A free Sri Lankan gastronomic adventure awaits

Traditional asian fish market grill full of fresh seafood

The Sri Lanka Food & Culture Festival held on 25-26 November in Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, is an authentic, alluring and mouth-watering event that invites you to get up close and personal with this stunning island destination.

And don’t let its small size deceive you – the 65,000 square kilometres of this island are brimming with unique wildlife, golden beaches, a rich cultural heritage and some of the most incredible food you’ll ever eat.

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Hosted by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, this festival is a feast for the senses, with something for everyone – from traditional handicraft stores and live performances, to the endless tea and tantalising food, and stacks of holiday giveaways too.

Tell us more about the food you ask?

Sri Lanka is a spice island if ever you saw one. With its rich melting pot of cuisines, Sri Lanka’s iconic food has been influenced by an array of international cultures, as a result of the many traders that visited over the years.

Just a handful of its influences include the Dutch, Portuguese, Moors, Arabs, Malays, Indians, and English. And you’ll find all this and more at the Sri Lanka Food & Cultural Festival.

Thanks to its tropical climate, you can expect fresh veggies, fruit, and spices to be in abundance all year round.

Traditional asian market

In Sri Lanka, curries are vibrant in colour and flavour, rice is served with every meal, fresh coconut is grated daily for sambols, and desserts range from striking cakes to thick custards with added spice.

At the festival, expect to sample dishes like Kottu, made with roti and spicy curry sauce, Lamprais, rice and meat curry wrapped in banana leaves, Hoppers, Sri Lanka’s answer to the pancake, and Pol Sambol, a spicy coconut relish.

And that’s not even the tip of the iceberg, because even more famous than its food, is Sri Lankan tea.

Tea is serious business in Sri Lanka, where they’re famous for producing the finest black tea in the world.

Tea on black table

Its trademark tea, the Ceylon Tea, is named after the island’s former name under British rule, and is renowned for its pure taste and quality. At the festival, there will also be live demonstrations and displays of Ceylon Tea so you can see and taste it for yourself.

Don’t miss this completely free, utterly delicious, absolutely unmissable event.

Find out everything you need to know here. 

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