We spent almost four weeks in Sri Lanka with our 10-year-old son, who is allergic to fish, peanuts and tree nuts. He can have sesame, but we avoided it on this trip to be safe. Before we left, Sri Lanka food allergies were our biggest worry. Sri Lankan cooking uses dried fish, cashews and coconut in a lot of dishes, and we were not sure how much awareness we would find.
The good news: with some planning, it went much better than we expected. Hotels, resorts and most restaurants took his allergies seriously, and we had one reaction in almost four weeks, which we explain below because it taught us the most important lesson of the trip. This guide covers what we did before we left, how each hotel handled it, where he ate safely, and what we would tell any family planning the same trip.
Quick Summary
- Awareness was better than we expected. Servers were not clueless, and tourism seems to have helped a lot.
- Hotels and resorts were excellent. At every major resort we stayed at, the chef came to talk to us and went through the menu or buffet item by item.
- Tell them early. We added the allergies to every hotel booking, then spoke to the chef on arrival.
- Carry a translated allergy card in English and Sinhala, and hand it to staff.
- Bring extra medication. Pack more epinephrine auto-injectors and antihistamines than you think you need. They can be hard to find in Sri Lanka.
- Always ask, even about dishes you think are safe. Our one reaction came from a dish we assumed was fine.
Why Sri Lankan Food Can Be Tricky with Allergies
Sri Lankan food is delicious, but a few ingredients make it harder for some allergies, especially fish and nuts:
- Maldive fish: dried, cured tuna flakes are used to add flavor to many curries, sambols and even dishes that look vegetarian, like pol sambol (coconut relish) and some vegetable curries.
- Short eats: the popular snack rolls, patties and cutlets often have fish fillings, and different fillings can look almost the same.
- Cashews: they show up in rice dishes, curries, sweets and desserts, and sometimes as a cheaper replacement for other nuts.
- Buffets: serving spoons move between dishes, and labels do not always list every ingredient.
- Spice: not an allergy issue, but a lot of kids, including ours, do not enjoy spicy food, which narrows the options even more.
Before You Go: How We Prepared
- Put the allergies in every booking. We used the notes field when we booked hotels, or contacted the hotel right after booking to tell them about his allergies.
- Make a translated allergy card. We printed a card listing his allergies in English and Sinhala, and handed it to servers and chefs. On the east coast and in the north, where Tamil is widely spoken, a Tamil version is a good idea too. Have a native speaker check the translation.
- Pack extra medication. We always carry epinephrine auto-injectors and other allergy medication like antihistamines. Bring more than you think you need, since these can be hard to find in Sri Lanka.
- Pack safe snacks. Long drives and hikes do not always have safe options nearby.
- Learn the dishes before you go. Eating at a Sri Lankan restaurant at home helps you learn the names of dishes and what goes into them. In Southern California, we reviewed Rice N' Spice in Anaheim.
- Get travel insurance that covers medical care abroad.
Flying with Food Allergies: Turkish Airlines
We flew Turkish Airlines business class from Chicago to Colombo through Istanbul. Calling the airline ahead of time to tell them about the allergies was not much help. On board, though, the flying chef was amazing. He went through the whole menu with us, dish by dish, and we felt comfortable letting our son eat the airline food. During our layover in Istanbul, lunch on our own along İstiklal Avenue was easy too. Our Turkish Airlines and Touristanbul review has the full details.
How Sri Lankan Hotels Handled Our Son's Food Allergies
This was the best surprise of the trip. Every major hotel and resort we stayed at took the allergies very seriously. In most of them, the chef came to our table, asked questions, and went through each menu or buffet item in detail. It was impressive to see.
| Hotel | How it went | Our rating |
|---|---|---|
| Weligama Bay Marriott (Weligama) | Excellent. Very professional, and breakfast was great. | Easy |
| Zircon Ella (Ella) | Homemade Sri Lankan breakfast. Our son mostly ate the fruit and had pizza and pasta in town. | Limited options |
| The Golden Ridge Hotel (Nuwara Eliya) | The chef went through every item on the buffet with us. | Easy |
| Sigiriya Jungles (Sigiriya) | Handled the allergies well at every meal on full board. | Easy |
| Anantaya Resort and Spa (Pasikudah) | Took it seriously and kept him safe, but options were very limited. | Safe but limited |
| Jetwing Lake (Dambulla) | Really good food and really good allergy handling. | Easy |
You can read more about each stay in our south coast and hill country road trip, our Cultural Triangle road trip and our Anantaya Pasikudah review.
One more tip from Jetwing Lake: even the welcome sweets in our room came with a card listing the ingredients, which included sesame. Check welcome treats and minibar snacks before anyone digs in.
Eating Out in Colombo with Food Allergies
In Colombo we stayed in apartments and ate out most of the time. As long as we checked every dish, our son had no problems eating at restaurants. These are the places that worked for us. Our Colombo travel guide has more on each one.
- Chinese restaurants: Chinese fried rice became one of his favorites. We double checked every time we ordered Chinese food. Chinese Dragon Cafe was a family favorite.
- Perera and Sons (P&S): a bakery chain with hundreds of outlets around the country. He liked some of the short eats, but we checked each filling since many contain fish.
- The Kingsbury: at the Harbour Court buffet, we spoke to the chef, who walked us through the dishes. It was one of the best buffets we had.
- Shanghai Terrace in Kotte: accommodating with the allergies.
- Mall food courts: places like Havelock City Mall have a mix of cuisines, which makes it easier to find something simple.
