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Colombo Restaurants | Palmyrah | Renuka City Hotel, Sri Lanka
Step into our fine dining restaurant and get the real taste of authentic sri lankan flavours along with our top notch service.
Palmyrah Restaurant Colombo – Facebook
Renuka City Hotel, 328 Galle Road, Colombo 3, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 00300. Links. . renukahotel.com/dining/palmyrah-restaurant. Services. . Specialties.
Palmyrah Restaurant Colombo (@palmyrahrestaurant) – Instagram
Authentic Sri Lankan cuisine restaurant in Colombo. Located at @renuka_city_hotel. Lunch 12pm-2.30pm. Dinner 7pm- 10.30pm. Delivery @ubereats.
Reviews
Kim N
Delicious Northern Sri Lankan food. Full of spices and flavors, with top-notch hospitality.
Before going in, you see what looks like a plain hotel restaurant setup in the basement, with the whitest crockery — something that might make you hesitate at first. However, as soon as the food arrived at the table, we understood why this place was recommended.
Around us, there was a mix of diners: locals and foreigners, young and older guests, families, couples, and solo diners, all enjoying their meals. The music playlist was very fun — while eating your chicken curry and dosai, you might hear Akon or Justin Bieber playing in the background.
Within 30 minutes, the restaurant was full. The flavors were incredibly authentic, and you can even ask to increase the level of spiciness. We also had the chance to try a sweet-and-sour soup (rasam) as an amuse-bouche.
Highly recommended for food lovers looking for intense Northern Sri Lankan flavors and warm hospitality.
… moreBefore going in, you see what looks like a plain hotel restaurant setup in the basement, with the whitest crockery — something that might make you hesitate at first. However, as soon as the food arrived at the table, we understood why this place was recommended.
Around us, there was a mix of diners: locals and foreigners, young and older guests, families, couples, and solo diners, all enjoying their meals. The music playlist was very fun — while eating your chicken curry and dosai, you might hear Akon or Justin Bieber playing in the background.
Within 30 minutes, the restaurant was full. The flavors were incredibly authentic, and you can even ask to increase the level of spiciness. We also had the chance to try a sweet-and-sour soup (rasam) as an amuse-bouche.
Highly recommended for food lovers looking for intense Northern Sri Lankan flavors and warm hospitality.
Martin Holcombe
Food excellent, we chose a Sri Lankan curry with vegetable rice. Spice but not not. Not as cheap as street food, but nicer food and ambiance. Service good, rather slow but they were busy with several groups
… moreCasey W
Food was on the expensive side. But it was tasty. Service is top notch. The place was packed, book if you can.
… moreParthiban Manoharan
Palmyrah claims to offer “authentic” and “traditional” Jaffna flavors, but unfortunately, the experience fell short of that promise. The flavors felt diluted, seemingly modified to cater to a Western or non-native palate, which diminished the authenticity that one would expect from such a place.
The odiyal kool starter, advertised as one of their signature dishes, was particularly disappointing. The flavors were off, and rather than the earthy, seafood-rich taste typical of kool, it was overshadowed by an unexpected addition—possibly a tomato or chili-based sauce—that completely altered the dish’s character. This departure from tradition was a letdown.
The other dishes didn’t fare much better. The hoppers were underwhelming, I assumed that the batter wasn’t fermented enough, and both the kothu and prawn dish lacked the bold, nuanced flavors that define authentic Sri Lankan cuisine.
The core issue seems to be a dilution of traditional recipes. By trying to appeal to a broader audience, Palmyrah has compromised the very essence of what makes Jaffna cuisine so special. If you market your food as “authentic,” it’s crucial to stay true to the original flavors rather than tailoring everything for a “foreign” palate.
The service, too, left something to be desired. It took over 10 minutes before our server even approached our table, despite the restaurant being almost empty. There was a noticeable lack of attentiveness, which contributed to the overall lackluster experience.
On a positive note, the atmosphere was clean and pleasant, but that alone isn’t enough to redeem the experience.
Given the hype surrounding Palmyrah, especially from YouTube videos labeling it a “must-visit,” I’d have to disagree. Based on this visit, I’d recommend giving it a pass unless they go back to delivering the rich, authentic Jaffna flavors they claim to serve.
… moreThe odiyal kool starter, advertised as one of their signature dishes, was particularly disappointing. The flavors were off, and rather than the earthy, seafood-rich taste typical of kool, it was overshadowed by an unexpected addition—possibly a tomato or chili-based sauce—that completely altered the dish’s character. This departure from tradition was a letdown.
The other dishes didn’t fare much better. The hoppers were underwhelming, I assumed that the batter wasn’t fermented enough, and both the kothu and prawn dish lacked the bold, nuanced flavors that define authentic Sri Lankan cuisine.
The core issue seems to be a dilution of traditional recipes. By trying to appeal to a broader audience, Palmyrah has compromised the very essence of what makes Jaffna cuisine so special. If you market your food as “authentic,” it’s crucial to stay true to the original flavors rather than tailoring everything for a “foreign” palate.
The service, too, left something to be desired. It took over 10 minutes before our server even approached our table, despite the restaurant being almost empty. There was a noticeable lack of attentiveness, which contributed to the overall lackluster experience.
