Kolamba Sri Lankan Restaurant Soho in City of London, Westminster

When in London we return time and time again to this fabulous restaurant. The food is to die for. We always invite our friends to join us, and they say the same the, it's the best they've had for a long time. The service, food, atmosphere and drinks are fantastic. Thoroughly recommend a visit. And it's in a great spot.

The place is good but the food was really spicy.

Had a wonderful evening - we had the set menu, and we were treated with an absolute feast! The food was totally delicious and the service was fab - will definitely be going back to enjoy more of the menu!

First introduction to Sri Lankan food! The lentils were wonderful. The pumpkin dish I ordered did not taste as fresh as I would have expected, almost a bit sour, but I would still go back. The coconut lime sorbet is a must!

Lovely food and drinks, the staff were friendly.

I was a little bit disappointed with Kolamba, i thought the food was ok rather than exceptional and the service and vibe was a little bit less than I expected.

As a Sri Lankan it’s easy to say this is not what my mum makes. Nothing will be as good as her food, but Kolamba has very good food. Try the Kiributh. It’s heavy, coconut infused and totally delicious. The Masala Chai is delicious, but heavy. It more like a pudding you can drink. Lovely.

If you're searching for an authentic Sri Lankan culinary experience in London, look no further than Kolamba. The staff are very polite, courteous and helpful. The decor is a delightful blend of traditional Sri Lankan elements and modern touches. The menu is a feast for the senses, boasting an impressive array of dishes that showcase the rich culinary heritage of Sri Lanka. I highly recommend starting with the Pol Sambol. Its good value for money, sharing portions, flavourful and filling.

Second visit to Kolamba on Tuesday night. The first visit 2 years ago was amazing, and I remember the cashew curry, which was unique. The second visit, staff was very pleasant, helped us with the menu and choosing dishes. However, we were sitting upstairs where a draft from the main door provided limb numbing and teeth chattering experience. So donning our down jackets, we went ahead ordering the rice noodles, vegetarian dishes of okra and beetroot, monkfish curry, and some rice. The monkfish curry was delicious, but the rest left a lot to be desired. The noodles weren't light, fluffy, and fresh as I usually get in a South indian restaurant. The beetroot curry was rather sweet and didn't taste beetroot. To make ourselves warm, we ordered chai, assuming it would be traditional brewed masala chai. But it was a frothy tea from a machine instead, too sweet and luke warm. The Custard felt bland due to the excessively sweet chai. The only positive thing was the staff who really made an effort to look after us and help us with the menu.

The cosy atmosphere immediately set the tone, with warm, earthy decor and the aroma of freshly ground spices filling the air. The menu featured traditional Sri Lankan dishes, bursting with bold flavors and rich textures. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, guiding us through the selection and offering excellent recommendations. Every dish, from the fragrant curries to the crispy hoppers, was expertly prepared, capturing the essence of Sri Lanka’s vibrant culinary heritage. It felt like a true escape to the island, leaving us eager to return.

Great flavours, they offer a delicious and generous lunch bowl. Great value for money!

Was a great place to experience amazing food in a quiet but relaxing atmosphere - it’s a perfect date night destination and the extra attention paid to celebrate my partners birthday was really really appreciated!

We recently visited this restaurant (soho) since we were craving for home food. This was our first time. Sad to say it was an anticlimax after reviewing the place online. We were not happy about the environment at least it was not up to the expectation. The place was quite cramped and had to move to facilitate the access to the cellar! We felt that they could have done more to express sri lankan culture. Food was ok, but again it was not upto the level we expected (I know this is a personal experience and coming from a native). The food was expensive and sadly we felt that it was not worth it! Sadly it was a not very good experience for us amid all the hype in the web!

Excellent food, we opted for the fifth anniversary set menu. Our table for two was just too small to cope with the number of dishes that got served at the same time. We had not dawdled but we were approached by our waitperson before an hour was up (and before we had been served with our included dessert) saying they needed our table back in 15 minutes. She insisted that 75 minutes was all that we were allowed until I showed her my reservation details which showed the time as 90 minutes. She then backed off and subsequently kept apologising, but the celebration meal was ruined. There are too many restaurants in central London to be bothered going back to this one - a pity because the food was excellent and the host friendly and engaging.

My wife and I dined here on Sunday night. We booked for 6.30 and the first thing the waitress said to us was that you need to be out of here by 8.00. That made us feel warm and very welcome. The food although cold was delicious and very tasty. The negative is after 92 pounds we still went home hungry. Portions are really small so you need to order well.

