After months of talking about trying this place, we finally went -- and it was worth the drive! (And we should have gone sooner!) We loved that they were flying the Sri Lankan and US flags out front, it helped us find it in the strip mall. :) We wanted to try a few of my favorites -- string hoppers, hoppers, chicken kotthu, chicken curry and masala vadai (lentil fritter appetizer). None of it disappointed! My husband and daughter both loved the masala vadai, hoppers and chicken curry. We all enjoyed the real Sri Lankan drinks they had -- Dilmah brand! -- and sodas. It'd be great to add beer to the menu, my guess is they're waiting on the ABC license (there appears to be a bar ready to be stocked!). If you've never had Sri Lankan before, the staff is friendly and willing to field questions and give recommendations. It's always a little hard to describe Sri Lankan food -- but after growing up in Southeast Asia and spending time in India, I describe it as the missing link between the two -- which geographically makes sense! More coconut than Indian, and different spice combos than Indonesian/Thai. It's incredible unique and super tasty! Their menu also has pretty lengthy descriptions, which help you decide. I also loved the Sri Lankan pride on display -- cards on the table with different explanations of locations, etc; placemats with photos of its amazing nature and a TV playing scenes of the greatest hits of Sri Lankan tourism. read more

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This place is a bit out in the sticks, but I found an excuse to visit as they're bringing the cuisine of Sri Lanka to the region. There used to be a similarly named Sri Lankan restaurant in DC proper, but since it closed I don't know where else you'd go for this cuisine. They had a tourism channel playing in the background, which was rather propagandistic but did have some interesting information about this distinctive island country. The cuisine is definitely distinctive; it is different than any Indian restaurant you'd try. Notably, it is not as vegetarian-friendly as a lot of Indian places, but there were still interesting things to try. I sampled a dish of stir-fried string hoppers (ultra-thin rice noodles) with shredded vegetables to match. It came with a mouthwatering spice mix and although I ordered it unsure if I would finish it, I did, aided by an accompanying chili paste. A vegetable soup was likewise tasty, and among their appetizer selections was a set of fantastic lentil fritters, which should be tried. The place could have been cleaner, and notably this cuisine is brightly colored and will stain a white table cloth pretty easily. I hope they do well and expand their menu offerings, and I was happy to have tried it. read more

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First time trying Sri Lanka food! It's a cross between Indian and South Asian cuisine so if you love them both, you will definitely like this place. I ordered a few items to try, one of their popular items is Lamprais, a rice dish with choice of protein and different sides wrapped into a banana leaf "packet" and baked...I got the lamb and it was so flavorful and spicy! Kinda like a spicy curry lamb biryani. Now I want to try the other proteins to see if the taste is different...either way, I know I will love it! Also got the fish spring rolls...I know I know, sounds weird but intriguing lol. So it was crispy like a spring rolls, the skin was thick more like an egg roll, filling texture was more on the mushy side, not diced up or chunky, so fair warning. It actually tasted good but had to get used to the texture. Last, I got the coconut custard dessert... love anything coconut but this wasn't it. I didn't taste any coconut and it was super sweet and kinda soggy versus a firm custard. Very cardamommy lol if that's a word hahaha. Not for me. So I would definitely go back for more Lamprais real soon...will probably just stick with that! read more

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Awesome food, relaxed service, open ambience with lots of seating. This new Sri Lankan eatery has great food with wonderful vegetarian options.. Definitely give it a try! read more

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New restaurant in Manassas on Liberia Avenue that you have to try. It's food from the heart of Sri Lanka. The flavors are amazing. We had the Lamprais and the Seafood Kotthu. For dessert we ordered the Kiri Pani. The food was delicious, the service was great and the restaurant has a contemporary style. I highly recommend Banana Leaf if you're looking for something different read more

