Capital Tour By Tuk Tuk · Pettah and local eateries, Colombo
A tuk-tuk takes you through Colombo's back streets to small local restaurants for nine or more tastings, with a market stop and a tea tasting in between. Pick it for an evening when you want to eat where the locals do, and leave very full.
Capital Tour By Tuk Tuk, the team behind the tuk-tuk city tour, picks you up anywhere in Colombo 1 to 15. From the airport it's USD 20 extra by tuk-tuk; from Negombo, USD 45 by car. At the port you meet at the Colombo Lighthouse. Bigger groups split across several tuk-tuks.
The route: Pettah, a tea tasting at Zylen, three local eateries, and the fruit and vegetable market for king coconut. Guests mention hoppers, kottu, northern Sri Lankan dishes and a dessert at the end. Portions are big: "Skip meals in advance to make room" is the most repeated advice. Snacks, an umbrella and all fees are included.
The 3-star reviews are fair. Some found it rushed, about 2 to 2.5 hours door to door. Two called the tea stop a hard sell. Two thought the dessert was supermarket yoghurt with honey. It's most likely curd and treacle, buffalo curd with kithul palm syrup, a real Sri Lankan classic, but say so if you'd rather have another sweet. In a group, one guest's driver spoke no English, so ask for a talking guide.
From your hotel in Colombo 1 to 15, a meeting point, or the Colombo Lighthouse by the port.
A quick ride through the market district.
Ceylon teas at Zylen. Buy only if you want to.
Hoppers, kottu, curries and short eats. Ask to see the kitchen.
King coconut and tropical fruit, then the ride back.
★★★★★Mr Faizal arrived 20 min early. We tuk tuked thru back streets of colombo to 5 spots. It was plenty of food. Faizal was a brilliant guide. [...] Pro tip: Skip meals in advance to make room.
★★★★★The tour guide let us see the kitchen and how the food was cooked which was the highlight for me. Great tour!
★★★★★Romesh & Nuvas were great guides/drivers for our food tour; friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. It was great to eat local delicacies, and the hoppers were a highlight!
★★★★★8 of us friends took 4 TukTuks who collected us promptly from our hotel. [...] The food outlets were well spaced and there was plenty of variation. Food quality was excellent and the portions huge.
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The listing says 2 to 3 hours. Some guests timed about 2 to 2.5 hours door to door, so it's a compact evening.
Nine or more, across three or four local eateries, a fruit market and a tea tasting. Guests mention hoppers, kottu and curries.
Sri Lankan food has many vegetable and dhal dishes. Tell the operator when you book so they choose the right stops.
The tuk-tuk city tour is sights plus one meal over 4 hours; this one is all about food. For a full cooking day, see the market tour and cooking class.
Ready to book
Nine-plus tastings in local Colombo eateries, by tuk-tuk, in two to three hours.
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