- Thuna Paha: great Sri Lankan food for adults, but our son did not eat here.
Fast Food Chains
When we wanted something predictable, international fast food chains helped. We ate at KFC and Pizza Hut, and KFC was our son's favorite. There are other chains like Domino's and Taco Bell, which we did not try. There is no McDonald's in Sri Lanka anymore, since its restaurants there closed in 2024.
Apartments and Supermarkets
We did not do much cooking in our Colombo apartments, but having a kitchen helped. We picked up boxes of mac and cheese for easy, safe meals. Supermarkets like Cargills Food City are all over the country and stock packaged snacks with ingredient labels, which made it easy to keep safe food on hand.
- Water: we drank bottled water everywhere.
- Street food: we avoided it, and most very small local places, for all of us. That was as much about cleanliness as allergies.
- Family meals: the same rules apply at home-cooked meals. Ask about every dish, especially anything that might contain Maldive fish.
Food Allergies on the Road
Outside Colombo, the choices get smaller. Our son does not like spicy food, so he stuck to favorites like pizza, pasta, fried rice and fried chicken.
- Ella has lots of Western-style cafes. The pizza at The Barn by Starbeans worked well for him.
- Food courts in towns like Nuwara Eliya let everyone pick something different.
- Rice and curry spreads at roadside restaurants are harder for fish and nut allergies, so ask about every dish.
- Tourist buffets can be tough. At the Pinnawala buffet, he did not eat.
Our One Reaction: A Lesson Learned in Ella
Our son had one allergic reaction during the whole trip, in Ella. We ordered a pesto pasta. Pesto is normally made with pine nuts, which he can have, and he normally eats pesto with no problems. Because we knew pesto was safe for him, we did not ask about it. That was a momentary lapse.
We suspect the restaurant made the pesto with cashews instead of pine nuts. That is not very common, but cashews are far more common in Sri Lanka than pine nuts. It was a strong reminder to always check, even when you are sure a dish is safe.
- Ask about every dish, including familiar Western dishes like pesto, satay sauce, granola, cookies and curries.
- Ask what nuts are used, not just whether a dish contains nuts. Substitutions are common.
- Keep medication on you, not in the hotel room or the car.
Sri Lankan Dishes: Riskier vs. Usually Simpler
This is a general guide for fish and nut allergies, not a list of safe foods. Recipes vary from kitchen to kitchen, so always ask.
| Riskier for fish and nut allergies | Usually simpler (still ask) |
|---|---|
| Fish curries and ambul thiyal (sour fish curry) | Plain rice, string hoppers and plain hoppers |
| Pol sambol and seeni sambol (often made with Maldive fish) | Egg hoppers and plain roti |
| Vegetable curries (some use Maldive fish) | Chicken fried rice (ask about fish sauce and cashews) |
| Fish buns, cutlets and patties (short eats) | Grilled chicken and fried chicken |
| Cashew curry and biryani with cashews | Fresh fruit like pineapple, papaya and mango |
| Sweets like kavum, aluwa and some cakes (nuts and sesame) | Plain bread and simple pastries with labels |
If Something Goes Wrong
- Ambulance: dial 1990 for the free 1990 Suwa Seriya ambulance service, which covers the whole country.
- Hospitals: Colombo has large private hospitals, including Asiri, Nawaloka, Lanka Hospitals and Durdans. Outside Colombo, ask your hotel where the nearest hospital is when you check in.
- Use your medication first. Follow your allergy action plan, then get help. Do not wait for an ambulance before using epinephrine.
- Tell your driver about the allergies at the start of the trip. A local driver knows where the nearest hospital is and can help explain things in Sinhala or Tamil.
Sri Lanka Food Allergies FAQ
Is Sri Lanka safe for travelers with food allergies?
With planning, yes. In our experience, hotels and most restaurants were aware of allergies and took them seriously. The biggest risks are hidden fish, like Maldive fish flakes, and cashews in curries, rice and sweets.
Do Sri Lankan curries contain fish?
Many do. Dried Maldive fish is used as a flavoring in curries and sambols, including some that look vegetarian. Always ask, and mention fish specifically.
Are nuts common in Sri Lankan food?
Cashews are very common in rice dishes, curries and desserts. Peanuts appear in some snacks and sweets. Ask what nuts a dish contains, since cashews may replace other nuts.
Can you get an EpiPen in Sri Lanka?
Do not count on it. Bring all the epinephrine auto-injectors and allergy medication you need, plus extra, from home.
Do you need an allergy card in Sinhala?
We highly recommend it. We printed a card in English and Sinhala and handed it to servers and chefs. Add Tamil if you are visiting the north or east.
What did our child with allergies eat in Sri Lanka?
Mostly hotel buffets after talking to the chef, Chinese fried rice, pizza, pasta, KFC, fried chicken, fruit and some bakery items, plus mac and cheese we made in our apartment.
Final Thoughts
We were worried about food allergies before this trip, and it turned out far better than we expected. Hotels and resorts were excellent, chefs took the time to talk to us, and most restaurants knew what an allergy was. Our one reaction came from the one time we did not ask, which is the lesson we will carry to every trip.
If you are planning Sri Lanka with food allergies, add the allergies to every booking, print a translated allergy card, pack extra medication, and talk to the chef everywhere you eat. With that, you can relax and enjoy the trip.
For the rest of our planning details, from the route and hotels to our driver and budget, see our Sri Lanka itinerary.
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