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We first visited after going out for a date, and it unexpectedly turned into a double date while we were there. The warm atmosphere and the incredible quality of the food completely won us over from the moment we walked in. I ordered the rice and curry, and my husband had either the mutton fried rice or the mutton biryani--I honestly can't remember which one because it's been a while. What I do remember is how amazing it tasted. The flavors have stayed with us ever since. We live all the way in Yorktown, VA, which is quite a drive, but whenever we're craving authentic Sri Lankan food, this restaurant is absolutely worth the trip. I'm not someone who leaves reviews often, so writing this says a lot. They truly exceeded our expectations in every way--from the food and atmosphere to the overall experience. They checked every box, 100%, and we'll definitely keep coming back. read more

Very good quality ethnic food. We order a very good authentic food. Presentation was interesting. Very friendly service. We will be certainly back. read more

Banana Leaf Restaurant - Lamb Lamprais - Sri Lankan Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

First visit here and we enjoyed it. We will be back. Nice and spicy. Service was good - we did a pickup but it was ready when we got there. It was nice and quiet when we picked it up. read more

Banana Leaf was delish! I ordered to-go the chicken curry w three vegetables and it was so flavorful and a perfect spiciness to it. read more

Banana Leaf Restaurant - Chicken curry w three Vegetables - Sri Lankan Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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Food is amazing, an explosion of flavors. This new gem opened recently and my hat is off to the chef! The lampri is full of veggies and different flavors, I also had the fresh ginger hot tea which was full of fresh ginger chunks. read more

Banana Leaf Restaurant - Lampri the special of the house - Sri Lankan Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

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Only Sri Lankan restaurant on the area and food was great and so was the service. We loved the thali

Excellent restaurant!! We were pleasantly surprised by the lovely ambience and tasty food. We've visited Sri Lanka before, so the food and the nice video of tourism in Sri Lanka reminded us of our vacation there. The coconut chappatis, vegetable curry, and meal in the banana leaf were all excellent. The ginger tea and coffee were tasty as well. This restaurant has only been in business for 5 months, but the family that runs it are so welcoming and provide excellent customer service. read more

This is an absolute recommendation from me! Excellent service and a very nice interior. I ordered the black pork curry and the lamb biriyani. Both came out still steaming hot and they were so delicious, especially the eggplant moju. The mango lassi is terrific with just enough sweetness and a good balance of the yogurt tang. read more

The Sunday buffet is delicious. Also the food on the menu is fantastic. The place is spacious and carries has great ambiance. read more

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One of the best new restaurants out there. Everything tasted great. The staff were very friendly and the prices were reasonable. The ambiance was peaceful, and clean. I would return regularly. read more

Banana Leaf Restaurant - Lamb curry with rice and veggies. - Sri Lankan Near Me - Manassas, Virginia

Relaxation best for tired body I like the service too clean house I like to walk get knowledge

My uncle and I recently tried this place, and it was really yummy. The food was seasoned perfectly.

This place is a new hidden gem! The food was delicious and the staff were nice and informative. I've never had Sri Lankan find before but this was fantastic. To me it had flavors of Indian food with a very heavy tropical influence. The aroma wad aromatic and definitely enticing. I tried the Chicken lamprais with cashew curry and several tasty and beautiful looking side dishes. It definitely had a little kick but not overwhelmingly so. It was served on a bed of fragrant and buttery rice cooked and plated on a banana leaf. I would definitely recommend this dish! My friend had the Lamb Curry. He Saud it was quite good and not very spicy. It also came with some good looking sides. For desert my friends ordered Faluda, which as best as I can describe was a beautiful pink fruit desert that looked something between a milk shake and a fruit parfait. He said it was amazing. I tried the caramel pudding much less exotic bot no less delicious. It went very well with a freshly made pot of ginger tea. Everything was fantastic from the food to the service. Prices were reasonable given today's standards and I definitely feel I got my money's worth. So often lately I leave after paying a bill thinking I've rewarded bad service and semi adequate meals. I'm glad to say I was happy this was money well spent. Their menu is vast and I hope to return and try something new on my next visit. read more