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Lakruwana Restaurant

4.4 (499 reviews)
ModerateSri Lankan
Open 12:30 pm - 9:30 PM

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LAKRUWANA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Intimate
Moderate noise
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Weekend buffet
Emily G.

This review is for the weekend buffet only. Unfortunately I can't say I loved the food, but I also didn't hate it. There was a wide variety of dishes: 2 meat dishes + lots of vegetarian and vegan option. The egg curry and mixed vegetable curry both seemed to be in a bland coconut curry sauce. I can't comment on the pork curry but the deviled chicken sauce was like a sweet and sour sauce. The eggplant dish was very thick and slightly sweet. I could only taste the pineapple in the pineapple curry (which isn't bad). The rest of the dishes (kale + coconut, another coconut, lentil) were also not very flavorful. I wished we had ordered something off the à la carte menu just to see if maybe other dishes had more flavor. The buffet had various peppers and pickled vegetables on the side that helped add some kick, but none of the actual dishes were spicy to me. My favorite thing was probably the fried rice, followed by the mixed vegetable curry. I think I would have liked the deviled chicken if I had the meat dishes. For dessert they had various mousse and tapioca. The fan favorite was the tapioca, and then the mango or chocolate mousse. The custard/flan was not good. I would like to say that the service and ambience of the restaurant is really great. The staff were friendly, cleared our table of empty dishes, and refilled our water quickly. The interior decor is also very unique and cozy. The bathroom sink is so cute! There's also a sink outside the restroom to wash your hands. . In the end we paid $30 pp (cash), including tax and tip

Vibe
Jessica F.

Coming here is like stepping into Sri Lanka. The owners decorated every square inch of the place down to sink faucets and paper towel dispensers. Came here for the weekend self serve buffet and it did not disappoint. Every bite I had was better than the next. My favorites were the daal, vegetable curry and eggplant. The desserts were an assortment of mousses and rice. This was one of the best meals I've had in a while.

Brenda C.

When I first saw the exterior of this restaurant, I was absolutely intrigued. The ornate carvings, majestic statues, and shimmering golden doors beckoned me to come in. The place was crowded and everyone seemed to be enjoying their meal. Upon being seated in these elaborate chairs, I had to pause and take in all the exquisite tchotchkes adorning the wall, hanging from the ceilings, and just a visual stimulus all around. I was greeted by the hostess and told I could either scan the code or have a wonderful buffet for $21. I went during the weekend during lunch time, so I do not know if there is any price difference at other times during the week. I noticed everyone was enjoying the buffet, so I opted to follow suit, and I'm so glad I did. They have hot entrees in shallow cauldrons, and they are constantly refilling them. The buffet consisted of many vegetarian delights along with a couple of meat entrees, such as deviled chicken and pork curry. My personal favorites were the eggplant, dal lentils, and kale and coconut salad. Their papadam was light and delicious, so don't skip on those. Along another wall, they have the dessert station featuring sago pudding, chocolate pudding, caramel pudding, mango pudding, and gooseberry pudding. My two were the last two flavors. I am a huge fan of Sri Lankan cuisine. The interior is cozy, adorned with 360° stunning ornate collectables from Sri Lanka.

Weekend buffet vegan options (dal, coconut curry vegetables, kale salad, eggplant moju, red rice, cassava, applam, sambal)
Ashwini A.

SERVICE - located on Staten Island - unique decor with lots of wooden features and what seems to be Sri Lankan cultural figures - tables are tight and close to each other - can seat smaller groups of 2-4 diners - restrooms available - friendly service is helpful with clarifying ingredients in dishes - unclear as to whether they took card or were cash only - good for a semi casual meal MENU - Sri Lankan local foods with a weekend buffet - vegan and vegetarian options available - average price FOOD - we went for the Sunday buffet which makes it hard to rate any one particular item. Overall, there was a good mix of vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes. A few of the more unique dishes had labels to explain what they were and what the key ingredients were. My favorites were the eggplant moju, a fried eggplant dish similar to Indian Baingan bhartha. This one simmered the eggplant until it was thick and jam-like. When paired with the dal and rice, it made for a comforting meal. There was only one vegan friendly dessert which was a coconut milk pudding. It was sweet but not overwhelming and made for a subtle end to the meal. My only complaint is the layout of the buffet makes it hard to get food since it is on the side behind people eating. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! Although it was a bit of a trek from Manhattan, the taste was very homely and the buffet had a lot of options.

