Last Updated on April 5, 2026
An Authentic Taste of Sri Lanka
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
Colombo Kitchen has recently gained the well-deserved accolade of Sri Lankan Restaurant of the Year at the National Curry Awards. I have something of a love affair with Sri Lanka and am a huge fan of its cuisine, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to dine at the Colombo Kitchen Putney outpost.
At the helm of the multi-award-winning Colombo Kitchen is Executive Chef and Founder Sylvia Perera, who first opened this neighbourhood restaurant in Worcester Park, Sutton, before expanding with a second site on Upper Richmond Road in Putney in May 2024.
I went along on a Sunday lunchtime – it was quiet when we first arrived, but it quickly filled with a crowd clearly in the know. The space is casual, café-style, set over two floors, with contemporary décor and an airy feel. Green-painted walls, royal blue chairs and green banquettes add colour, while slightly distressed oak tables keep things relaxed.
We sat on the lower ground floor, which boasts a bar and glass doors opening onto a covered terrace, sure to come into its own in the summer months.
I felt a little leap of joy reading through the menu, instantly transported back to my travels. Rooted in traditional Sri Lankan family recipes, the cooking delivers a deeply authentic taste of the island.
We started with a cold Lion beer, but the menu offers a good variety of drinks, and the barman was shaking up some excellent cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, which looked tempting.
A live cooking station turns out street food favourites like kottu – a much-loved dish of chopped flatbread stir-fried at high speed with curry, vegetables, egg and/or meat on a hot griddle – and my personal favourite, hoppers, which I regularly ate for breakfast during my visit. These delicate, bowl-shaped pancakes, made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk, have crisp edges and a soft, slightly spongy centre, often served with sambol and eggs.
The service was warm and welcoming – Chef Sachi came over to greet us and offered thoughtful recommendations. Dishes tend to lean towards the hotter, spicier end of the spectrum, but the team happily adjusts the heat level to suit your preference.
We began with an egg hopper, perfectly executed and just as I remember: light and airy, with a cooked egg at its centre, served with three different sambols, which add balance – I particularly loved the coconut one at Colombo Kitchen – a vibrant mix of finely grated coconut, chilli, lime juice and salt.
We also tried the crispy fried prawn puffs – flaky pastry parcels filled with fragrant curry, not unlike an Asian take on a fish pasty. Along with a bottle of Lion beer (minus the sunshine and view), I could have been sitting in a beachside restaurant in Sri Lanka.
Next, the table was filled with a fantastic spread of curries. The standout was the chef’s special: a Negombo king prawn curry inspired by Sylvia’s hometown. Plump, juicy prawns were lightly coated in a vibrant red chilli crumb, then served in a gently creamy coconut curry, fragrant with aromatic spices and finished with just the right touch of heat.
The clay pot fish curry was equally impressive with generous steaks of meaty kingfish, delicately cooked in a creamy, fragrant coconut sauce. Beautifully balanced, it was served on a banana leaf, adding to its rustic charm.
The mutton curry at Colombo Kitchen was brimming with flavour, its tender chunks of meat coated in a rich, deeply spiced sauce. Alongside it, a mild lentil and coconut curry offered a gentler, fragrant contrast. To accompany, there was a fabulous paratha – lightly crisp on the outside, soft and layered within – perfect for scooping. Fluffy saffron rice, delicately threaded with spice, completed the spread.
And finally, a traditional Sri Lankan dessert: Watalappan – a set pudding made with coconut milk and jaggery. Not unlike a crème brûlée, but with a little more texture and a gentle warmth of spice – remarkably moreish!
Could this be the new alternative Sunday lunch? The residents of Putney are incredibly lucky to have Colombo Kitchen on their doorstep. I only wish I had a neighbourhood restaurant of this calibre nearby – here’s hoping they head further west soon!
Colombo Kitchen
240 Upper Richmond Rd,
Putney
London SW15 6TG
020 3337 2249
We were SO looking forward to trying the Putney branch, thinking it would be the same as lovely Worcester Park – how wrong were we….
The food was superb, as usual. We were pleased with what we ordered.
The service was terrible. The barman was on his phone for most of the time. The waiter who served us was OK, but when he brought my mango Lassi, it was dripping down the glass, and that had a big chip out of the rim!
We shall not be going back to Putney. The original Worcester Park branch is FAB, thanks to Sylvia.