Where to Eat in Ella: Best Restaurants and Cafés

Ella’s food scene is small-town but well-developed for travellers — a result of the village hosting a steady stream of international visitors since the backpacker trail discovered it in the 2000s. The main street (Main Street, unsurprisingly) has a concentration of cafés, rooftop restaurants, and rice and curry spots within a short walk. Prices are higher than in non-tourist Sri Lankan towns but still low by international standards.

The views are part of the experience. Several restaurants have terraces facing Ella Gap — the valley between the hills that opens to the south — and eating dinner watching the valley fade into the dark is one of Ella’s pleasures.

What to Eat

Rice and Curry: the standard Sri Lankan lunch. Ella’s local restaurants serve good versions — the up-country style is slightly drier and more intensely spiced than the southern coconut-heavy style. Jackfruit curry (polos), green bean curry, and dhal are the standard accompaniments.

Hoppers and String Hoppers: the hill country’s breakfast staple. Best eaten early — by 10am the first batch is usually gone at the local spots. String hoppers with coconut milk and a dhal curry is the classic combination.

Roti: both pol roti (coconut flatbread) and egg roti are widely available. The egg-and-veg-filled roti from street carts is a cheap and filling lunch option.

Fresh Fruit: the hill country’s produce is excellent. Avocados are grown locally and are better here than anywhere else on the island — ask at cafés for avocado toast, avocado smoothies, or simply fresh avocado. Strawberries from Nuwara Eliya make it to Ella’s cafés in season (December–April).

Where to Eat

Café Chill: rooftop café above Main Street with good valley views. Reliable for Western breakfasts, smoothies, and light meals. Popular with travellers; tends to fill up mid-morning. The avocado dishes are worth ordering.

Ella Flower Garden Restaurant: one of the better options for authentic Sri Lankan rice and curry at reasonable prices. Set back from the main tourist strip; attracts more local custom. The lunch curry selection varies daily.

AK Ristoro: Italian-leaning café and restaurant — pasta, wood-fired dishes, and decent coffee. The cooking is genuine rather than a Sri Lankan approximation of Italian. Popular for an evening meal as an alternative to curry.

Matey Hut: long-running traveller restaurant at the quieter end of Main Street. Good for breakfast — the fresh juice selection is strong, and the menu covers Sri Lankan and Western options. Reliable, consistent, and not overpriced.

The Local: guesthouse-restaurant hybrid with a kitchen that produces good rice and curry for dinner. Ingredients are sourced locally; the menu changes daily based on availability. Ask what the cook has made rather than ordering from the full menu.

Tea in Ella

Ella is surrounded by tea estates — you are in the centre of Sri Lanka’s tea country. Properly brewed Ceylon tea is available everywhere, usually served strong, hot, and with condensed milk unless you specify otherwise. If you prefer black tea or tea with fresh milk, specify when ordering.

Several estates near Ella (Newburgh Tea Estate, Grand Ella Motel area) allow factory visits and offer tastings. The Uva region around Ella and Haputale produces tea with a distinctive flavour profile — lighter, more aromatic than Nuwara Eliya teas.

Practical Notes

• Ella’s restaurants can run out of specific dishes by early afternoon — the best local rice and curry spots sell out by 1pm
• Most restaurants have Wi-Fi, which makes them popular working spots for slow mornings between hikes
• During peak season (December–March), the main street restaurants fill up quickly for dinner — arrive before 7pm or expect to queue
• A short tuk-tuk ride away from the main strip reveals cheaper and often better local eating, particularly around the Ella Market area