Shah Q.

I recently visited this restaurant and it was such a fun experience. The space is cozy with very cool decor. I waited about 20 minutes to be seated as I went during the evening and the restaurant was a bit busy. The staff seated us and let us know they had a buffet style serving which was great because there was a lot to choose from. There was a variety of curries, from egg curry, to vegetable curry and pork curry. They also had several types of rice, red basmati, white and fried rice. I tried a little bit of everything and the egg and vegetable curry were my absolute favourite. There were other options like deviled chicken, pineapple curry and tons of peppers. They had some fun desserts as well that are great to pair with the food. The seating time for each group is 1.5 hours and they only take cash!

Kathy X.

I've been wanting to try this Sri Lankan restaurant for a while, as it came highly recommended. Finally had the chance to go by car with a small group. We arrived for the weekend buffet ($22 CASH ONLY) on Saturday afternoon around 1PM, and much to my surprise, there was barely any wait for a table. The space was ornately and beautifully decorated, full of color and life. There was a peaceful, welcoming ambiance. I had to get the Mango Lassi, which was one of the best I've tasted! It was thick, creamy, refreshing, with just the right amount of sweetness and bursting with pure mango taste. The buffet offered a lovely selection of mostly veggies and some meat dishes. These included pork curry, chicken, minced meat, dal, egg curry, lentils, cassava, eggplant, vegetable curry, greens with fried egg, coconut chili chutney, thin crispy pancake, as well as a few types of rice. Everything was cooked perfectly, well seasoned, with unique spices. I especially enjoyed the pork, which was delightfully tender and juicy. Other stand outs included vegetable curry consisting of broccoli, carrots, cauliflower; cassava with onion, along with the egg curry. As for dessert, there was Chocolate Mousse, Caramel Pudding, Sago Pudding, Mango Mousse, and Quinceberry Mousse. Each were quite yummy. Chocolate Mousse was rich, smooth, and oh so chocolate-y. The Sago Pudding was made with coconut milk, with sago pearls, like mini tapioca balls. There was a satisfyingly sticky and chewy texture to it, as well as a delicate feel to it. Quinceberry Mousse was green in color and yummy. It tasted of like a mix between apple and pear, with a hint of citrusy tartness and floral notes. Service was solid. The staff were friendly and attentive. Since it is a little out of the way, I'm not sure when I would return, but I would like to try some items from their a la carte menu at some point.

Mango Lassi
Tiffany H.

Honestly a must try. Our first time trying Sri Lankan food and it didn't disappoint. We ordered the pork and beef lamprais along with the mango lassi. The flavors of the lamprais blended well together and the portion sizes were pretty big. Both the pork and the beef Lamprais were extremely flavorful and had a curry taste to it. The mango lassi is also a must order. Just the right amount of sugar and yogurt. Service was excellent! It is owned by a kind family. The interior of the restaurant was insane! Super cool and had multiple Buddha statues around the restaurant. If I didn't live so far, I would definitely come here more often. Would recommend!

Collard greens, Daal, Egg curry, Pineapple curry, Deviled Chicken, Cassava, Pappadam
Ingrid H.