My food could be improved for sure, but the atmosphere is nice. Beef was soft but the quality is tiny! Hopper is tasteless and hard

Good food, had the monkfish and my friend had the jaggery beef, both amazing, the cocktails didnt taste very alcoholic (good thing imo), the waiters were lovely and chatted with us and brought our food extremely fast. Good music good vibes I'm definitely coming again next time I'm in england

Food is far from Sri Lankan taste. Portion was small

Petra was amazing served us with such a wonderful care and smile, the food was delicious, we will definitely recommend the food and especially the wattapalam

Service was very slow - had to call the servers over to order and remind them that we had ordered drinks. Food was ok - small portions and a bit expensive

Small menu, quite spicy food fr my taste. Portions are very small for the price

Nice food but the portion sizes wouldn't feed a small child.

Such helpful service and delicious food. Thank you for hosting us

Food was delicious, no fault with the quality at all, although quite expensive for somewhat small portions. However they add on 13.5% automatic service charge - 12.5% is excessive enough - restaurants that continue this creep up should be called out. Service was fine, to be clear, just an issue with charge

Delicious and authentic Sri Lankan food with a great service.

Excellent food, something really different. Staff were extremely friendly and very helpful in giving advice on what to choose. Will visit again.

Visited Soho because of the exceptional recent review by a national food critic of your new Spitalfields restaurant. Very disappointed to find so few dishes replicated. Only the Hot buttered cuttlefish and Dhal Parripu were outstanding. Other dishes were at best mediocre quality such as the Ceylon chicken curry whilst others were definitely sub-standard including Aunty Mo's "Chatti" roast and the Devilled King Prawns. I took my younger son who had spent his honeymoon in Sri L:anka and he too was really disappointed. Also the table tops were far too small for the number of dishes served (with water and beer bottles/glasses). And the toilet facilities were sub-standard with 2/4 "Out of order" and the remaining two felt and smelt uncleaned. Total bill nearly £125 for 2 was very poor value. I have also completed a Trip Advisor report. Your comments please?

Overall, given the price, this was a disappointing meal. Service - the server attempted to take our order without making any notes, which is impressive until you have to start asking for missing dishes multiple times. Also, when we asked for recommendations, we got the menu repeated back to us. Food - the sea bass main had already sold out, which meant 20% of the menu was already gone. Some of the other plates were disappointing both in taste and presentation e.g. the chicken curry: two pieces of chicken on the bone and a runny, oily sauce didn’t exactly look appealing. The Pol Roti was also incredibly dry. On a positive note, all the starters were great. Atmosphere - I recommend sitting upstairs, as it feels like being in a concrete box downstairs and it can be hard to get a hold of anyone

We had a wonderful experience at Kolamba! The food is delicious and quite surprising, very new and different flavors! Nice atmosphere and kind team… Highly recommended!!! (Try the pineapple fry… spicy but delicious!)

Great food, atmosphere and service!

Excellent Sri Lankan food. My guest was Sri Lankan and he was very impressed

We loved the soothing atmosphere at Kolamba when we first arrived - perfect for our bookclub meeting! Our food did take a while to arrive with no updates on why, but when it did it was delicious and very authentic. I would recommend this place.

Fantastic food as per usual. Great service and very friendly staff. Such a shame the mutton rolls are no longer ! If I had one comment to management it would be: I don’t agree with the way the bill is presented. If you’re going to add a 13-14% service charge , do not then encourage customers to tip by making them select a percentage in the payment terminal. Most people in England are known to be too shy to say no. I believe this is dishonest. But don’t let that put you off, all food is delicious!

We loved everything about Kolamba. The food was incredible and the staff were really kind. It worked perfectly as a pre-theatre dinner!

Wow. What else is required. Great location warm and friendly welcome. Staff accommodating and knowledgeable of menu. Food was fresh, tasty and filling. We had the dhal, beef and sea bass and they were fantastic. Will definitely be back sooon

We thoroughly enjoyed the food, the service was amazing and the decor was nice too. However, we were seated next to an extremely noisy table and that ruined the whole experience. I highly recommend the fish cutlet, it was delicious!

Great ambience, great staff but unfortunately the food was really disappointing and expensive. Definitely no where near what Srilankan food actually tastes like and tapas is just not a thing

Delicious and unique. Highly recommended. Not cheap but worth it.

Many delicious dishes. Service a little haphazard. Cosy vibe downstairs.

Good decor and nice friendly atmosphere - had the pre-theatre menu which had lovely flavours - but got 4/5 because the food was luke warm - and the egg hopper was almost cold. This fish cutlets were the best

Food is great. But the waitress came to our table and reminded us that we need to finish and leave in 50 mins, while there were loads of tables available both upstairs and downstairs. It was a bit frustrating and I had to explain to my friend who visited London for the first time no need to rush and apologize.