On a positive note, the atmosphere was clean and pleasant, but that alone isn’t enough to redeem the experience.
Given the hype surrounding Palmyrah, especially from YouTube videos labeling it a “must-visit,” I’d have to disagree. Based on this visit, I’d recommend giving it a pass unless they go back to delivering the rich, authentic Jaffna flavors they claim to serve.
Rasiah Yogalingam
A Restaurent situated in Colombo- 3 Sri lanka, inside the Renuka hotel. Very nice and Beautiful Place.Tamil foods like pittu,string hoppers are available with tamil curries and coconut sambol.hoppers are also available. Foods are Very tasty and for reasonable price.
… moreDishon Devarajah
Came with a party of 10 and it was quite a good experience.
The food was quite good and everyone seems to enjoy it. Just that it would have been great if the spice level is a bit more there with some of the Jaffna dishes that we took (Odiyal Kool, Jaffna Crab Curry to name a few), as me and my party have tried the authentic versions and the spice levels have gap.
Other than that the staff service was excellent, very attentive, and overall all of us enjoyed overall atmosphere (even though it was packed on a Sunday). Cheers
… moreThe food was quite good and everyone seems to enjoy it. Just that it would have been great if the spice level is a bit more there with some of the Jaffna dishes that we took (Odiyal Kool, Jaffna Crab Curry to name a few), as me and my party have tried the authentic versions and the spice levels have gap.
Other than that the staff service was excellent, very attentive, and overall all of us enjoyed overall atmosphere (even though it was packed on a Sunday). Cheers
Baldbellyboy
When ever we are in colombo ,my buddy Malaka will bring me to what he feels and i totally agree is the best sri lankan food in colombo !
… moreSharon Gabriel
if your looking to dine at a cozy restaurant with great Lankan cuisine, i suggest the Palmyrah restaurant at the Renuka City hotel in Colombo. Service is great and the food is a 3.5/5. here are some things to note:
For the main course – here are my recommendations:
* We love the Egg hoppers and Seeni sambol and the jaggery hoppers 🙂
* Note that all condiments and sambols are priced separately. this includes the chutney for dosa/pol sambol etc.
* The Fried fish puttu is my husbands favourite along with an order of Ambul thiyal which is really superb.
For Dessert..the favourite was:
The Mango Melba which is a generous portion and so tasty.
I would not recommend the wattalappam as the portion was tiny and does not deliver authentic taste
For fruit juices, the lime juice was the winner.
Note that while the prices look reasonable on the menu.. but it does add up as all condiments are sold separately. Cocktails are also quite expensive ( starting at Rs 2000 ++)
All menu items are subject to a heavy service charge – please be mindful the bill will be higher than what you ordered.
… moreFor the main course – here are my recommendations:
* We love the Egg hoppers and Seeni sambol and the jaggery hoppers 🙂
* Note that all condiments and sambols are priced separately. this includes the chutney for dosa/pol sambol etc.
* The Fried fish puttu is my husbands favourite along with an order of Ambul thiyal which is really superb.
For Dessert..the favourite was:
The Mango Melba which is a generous portion and so tasty.
I would not recommend the wattalappam as the portion was tiny and does not deliver authentic taste
For fruit juices, the lime juice was the winner.
Note that while the prices look reasonable on the menu.. but it does add up as all condiments are sold separately. Cocktails are also quite expensive ( starting at Rs 2000 ++)
All menu items are subject to a heavy service charge – please be mindful the bill will be higher than what you ordered.
Nuwan Malawara Arachchi
Palmyrah has a reputation for authentic Jaffna-style dishes and hoppers, so I was eager to finally check it out . Unfortunately, the experience didn’t meet expectations.
We ordered hoppers, their well-known mutton dish, seeni sambol, thosa with sambal, and wattalappam. The hoppers were below average, and the mutton—while flavorful—was served cold and came in a small portion, yet cost 3,500 LKR. The sambols were the highlight—both seeni and thosa sambals were tasty and well-made.
The wattalappam was disappointingly small and overpriced, with average flavor. We ended up spending close to 10,000 LKR for the meal, which felt steep for what we got.
The ambience was just okay—it’s a downstairs restaurant with no view and nothing particularly atmospheric or romantic. It feels like a place to eat and go, rather than to enjoy the experience.
Sadly, I won’t be returning. It seems Palmyrah has lost the charm and quality it was once known for.
… moreWe ordered hoppers, their well-known mutton dish, seeni sambol, thosa with sambal, and wattalappam. The hoppers were below average, and the mutton—while flavorful—was served cold and came in a small portion, yet cost 3,500 LKR. The sambols were the highlight—both seeni and thosa sambals were tasty and well-made.
The wattalappam was disappointingly small and overpriced, with average flavor. We ended up spending close to 10,000 LKR for the meal, which felt steep for what we got.
The ambience was just okay—it’s a downstairs restaurant with no view and nothing particularly atmospheric or romantic. It feels like a place to eat and go, rather than to enjoy the experience.
Sadly, I won’t be returning. It seems Palmyrah has lost the charm and quality it was once known for.
Pragatravels
I recently visited this place. The food didn’t taste special — very simple and I would say it’s overpriced for that. I wasn’t fully satisfied with the service, but a 10% service charge was still added to the bill.
… more