I spent 2 hours commuting here on public transit from queens to try the buffet, and I'm very happy that I did. Lakruwana has a grand entrance of huge gold doors and a maximalist interior which I personally enjoyed. The cash only AYCE buffet is available Saturday and Sunday all day and extremely affordable. I'm not familiar with this type of food at all, so I tried a little bit of everything. I had an extremely satisfying meal overall, with some stand out dishes. The pineapple curry was an amazing blend of spicy and sweet. I loved the pieces of juicy pineapple. The daal here was incredible- very flavorful and rich with a perfect creamy texture. I also really enjoyed the coconut thing, allow I'm not sure what it was exactly. It was more savory than I anticipated, which was well suited to the meaty texture and nutty flavor of the coconut. The only dishes I found to be lacking were the only meat options available, the deviled chicken and pork curry. Both of these had delicious sauces, but the meat itself seemed incorrectly prepared and had unpleasant textures. Perhaps it's best to stick to a vegetarian diet at this restaurant. The meal was so affordable, and I went back to the buffet multiple times. I had to cut myself off at some point but I could have easily kept eating. I think the perfect bite was some rice with some daal and a bit of the pickled onion condiment. The service was friendly and pleasant and I fully enjoyed my experience here. Completely worth the trek.

Palvi P.

Great spot for authentic Sri Lankan food in Staten Island. The atmosphere is warm and beautifully decorated, giving the whole place a unique and cultural feel. Can't wait to go back to try more dishes!

Water
Liu H.

Lakruwana was on my list to try in Staten Island for 1.5 years. We live 20 mins away and we finally decided to try it yesterday (on a Saturday) because I wanted to try their infamous buffet ($25/person plus taxes). Upon arrival, you will notice Lakruwana stands out with its god-like doors. Once you open and walk through those doors, you will feel like you've transferred into a different world. Because this restaurant's decors are very unique. All decors look like a combination of Egyptian, Thai and Indian culture meshed together. You have elephants, Buddhists, wooden handmade clay cups, water kettles, and spices. It is very interesting. I thought the chairs were very unique too, it offers a spot for people put their coats on it. It is multi-purpose. The space is not big but it is homey. The buffet stared right when we arrived at 12:30pm on Saturday. We were immediately greeted and seated by the waitress in a corner. It was private. We didn't know exactly how the buffet works but we were like, "Do we pay first or do we eat first?". The answer was, you eat first. Additional drinks that were not the water will be charged separately. For example, I ordered an extra black ginger tea, it was charged an extra $3.5. So make sure you to ask as well. Overall, the food was great. It's not a huge buffet like what you'd expect from an American styled buffet but it is a handful. You get a taste of everything there is to offer from a small Sri Lanka restaurant. For us, there were curried eggs, lentils, cauliflowers, chickpeas, broccoli and yucca. The mains were three types of basmati rice, marinated chicken and pork with onions. There was also a coconut dish like the shredded kale with coconut pieces. I am unsure if the menu changes or not. But the flavors were there. I normally would say go hungry for buffets, but for Lakruwana, I'd say go there hungry for the flavors. My favorites were the mousses dessert: Chocolate, caramel (this one is mixed with eggs so it tasted like a custard), gooseberries, and mango (amazing!). There were also coconut sagos. 3/4 of the mousse tasted like puddings. I liked it a lot and I think I had 3 small cups. Overall, a very good introduction to Sri Lanka food if you have never had it like me. I would also say just go during Tuesday through Friday and order what you like to try if you're not into buffets. Very cool experience overall. PS: For those who don't live in SI. The orange NYC (the big recognizable Staten Island) ferries from Whitehall Manhattan is free if you're coming in from Manhattan. It runs every 30 mins, including federal holidays. This restaurant is a 25 minutes walk from the St. George terminal on the SI side. I recommend programming it into the bus app to take the S51, S76 or S81 bus and get off on Bay Street and Broad St to get there if walking is too far. Otherwise, there is an option to take a free transfer train (if you already paid for the train on the Manhattan side) on SI side to Tottenville direction. Get off at the Stapleton station (2 stops), and walk over to the restaurant.

Buffet
Matthew W.

