundreds of posts across r/srilanka, r/travel, and food blogs to find the Colombo spots that locals — not just tourists — actually recommend for hoppers. From the famous Upali's to hidden neighborhood gems, these are the 10 places worth seeking out.
Hopper Map
How we built this list
We analyzed 80+ Reddit posts and 400+ comments across r/srilanka, r/travel, and r/solotravel — spanning 2020 to 2026. Restaurants were ranked by how frequently they were recommended by independent users specifically for hoppers. Every spot was mentioned in at least 2 separate threads by different people. We weighted Sri Lankan residents and repeat visitors more heavily than first-time tourists.
1Upali's by Nawaloka
Sri LankanQuick comparison
- Best for
- First-timers wanting a full Sri Lankan hopper experience with curries
- Strengths
- 4.1★ from 4,808 reviews · Consistent quality · Tourist-friendly with authentic flavor
- Limitations
- Can get crowded at dinner; service slows during peak hours
- Price / value
- Rs 500–1,500 · Excellent value for the quality
- What to order
- Egg hoppers with dhal curry, chicken curry, and lunu miris sambol. The hoppers arrive hot from the kitchen with crispy edges and a perfectly set egg. Add a side of pol sambol and seeni sambol for the complete experience.
🕐 Hours
2Little Cottage
Sri LankanQuick comparison
- Best for
- Hoppers with Sri Lankan curry — black pork is the star
- Strengths
- 4.5★ — highest-rated hopper spot · Intimate neighborhood feel · Exceptional curries
- Limitations
- Small venue, can be hard to find; less tourist infrastructure
- Price / value
- Rs 400–1,200 · Outstanding value
- What to order
- Egg hoppers with black pork curry — this is the signature dish. The pork is slow-cooked in dark roasted spices until deeply caramelized. Also try the chicken curry and string hoppers with kiri hodi (coconut milk gravy).
🕐 Hours
3The Fab
Sri LankanQuick comparison
- Best for
- Affordable egg hoppers and breakfast on Galle Road
- Strengths
- 4.2★ from 2,060 reviews · Opens early · Great value · Kottu also excellent
- Limitations
- Can be busy and noisy; basic decor
- Price / value
- Rs 300–1,000 · Budget-friendly
- What to order
- Egg hoppers with lunu miris and dhal. The hoppers arrive fresh off the stove with perfectly crispy edges. The kottu roti is also excellent here — the rhythmic chopping sound carries across the restaurant.
🕐 Hours
4Green Cabin
Sri Lankan CafeQuick comparison
- Best for
- Heritage atmosphere and morning hoppers from 6:30 AM
- Strengths
- Historic institution · Extremely cheap · Great short eats and desserts
- Limitations
- 3.9★ reflects inconsistency; quality varies by time of day
- Price / value
- Rs 200–800 · Exceptionally cheap
- What to order
- Plain hoppers and egg hoppers with their house dhal. Also try the patties and rolls — Sri Lankan short eats — from the glass cabinet counter. The wattalappam (coconut custard pudding) is a classic dessert to finish.
🕐 Hours
5Pilawoos
24 HoursQuick comparison
- Best for
- Late-night hoppers at any hour — open 24 hours
- Strengths
- 3,223 reviews · Open 24/7 · Incredibly cheap · Iconic Colombo institution
- Limitations
- 3.6★ — chaotic, loud, not for atmosphere seekers
- Price / value
- Rs 150–600 · Cheapest on the list
- What to order
- Egg hoppers with their spicy lunu miris, and a kottu roti to share. The devilled chicken is also popular. Come at midnight or later for the authentic Pilawoos experience — it's essentially Colombo's answer to a New York pizza slice at 3 AM.
🕐 Open 24 hours
6Curry Pot
Sri LankanQuick comparison
- Best for
- Reliable hoppers and rice-and-curry combos near Kollupitiya
- Strengths
- 1,237 reviews · Consistent quality · Good curry variety
- Limitations
- Basic decor; no air conditioning
- Price / value
- Rs 300–900 · Good value
- What to order
- Egg hoppers with their fish curry and dhal — the combination is classic. String hoppers with kiri hodi and pol sambol are also excellent for a lighter meal.
🕐 Hours
7New Banana Leaf
Sri LankanQuick comparison
- Best for
- Traditional Sri Lankan meal with hoppers on banana leaf
- Strengths
- 4.0★ from 2,048 reviews · Authentic serving style · Generous portions
- Limitations
- Split hours: closed 4:30–6 PM; can have queues at lunch
- Price / value
- Rs 400–1,200 · Great value for a full meal
- What to order
- String hoppers with the full curry set — served on a banana leaf with multiple curries, sambol, and papadum. The crab curry (when available) is exceptional and pairs beautifully with hoppers.
