Quick answer
At Sri Lankan cricket matches, eat short eats such as fish rolls, patties and vadai, and rice and curry packets from the stalls inside the grounds; drink water and king coconut, sold outside many grounds; and finish a night game with kottu from a street stall. Outside food and alcohol are often restricted, alcohol sales vary by ground, and no alcohol is sold anywhere on poya days, the monthly full-moon holidays.
Key takeaways
- Short eats, such as fish rolls, patties, cutlets and vadai, are the classic cricket snack in Sri Lanka.
- Rice and curry packets are the usual lunch at the grounds.
- King coconut water is a cheap, natural rehydration drink sold outside many grounds.
- Alcohol is not sold anywhere in Sri Lanka on poya days, the monthly full-moon holidays.
- Rules on outside food and alcohol vary by ground and series.
Food inside the grounds
Food at Sri Lankan cricket grounds is simple and cheap. Stalls sell short eats, the island's snack food, including fish rolls (crumbed pancakes filled with spiced fish and potato), patties, cutlets and vadai, along with buns, sandwiches and soft drinks. At lunch, rice and curry packets, wrapped in paper, are the usual meal.
Choice is wider at the R Premadasa Stadium and the Sinhalese Sports Club than at Pallekele, Dambulla or Hambantota, and queues can be long at breaks. Eat before the lunch interval, or buy at quieter moments.
Premium stands and hospitality boxes often have better food and shade, if your ticket includes them.
- →Short eats: fish rolls, patties, cutlets and vadai.
- →Lunch: rice and curry packets.
- →Queues: longest at the breaks.
Food outside and around the grounds
Outside many grounds, vendors sell king coconuts, the orange coconuts whose water is a natural rehydration drink, along with fruit, peanuts and roasted corn. In Galle, the fort's cafes and restaurants are a five-minute walk away, and some fans walk out for lunch on quieter days, if re-entry is allowed.
Around the R Premadasa Stadium and the Galle Road in Colombo, bakeries and small restaurants serve short eats and rice and curry before the game.
Check whether you can bring outside food in, because some grounds and series restrict it.
- →King coconut: a natural rehydration drink.
- →Galle: the fort's cafes are close.
- →Colombo: bakeries near the grounds.
Alcohol and poya days
Alcohol at Sri Lankan cricket grounds varies by ground and series. Some grounds sell beer in certain areas, others do not, and outside alcohol is usually not allowed in. Lion lager is the local beer, and arrack, the coconut spirit, is the local drink in bars.
Alcohol is not sold anywhere in Sri Lanka on poya days, the monthly full-moon holidays, including in bars, shops and most hotels. If a match falls on a poya day, plan accordingly. Dates shift each month with the lunar calendar.
In the heat, limit alcohol during the day; beer dehydrates and makes heat illness more likely.
- →Alcohol rules: vary by ground and series.
- →Poya days: no alcohol sales anywhere.
- →In the heat: limit alcohol until the evening.
After the match: kottu and more
After a day-night game, kottu is the classic meal. Chopped roti is fried on a hot griddle with vegetables, egg and chicken or beef, and the rhythmic clatter of the metal blades can be heard from down the street. Kottu stalls near the grounds and across Colombo stay open late.
In Galle, the fort's restaurants serve seafood and Sri Lankan dishes after stumps, and Unawatuna's beach restaurants are 15 minutes away. In Kandy, the city's restaurants and bakeries serve until late.
Lankan Stays & Trails recommends a favourite kottu stall or restaurant near each ground to fans on cricket trips.
- →Kottu: the classic post-match meal.
- →Galle: seafood in the fort.
- →Kandy: bakeries and restaurants.
Eating safely in the heat
Food poisoning is the most common illness for visitors to Sri Lanka. Eat freshly cooked hot food, avoid food that has sat in the sun, peel fruit yourself and drink bottled or filtered water. Wash or sanitise your hands before eating.
Rice and curry from a busy stall is usually safe, because it is made fresh and sells quickly.
Frequently asked questions
What food is sold at cricket grounds in Sri Lanka?
Stalls at Sri Lankan cricket grounds sell short eats, such as fish rolls, patties, cutlets and vadai, along with buns, sandwiches, soft drinks and rice and curry packets at lunch. Choice is widest at the R Premadasa Stadium and the Sinhalese Sports Club. Queues are longest at the breaks.
Can you buy beer at cricket matches in Sri Lanka?
Beer sales at Sri Lankan cricket grounds vary by ground and series. Some grounds sell beer in certain areas, others do not, and outside alcohol is usually not allowed. No alcohol is sold anywhere on poya days. Check the rules for each match.
What is a poya day?
A poya day is a Buddhist public holiday held at each full moon, about once a month. Alcohol is not sold anywhere in Sri Lanka on poya days, including in bars, shops and most hotels, and meat sales may be limited. Dates shift each month with the lunar calendar.
Can you bring food into Sri Lankan cricket grounds?
Rules on outside food vary by ground and series. Some allow small snacks, others restrict outside food. Check before each match. Inside, short eats and rice and curry packets are cheap and easy, and king coconuts are sold outside many grounds.
What are short eats?
Short eats are Sri Lanka's snack foods, sold in bakeries, cafes and cricket grounds. They include fish rolls, crumbed pancakes filled with spiced fish and potato, patties, cutlets, vadai, samosas and buns. They are cheap, filling and the classic cricket snack.
What is kottu?
Kottu is a Sri Lankan street dish of chopped roti fried on a hot griddle with vegetables, egg and chicken, beef or seafood, chopped with metal blades in a fast, rhythmic clatter. It is the classic late-night meal after a day-night cricket match, sold at stalls across Colombo.
Is it safe to eat at the cricket in Sri Lanka?
Food at the cricket is usually safe if it is freshly cooked and hot, and from a busy stall. Avoid food that has sat in the sun, peel fruit yourself, drink bottled or filtered water and wash or sanitise your hands. Rice and curry from a busy stall is usually a good choice.