The best Sri Lankan food I've ever had (granted it's also the first time ivr had Sri Lankan food)! It was well worth the 2hr train/ferry/Uber trip here; the ambiance and decor are stunning. The surrounding area is a bit questionable at night (there was a homeless woman blocking the door and we had to call the staff to enter the restaurant). The $22 buffet (Saturday and Sunday from 12:30pm-9:30pm) is why you go, and it's arguably the best value I've seen in NY. It may look slightly underwhelming, but the food is incredible. I especially loved the deviled pork and lentil curry. The papapdam (a large tortilla shaped chip) tasted like a shrimp chip and helps to mute some of the sharper spices. The tastes, flavors, and spices blend perfectly together. The buffet also includes 5 desserts (all various puddings), which were all delicious. Just remember that it's cash only. The entrees are also very good but not as great in terms of value ($15-20 each). It's perfect for a trip with friends, and there are plenty of vegan options available. Staff is very pleasant and helpful. Would highly recommend.

Chicken Biryani
Paul L.

The restaurant is obviously gorgeous and the servers are very nice. But this place has a lot of hype, Ive now had it twice and I think its more about me than them. Its just not my thing, I come away thinking the food has heat but not a lot of flavor. Im a huge fan of food from this part of the world, and maybe one day Ill try it again. I will say, the curry in my dish was tasty, but there wasnt enough of it and the protein itself was a bit under seasoned for me.

Lamp rice and appa
Mishan W.

The ambiance is very crowded with all kind cultural stuff filling up the place that maybe a little too much. However the food is less than lackluster. Missing flavor and spice. Most notably the food on two of the dishes was cold! That is a huge No No and everyone on the table was confused as to how it can be possible to serve cold food unless it was pre made and then someone forgot to warm it up ? I specifically asked for spicy food when asked how spicy I liked my food. And let's say my food was a less than mild. My friend wanted to throw up after eating the food and said it was the worst food he had ever had. This was not at all what we expected and left a really bad taste, especially since I had flown from Santa Barbara California and driven well over 40 min in traffic with friends to try this food that was some of the worst food I've had. If they spent more time on serving better food than the crazy presentation of the food and let the flavor of the food speak. It would be better. For anyone who thinks this is a proper representation of Sri Lankan food. I would say that it's not and it's probably the worst SL food you can ever consume. I do hope the owners look into this. Dial down the stupid fancy stuff and work on serving property flavorful food that's not cold. Cheers

Papadam | IG & TikTok @territheplatypus.eatz

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Ask the Community - Lakruwana Restaurant

Does the buffet have vegan options?

Yes

Do they still have an all day weekend buffet?

I visited about three or four weeks ago and they still do.

What happened to the buffet after Covid? Are they still doing that or no?

Yes! Absolutely! We were there today (Saturday)

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New Asha Sri Lanka Restaurant - Mutton (goat) kottu roti.

New Asha Sri Lanka Restaurant

4.6(165 reviews)
0.8 miTompkinsville
$

Outstanding. Anthony Bourdain recommended this restaurant and I can see why. The owners welcomed us…read morelike family and prepared a lunch plate for us based on our dietary preferences (vegetarian, spice level, etc.). I had the vegetarian plate with rice, lentils, beans, beets (my favorite!), and jackfruit. Everything was so flavorful, I inhaled my food. My son had the egg roti with daal. The restaurant staff checked in with us regularly and kept offering us random food (try the eggplant, try this chicken). This food is so good and it's worth crossing the Verrazano Bridge to sample a taste of Sri Lankan food. You can absolutely tell when food is cooked with love and food cooked with love is plentiful at New Asha Sri Lanka Restaurant. This was our first time eating Sri Lankan food, but it certainly won't be the last!