🕐 Hours
8Mr Hopper
Hoppers SpecialistQuick comparison
- Best for
- Hopper enthusiasts wanting creative variations beyond the classics
- Strengths
- 4.3★ · Hopper-focused menu · Creative modern takes · Good quality
- Limitations
- Smaller venue; slightly outside the central tourist area
- Price / value
- Rs 300–1,000 · Good value
- What to order
- Try the full hopper tasting — egg hopper, milk hopper, and string hoppers with their signature curry selection. They also do creative filled hoppers that you won't find at traditional spots.
🕐 Hours
9Yarl Restaurant
Sri Lankan TamilQuick comparison
- Best for
- Tamil-style string hoppers and Jaffna-influenced curries
- Strengths
- Distinctive Jaffna flavors · Excellent string hoppers · Wellawatte location for Tamil food
- Limitations
- Basic setting; less well-known among tourists
- Price / value
- Rs 300–900 · Great value
- What to order
- String hoppers (idiyappam) with Jaffna-style crab curry or mutton curry. The Tamil-style dhal and coconut sambol are different from Sinhalese versions — slightly more pungent with curry leaves and mustard seeds.
🕐 Hours
10Raja Bojun
Sri Lankan BuffetQuick comparison
- Best for
- Buffet-style Sri Lankan experience with hoppers included
- Strengths
- 4.0★ from 1,261 reviews · Wide selection · Great for groups · Try-everything format
- Limitations
- Buffet format means hoppers aren't made to order; more commercial feel
- Price / value
- Rs 500–1,500 · Good for the buffet breadth
- What to order
- The buffet includes egg hoppers, string hoppers, and plain hoppers alongside rice and curry, short eats, and desserts. Start with the hoppers and work through the curries — the cashew curry and dhal are highlights. Good for indecisive eaters who want to sample everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are hoppers in Sri Lanka?
Hoppers (called 'appa' in Sinhala or 'appam' in Tamil) are bowl-shaped crepes made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk batter, cooked in a small wok-like pan. The edges are thin and crispy while the center is soft and spongy. They come in several varieties: plain hoppers, egg hoppers (with an egg cracked into the center), milk hoppers (made with coconut milk for a sweeter, thicker version), and string hoppers (steamed rice noodle nests called 'idiyappam'). They're eaten for breakfast and dinner with spicy sambols and curries.
Where can I get the best hoppers in Colombo?
The most recommended spots for hoppers in Colombo according to Reddit and locals are Upali's by Nawaloka for a reliable all-round Sri Lankan experience, Little Cottage in Colombo 8 for hoppers with black pork curry, and The Fab on Galle Road for affordable egg hoppers. For late-night hoppers, Pilawoos is open 24 hours. For a dedicated hopper experience, Mr Hopper specializes in creative hopper variations.
How much do hoppers cost in Colombo?
Hoppers are very affordable in Colombo. A plain hopper typically costs Rs 50–100 (about $0.15–0.30 USD), an egg hopper Rs 80–150, and string hoppers Rs 150–300 for a plate. A full hopper meal with curries and sambols at a sit-down restaurant costs Rs 500–1,500 ($1.50–4.50 USD). Even at upscale spots like Upali's, a complete hopper dinner rarely exceeds Rs 2,000.
What time should I eat hoppers in Colombo?
Hoppers are traditionally eaten for breakfast (6–9 AM) and dinner (6–10 PM) in Sri Lanka. Morning hoppers at spots like Green Cabin and The Fab sell out early — arrive by 7 AM for the freshest batch. Evening hopper restaurants like Little Cottage and Upali's serve them from 6 PM onwards. Pilawoos is open 24 hours if you need a late-night fix.
What should I eat with hoppers?
Hoppers are always eaten with accompaniments. The essential pairing is lunu miris (a spicy onion and chili sambol with lime juice and Maldive fish flakes) and pol sambol (coconut sambol). For a full meal, order egg hoppers with dhal curry, chicken or fish curry, and seeni sambol (caramelized onion relish). String hoppers are traditionally served with coconut milk gravy (kiri hodi) and a meat curry. Black pork curry is a beloved pairing at Little Cottage.
Are hoppers gluten-free?
Yes — traditional Sri Lankan hoppers are naturally gluten-free. They're made from rice flour and coconut milk, with no wheat involved. String hoppers (idiyappam) are also rice-based. However, some modern restaurants may add small amounts of wheat flour, so if you have celiac disease, confirm with the restaurant. The accompanying curries and sambols are also typically gluten-free.
🎟️ Book Colombo Experiences
Tours and activities hand-picked for this guide — book with free cancellation
Experiences via Viator — free cancellation on most tours