Disappointing food and service - there’s way better Sri Lankan food and you won’t be squished in like sardines

Went to celebrate a birthday. Did not disappoint. Very lovely food, spicing is unlike other south Asian foods and is lighter, fresher and tastier than other Indian type food. Ordered the Nalini Fish Cutlets and Aunty Mo's Chatti roast as starter. Then Ceylon chicken curry, Devilled king prawns, okra, dhal and pineapple fry for the main course. Mocktails were Rosa Sprint and Amba Punch, which were also really great. No need to go to Dishoom.

We loved It, we visited Sri Lanka a few months ago and we were craving Sri Lankan food so badly, so we were really happy when we found Kolamba. The vibes are fantastic and the food was exquisite, we will definitely come back very soon!

Lovely place food was excellent well presented and very tasty staff were really nice was my wifes birthday so they brought out a desert with a candle on it nice touch guys will definitely be returning

Brilliant, authentic Sri Lankan food. Everything was delicious and the service was flawless too.

pretty good, great service and food was good, but the ambience was lacking downstairs.,

The service felt impersonal and rushed. While efficiency is important, we were left feeling like an inconvenience to the staff, as though they were eager to move us along for the next seating. There was a noticeable lack of warmth or effort to make the experience enjoyable—no smiles or engagement from the team. Overall, it made for an uncomfortable and unwelcoming visit.

Fantastic food and service. I will be returning soon.

Very nice restaurant in the heart of London. Helpful and friendly staff. The food itself was good, but too spicy for my taste. I would have appreciated also finding non-spicy dishes and more explanation from the staff.

Excellent food with perfect balance of spicing, extremely friendly and efficient service in a comfortable and enjoyable environment

Lovely, cosy restaurant on a quiet-ish street near Oxford Circus / Regent Street. Friendly, attentive service. Delicious, spicy food. We had the "Flavours of Sri Lanka" set menu, at £45 per person, which they warned us was potentially a lot of food, depending how hungry you are. The variety of flavours you get is incredible — highlights include the pineapple fry and the pol pork — so it's well worth it. We ended up taking the remainder home with us for lunch the next day!

Really excellent Sri lankan food with proper Sri lankan chefs in the kitchen too, great experience and the arrack cocktails are a must have

We very much enjoyed the food and will be back. The only complaint would be the temperature of the food: the curries were not heated up fully and served lukewarm - would have preferred hot.

The food was absolutely delicious, staff were lovely, great location.

Brought two friends here who were visiting London and wanted a nice early dinner before seeing a show. It was a bit soured by one of the staff members who was just really unfriendly throughout the whole meal - we overheard the table next to us also comment on her negative attitude. She made us feel like we were annoying her. I think she was maybe the manager (?) and we also saw her speak condescendingly to other staff that seemed newer, which makes customers uncomfortable. The food was good but I can think of many other spots in London that are just as good with friendlier & kinder service. All in all a mediocre experience.

Excellent experience - I highly recommend the pre-theatre menu, which saw us pay less than £40 per head including service for a large amount of very tasty food. Excellent experience all round.

Greeted by a blunt women staring at a screen asking how could she help, we were sat in a cosy table for two downstairs. The table next to us had finished their food and were struggling to get a server’s attention to pay up and whilst trying to eye someone to order for ourselves I watched a gentleman from another table stand up to ask for his cheque. Not a great start and our order got taken a while after we were seated. So much so that I was intent on ordering drinks and food simultaneously. We ordered the cuttlefish which was very chewy and overpriced and the “chatty” roast was cold but pleasant. We enjoyed the beef and pork curries although small portions for the price. The egg hopper was nice and the rice standard but the pol roti was so dry that all the moisture left my mouth. Of course it was a challenge to get the cheque but I must say that our server (when she was around) was very friendly and did come back to ask us how the meal was. The recommended number of dishes to order as stated on the menu is complete overkill and seems like a money grab. For £92 for two people with two soft drinks and substandard service, we will not be returning.