My boyfriend and I had never eaten Sri Lankan food before and we were going to be in NYC for the…read moreday. Usually when we eat in NYC we try to get food that we can't get in our home city. I found New Asha on Yelp and we made a plan to come here. We took the ferry over to Staten Island and then hopped on the bus which let us out right across from the restaurant. When we walked in we met the most awesome woman working at the restaurant. She was so helpful and when we told her it was our first time eating Sri Lankan food - she said she would make us a wonderful meal. She asked if we were vegetarian, if we liked spice, and what kind of meat we liked. She then put together a meal for us. The food was spectacular. If we lived closer by I would have ordered extra to take home. And I would have taken home dessert. Everything was so flavorful. We ended up having a plate of appetizers w some spicy sauce. Then we had mutton w our meal w several sides all of which were delish. I can't forget how good the roti was. We really enjoyed our meal. As we were settling our bill, she gave us a sample of bone marrow and it was so delish. Also, the bill was extremely reasonable. Would love to come back next time I'm in the area.

Photos
New Asha Sri Lanka Restaurant - Flowers in the Bathroom

Flowers in the Bathroom

New Asha Sri Lanka Restaurant - Fish roti, made with mackerel.

Fish roti, made with mackerel.

New Asha Sri Lanka Restaurant - Scrumptious Food Spread - follow my IG @lovelylk35.

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Scrumptious Food Spread - follow my IG @lovelylk35.

Sagara food city

Sagara food city

4.2(17 reviews)
0.9 mi

My first time trying Sri Lankan food! I found this place when I was looking for Sri Lankan food…read morethat was on the Michelin list that was located in NYC. This place is unfortunately located in Staten Island which was pretty far from Manhattan. This place has a very small grocery store front. There is a back place that contains the restaurant. There were 4 benches with minimal decor. They didn't even give us plates when they brought out our appetizers. They also didn't give us water (they ended up bringing out bottled water for us). The appetizers (fish cutlets, chicken roll, and Seenisambol Bun) came on a tropical leaf. The fish and chicken roll were deep fried. I wish the fish cutlet was spicier. The chicken roll was super spicy. I liked the dip it came with. The 50 Piece String Hoppers was delicious. It is basically noodles that can be mixed with sambol which had a really good coconut/sourish taste to it. The noodles were then put in this daal. We ended the meal with a Chicken Kathu Roti. This dish is amazing. It was whole chicken with shredding roti inside. The dish contained shredded carrots, leeks, and eggs. There was also this spicy and delicious dal that coated the dish. At the end of the meal, we paid for our food at the store front side. This place was overall, a no frills experience with average food.

The food here is really tasty. I had the vegetable curry plate, which came with dal and egg curry…read more The other two appeared to be a mango curry and parsley sambol. Everything was delicious, and each dish was very different. The parsley dish was fresh and light. The mango was sweet and sour, with a really unique texture. The dal and egg were also full of flavors and spices. The food also had a solid amount of heat. The plate came to about $12. They only have takeout at the moment, but the owner told me that they'll have seating soon.

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Sagara food city
Sagara food city
Sagara food city

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Sigiri

Sigiri

4.1(707 reviews)
8.4 miEast Village
$$

This was a wonderful spot for Sri Lankan good. This spot is small (can fit parties of up to 4),…read moredidn't have a wait on a Sunday afternoon, and is cash only. I tried their crab curry and it was delicious. Their dishes can have spice levels customized. I have a moderate spice tolerance and got a 6/10 which was perfect for me in a curry where the broth was slightly sweet and briney. My friend ordered a Kotthu Roti which is dry and not very salty with an 8/10 spice level and it was extremely painful to eat. Be warned! Crab was tender, well seasoned, and served with lots of utensils to brake the shells and extract the flesh. This was definitely the star dish. I also tried the aappa which is similar to dosa but less tangy and cupped. It was a nice and light dipping bread. Will definitely come back and sample more of the menu. I think I will stick with the curries as they are more balanced. Service was quick at the start. Order time took ~20 minutes which wasn't surprising to me, especially since the crab can have a 30 min wait. Wish they filled waters as we went through our pitcher of water quite quickly. Overall a good experience and I will keep this spot on my restaurant rotation!

SERVICE - located in the east village on the second floor of…read morea grocery store - very small interior with seats at tables for 2-4 people - tables are not too challenging to get even on a weekend lunch - cash only - server is friendly though keep in mind it is a smaller business so there are not many people working which can make it take longer to get the check or water - food served relatively quickly - ambiance good for a semi casual meal MENU - authentic Sri Lankan dishes meant for sharing - vegan/vegetarian options available - average price FOOD - cashew curry (9/10): soaked cashews and peas in a spicy coconut curry sauce. This dish was unique to Sri Lankan cuisine and being someone who likes cashews I wanted to try it. The portion is good for one person or to share when combined with other entrees. It does not come with rice so you need to order a side dish to eat it with. The curry sauce is warming and spicy with strong punches of black pepper and turmeric, making it a comforting meal for a cold day. The cashews are soft, almost to the texture of steamed carrots. Highly recommend trying this. - indi appam (8/10): ten pieces of steamed rice noodles served with coconut curry sauce and pickled onions. This was one of the side dishes and the server recommended it to me as it paired well with the cashew curry. It feels very similar to South Indian idiyappam. The coconut curry sauce on the side looks similar to the cashew curry broth but has more spices and is slightly tangy. I would have liked a smaller portion of this to better match the portion size of the entree. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! The food was very comforting and a great meal when you need something warming.

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Sigiri - Narrow dinning space

Narrow dinning space

Sigiri - Chicken Lamprais

Chicken Lamprais

Sigiri - Fish Cutlet

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Fish Cutlet

Spicy Lanka - Kothu Roti

Spicy Lanka

4.6(32 reviews)
13.7 miRichmond Hill

Cuisine: 8 Service: 10…read moreDecor: 7 Value: 9 Overall: 9 This is a truly a family business that I really want to support. Everyone is always smiling, super friendly, down to their youngest daughter who helped serve our large group food a few weeks ago when they started their weekend AYCE brunch. The buffet was full of great items like their Curry Crab, Goat Soup, Eggplant, Okra, String Hopper, Black Pork Curry, and much more. Don't miss out on the station full of different types of condiments and sambol sauces. My entire group of 15 were all quite impressed with the food selection, as well as the service. Everyone left stuffed and satisfied. Can't wait to come back for a formal meal and try more of the regular menu.

What a hidden gem!! This place has the best Sri Lankan food I've tried in the states. The interior…read moreis clean and the staffs are friendly. I read their webpage on the story of the restaurant. It is own by a Sri Lankan couple - one Singhalese and one Tamil. Their love represents the union of the two groups of folks who had long lasting conflict and tension in the country. At this restaurant, you can experience the culinary fusion of the two distinct tradition. We ordered: - mutton roll 5/5 - calamari lamprais 6/5 AMAZING!! - deviled king fish 5/5 Their mutton roll is stuffed with filling - I love how thin the crust is, you really get a taste of the chunky juicy protein. The lamprais is infused with the aromantic banana leaf, along with the colorful and spiceful sides. They are so generous with their portions. It was my first time trying lamprais and I'm now addicted. I highly recommend getting this dish. One thing about Sri Lankan food is it tends to be on the spicer side (think Thai spicy). We were glad to see all items on the menu had a "mild" option. The lamprais is a safe option for those that can't eat spicy. The deviled king fish (mackerel) is a popular fish consumed in Sri Lanka. We got mild but it was still spicy. It was flavored so nicely so if you like spice and saucy dishes, this is the one for you! It was served with bell peppers and onions. We were so full we didn't get to try their desserts but they have many classic desserts options as well! We can't wait to be back to try their curry and other dishes. This place was such a nice hidden gem I really hope everyone will come give it a try!

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Spicy Lanka - DJ Booth; soon to be converted to live music.

DJ Booth; soon to be converted to live music.