Kolamba Carnaby street. Pro: Great location and vibes cause of the neighbourhood. Well presented food. Loads of European customers but no Asian or srilankan customers. Is the food is authentic?? Whitewashed. Small menu so freshly prepared. Con: Small wobbly cafe tables, It’s a pure WHITEWASH Sri Lankan cuisine. Not a value for money restaurant for sure. Waiters have no clue of menu suggestion( what goes well with what, can’t suggest you). Took 15 min for menu card . 15 min for taking order. The restaurant was not busy at that period. Experience: We were there at n Friday evening at 9 pm sharp. Have to wait long for menus and were left for long to take out orders. Evening though the restaurant was free in terms of service. Everyone were in dessert course and finished meals. We asked the waiter for suggestions if the Coconut Sea bass main comes with sauce/ gravy for Pol Roti and we got answer yes it’s good. Ordered papaya salad, tomato salad ( 5 small slices of each heritage tomatoes) and Basmati rice. Took a while to come. By the time we realised and wanted to order dal for roti. The waiter said kitchen closed. So it happened that they served and in less than 5 min they closed the kitchen and asked we need any deserts. And yes they don’t have an enough stock of ginger beer. The worst brand of coconut is water they selling on a busy Friday evening serve. Pure disappointment.

Really love this little home style Sri Lankan joint. Taste is authentic and food is really delicious. It’s a little pricey for the relatively small portions but for a central London Sri Lankan fix it’s one of my top two.

Enjoyed our evening there and for those who found the food a little hot, they were happy to supply yoghourt. Good traditional Sri Lankan food. Can't fault anything - though perhaps 13.5% service charge is a bit steep.

My taste buds are still dancing with delight. The flavors were so fulfilling. Portions aren’t large which means you can try many dishes but each as flavorful and delicious as the next. I’ll definitely go again (soon). 👍🏻

A sweet experience of Sri Lankan food Reading the menu is difficult for someone who enters a Sri Lankan restaurant for the first time The food is very, very hot The service is nice

Amazing authentic Sri Lankan food. Very much like a home cooked meal. The best wattalappam I have had to date. I am was born in Sri Lanka and travel there regularly.

One of the worst Sri Lankan restaurant I’ve ever been to. Very limited food range (and NO Kottu on the menu??). Hoppers were ok, Ceylon chicken curry is not really a typical Sri Lankan chicken curry and was bland and awful. Being originally from Sri Lanka, I think I am fairly well placed to say with much conviction, if you are looking for authentic Sri Lankan food, avoid this place. (If you are actually Sri Lankan then absolutely forget it exists. The lack of Kottu on the menu should be a big enough give away🤦‍♂️) If you’ve never had Sri Lankan food before, and are ok with highly sanitised (localised), Sri Lankan food for beginners type of an experience where you are happy to pay whatever, then this place is perfect for you.

I had a wonderful dinner here again this week, I took my family and we had a wonderful meal. The food is so tasty and interesting and we were able to share most of the menu this time! I highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely return to try more dishes.

Authentic food which really tastes “home made”. The chicken curry & egg hoppers were especially great! Additionally, we had an exceptionally friendly and accomodating waitor

I had an amazing experience enjoying Sri Lankan cuisine in London. As someone who grew up in Sri Lanka, the food here truly feels like home. The customer service was exceptional, and they went above and beyond to surprise my friend who was celebrating her birthday with a taste of Sri Lanka. I will definitely be coming back!

Birthday brunch for my daughter booked following an on-line review and perfect! Great atmosphere, good personal service and fabulous food, not least as the flavours were unusual and unusually good!

Excellent value pre-theatre menu and exceptional service. Great portion size. Really inventive menu. We will be back.

Tasty and authentic Sri Lankan food

Kolamba was a real find. Excellent food - an explosion of flavours! Highly recommend the Kalu Pol Pork and Jaggery Beef. The Alphonso Mango Sorbet was also pretty special! Service was attentive and quick. The atmosphere was nice and cosy. I'd definitely recommend and look forward to visiting again soon!

Excellent service, excellent food! A very friendly waitress who kindly brought me milk when I found a dish too spicy for me

Amazing spot. Just came back from a holiday in Sri Lanka and the food was honestly just as good.

It is an absolute gem for authentic Sri Lankan cuisine. The cozy, inviting atmosphere sets the stage for a delightful meal. Had the black pork curry and rice with a fish cutlet. I loved it. Friendly staff enhance the experience. A must-visit for food lovers in London.

We came back to Kolamba after about two years - disappointed with the quality of food this time.

Enjoyed our brunch very much. Food was really good. Drinks not so much. I got the last glass of rosé from a particular bottle. It wasn't crisp and fresh, tasted as if bottle had been opened for a few days. Strangely enough another diner next to my table said the same when he asked if I liked the wine as he had ordered it too. We ordered an aperol spritz and that had a very strange taste. Wasn't sure if it was made with different ingredients to aperol / prosecco/ soda. Had to send it back and the second attempt wasn't much better. The food was very good which appeased the drink situation. Have recommended and would visit again. We chose to sit downstairs due to the air conditioning, but thd music was extremely low making it easy to hear everyone's conversations. I'd suggest it would make for a better atmosphere to increase it's volume. All staff were lovely but our server was a delight. Very smiley, friendly and chatty. Made our visit much more pleasant.