Spicy Lanka - Shrimp Biryani

Shrimp Biryani

Spicy Lanka - Devilled Crab

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Devilled Crab

Lungi - Malabar Paratha

Lungi

4.3(370 reviews)
11.2 miUpper East Side
$$

I heard about Lungi twice in the same two weeks - once because they won a Michelin Bib Gourmand…read moreaward for delicious Sri Lankan food; and the second because a Sri Lankan taxi driver told me independently that he likes to come here for good sri lankan food. So of course you know I had to come try it. Everything was really tasty and authentic - our waiter was so friendly and helpful in guiding us through the menu. The hoppers (rice flour based carb you eat your food with) were thin, slightly crisp, and reminiscent of Ethiopian injera or Chinese sweet white rice cakes. They were a new experience, and really enjoyed that. The goat curry we got was my favorite of the night - super delicious and deeply flavorful. Really enjoyed it and would get it again.

Let me start by saying, I lived in Sri Lanka for two years. So I know Sri Lankan food…read more I wanted to like it and had been looking forward to this visit for awhile. I went here with another adult and his two kids. We sat in the back covered and enclosed patio area, which was nice. The service was fine nothing extraordinary. It took some of the dishes a while to get to us. We got eggplant curry, vegetable roti, vegetable biriyani, string hoppers, and okra. First off, it was ridiculously expensive for the amount you got. Second, everything was very spicy and we didn't order anything spicy. The other adult and I were fine with it, but the poor kids didn't have many options. Even the biriyani was spicy. The eggplant was amazing, hoppers were undercooked and strung hopper were overcooked. The other stuff was ok. I am going to try another Sri Lankan place next time I am in NYC.

Photos
Lungi - Ambience

Ambience

Lungi - Chicken Kari Dosa

Chicken Kari Dosa

Lungi - Sri Lankan Jackfruit Kari

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Sri Lankan Jackfruit Kari

Red Pepper Diner - Deviled Chicken (~$19)

Red Pepper Diner

4.8(702 reviews)
61.6 mi
$$

This is a fantastic mom and pop with great food and service. My only gripe is that I can ask for…read morefood as hot as they can serve, and they always still give me the same amount of heat as I would've received had I not made the request at all. But it's not a big gripe because the food is always well seasoned even if it isn't peppery. This is the only restaurant I can think of where I've taken many guests and every one of them said it was one of their favorites. I love this spot. They accept cards but appreciate cash.

Great service and friendly staff at this Sri Lankan restaurant…read more The manager/owner used to be a chef at the UN after traveling the world for various stints after leaving Sri Lanka at age 25. He will fill you with his wealth of knowledge of Sri Lankan food as well as how his food is pure and wholesome. Food was very good. I had Sri Lankan rice entree specialty dish. Except for the the shrimp tasting like dried shrimp - which I hate with a passion the rest of the dish was pretty good. No complaints from my other guests who enjoyed their meals. The dessert was great. They have both vegetarian (including goat, beef, pork, shrimp, squid, and chicken) and non-vegetarian options. It fell short of five stars for two reasons: 1. the dried shrimp or dried fish taste in the dish (shimp, calamari, and chicken); and 2. the moderately high prices (I can only compare to prices at Indian restaurants in the city, and what people are typically paying for the same portion size at casual sit down restaurants) Since we don't frequent this location often it is a treat to stop by every once in awhile and introduce my friends to it. If you are on a budget and consume large volumes of food to be full, this is most likely a one off or a place you may want to skip. Otherwise, enjoy it. On premise parking lot and seems ADA compliant. It looks like it is in a house, but inside it is comfortable and casual. It appears there is allot more local customers than visitors from out of town. The interior plays tourist information on Sri Lanka while the interior is also decorated in culturally appropriate ascents. We were there on a Saturday for dinner and the space was fairly empty - perhaps two other tables occupied. It is in sort of a remote area outside the main drag of Beacon most are familiar with (not within reasonable walking distance). It's worth a try, especially if you are interested in healthier forms of food (ingredients).

Photos
Red Pepper Diner - Seating and a few paintings

Seating and a few paintings

Red Pepper Diner - Deviled Specialties

Deviled Specialties

Red Pepper Diner - Inside

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Inside

Lakruwana Restaurant - srilankan - Updated May 2026

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