We came from France just to celebrate our anniversary in this restaurant and they were absolutely amazing towards us. They made the moment unforgettable with all kind of specials gestures. Our dinner was so good. We ate the some papadums with an amazing mango chutney, the Aunty mo was a pleasant surprise with a lot of flavours. And finally the pineapple fry was by far the best curry I ate in my life. Thank you for making this night amazing for us. It will be a must go everytime we will come to London. Best regards!!!

The best sambal I have ever had 👍👍👍👏👏👏

Had an amazing lunch with friends here. Fantastic flavours and great cocktails. Recommend the pineapple curry.

Excellent first visit to Kolamba. Food, service, atmosphere, and value for money all excellent!

First time visiting and I'll definitely return. We went for the £45 p/p selection of dishes and each one was delicious. The buttered cuttlefish and beef to start were really flavoursome and the main selection were delicious, spicy but not overpowering and the selection of dishes complimented one another. There was an awful lot of food and we had enough to take a small box home! The service was excellent. Will definitely return.

The food was absolutely delicious, we almost got everything on the menu. Our server was amazing too!

Great food - great people - we will be back!

Lovely spot in Kingly street, just around the corner from buzzy Carnaby. Very relaxed atmosphere, amazing service and a fabulous selection of Sri Lankan cuisine.

The food and staff were amazing. Unfortunately, the front of house manager was rude.

This is a small but cozy restaurant with big and filling portion sizes. The food was very enjoyable and flavourful. Would recommend to those with a variety of dietary restrictions as it caters to a decent selection of meal choices.

I recently dined at Kolamba East , and it was a delightful experience. The food was exceptional and truly reflected the rich flavors of Sri Lankan cuisine. The restaurant has a warm and inviting atmosphere, with tasteful decor that adds to the overall dining experience.

Lovely food and people thank you.

Staff are friendly. Atmosphere of this beautifully, chilled restaurant is very relaxing and food is on point. Can’t fault it.

Amazing, authentic Sri Lankan food.

This restaurant is not gluten safe. I became severely unwell after eating in the Soho branch of Kolamba on Monday, after becoming gluten contaminated. The meal of chicken curry, sea bass, okra and rice was shared, with only me becoming severely unwell, which is indicative of a gluten contamination, rather than food poisoning. The menu states that most dishes are naturally gluten free, but there is gluten present in the kitchen. It took several days to get a reply from the restaurant, after sending a couple of emails. I have not been impressed with the correspondence and customer service provided. All I have been told is that an independent party will investigate, no real apology - just the sense that my complaint has been an inconvenience to them. £82 is a lot to spend to become severely ill. Avoid if you are coeliac.

Such a lovely restaurant with delicious food. For me the “Mild” was still on the hot side but I had to finish it all because it was so tasty! If you have dietary restrictions the staff are kind, helpful and knowledgeable so we had no problem when it came to order vegan-gluten free dishes. The outside era is lovely so as It was a beautiful evening so we sat outside. Will definitely go back 😋

Last order is at 830pm on a Tuesday; inaccurate on Google. Was turned away Returned weeks after. Food is okay.

Went for brunch , some great dishes which I had never tried before with a good level of heat . Plus friendly and helpful staff - will be going back

Incredible, Authentic, Exciting curries from Sri Lanka, their Pol Sambol is the nicest Sambol I've ever had, their chicken curry was one of the best I've ever had, I don't think mango chutney will ever taste as good as it does here, portions are very generous, we ordered the set menu £35/p between two and there was so much food we brought some home with us afterwards, the service is great everyone's very friendly and it's a beautiful restaurant with very inviting atmosphere, it's no wonder Ed Gamble and James Acaster recommended it!

The food was great! Packed a lot of flavour. Overall the vibe and atmosphere was really nice, good for a date or just to meet up with friends. I particularly wanted to highlight the people and service! I was very impressed :) Everyone there were absolutely lovely, kind and very accommodative! Thank you for a great evening

Food was great. And the person who served was also very courteous... The place was clean and neat...

Second visit and was as amazing as ever! The food was delightful, service attentive and the atmosphere perfect where you could hear yourself speak. Highly recommend for all occassions

Food was fantastic! First experience of Sri Lankan cuisine, didn’t disappoint! only a shame we didn’t get our dessert from the tasting menu, we were very full though! Drinks and service were fab too!