Unawatuna has one of the most developed food scenes on the south coast, with a beach café strip that runs the full length of the bay and a reasonable spread of cuisines for a small resort town. The food is more international-leaning than Mirissa - partly a result of the longer tourist history and partly the proximity to Galle, which has cultivated a more food-conscious visitor. Vegetarian eating is straightforward here, with most menus clearly flagging plant-based options.
Sunset dining is part of the culture. The western-facing parts of the bay, particularly around Wijaya Beach and the Banana Garden area, are busy from around 5:30pm with travellers watching the light change over the water. Guided tours and day trips from Unawatuna to Galle and beyond are bookable in advance.
What to Eat
Fresh Seafood: the beach restaurants source fish daily. Grilled snapper, tuna, and prawn dishes are the staples. The quality is generally higher than at comparable beach towns because there is more competition. Ask what was caught that day rather than ordering from a fixed menu.
Rice and Curry: the local Sri Lankan restaurants behind the beach strip serve proper rice and curry at lunch. The southern-style curries here are coconut-heavy and tend to be milder than the up-country versions - good for those new to Sri Lankan food.
Vegetarian Dishes: Unawatuna’s restaurant culture accommodates vegetarians better than most Sri Lankan beach towns. Dhal curry, jackfruit preparations, and vegetable-only rice and curry plates are widely available, and the café menus include salads and non-meat mains.
Cocktails and Juice: the beach bar culture is more developed here than elsewhere on the south coast. Fresh fruit cocktails, coconut water, and blended smoothies are available from mid-afternoon.
Where to Eat
Kingfisher Restaurant: one of the most consistently recommended restaurants in Unawatuna. Located on the main beach road, Kingfisher serves Sri Lankan and international dishes - rice and curry, seafood, grilled mains - with reliable quality across the board. The portions are substantial. Popular for dinner; book or arrive before 7pm in peak season.
Wijaya Beach Restaurants: the cluster of restaurants on Wijaya Beach (the quieter western end of the bay) offers some of the best sunset views in the area. The menus are similar to the main beach strip - seafood, rice and curry, Western options - but the atmosphere is calmer. Good for an evening meal at the end of a beach day.
Banana Garden Area: the area behind the main beach, toward the Banana Garden guesthouses, has a few smaller and cheaper eating spots that serve good rice and curry and short eats. These attract more local custom and prices are noticeably lower than the beachfront.
Search hotels in Unawatuna on Booking.com
International Cafés: for Western breakfasts, pasta, and pizza, there are several cafés on the main road that do a credible job. None is exceptional, but they are useful for variety across a multi-day stay.
Breakfast in Unawatuna
Most guesthouses include breakfast, but if yours does not or you prefer to eat out, a handful of cafes on the main road open from around 7:30am. Bedspace Kitchen and a few similar spots serve shakshuka, avocado toast, and full Sri Lankan breakfasts (string hoppers, hoppers with egg, rice and curry). A full breakfast runs LKR 600–1,200 as of 2026. The beach restaurants start later - most do not open for food before 9–10am.
For the quickest and cheapest morning option, string hoppers from the small local tea shop near the junction of the main road and Temple Road are worth knowing about. Breakfast there - string hoppers with dhal and coconut sambal - costs around LKR 200–300. It does not look like much from outside but fills up with locals between 7–8am, which is a reliable indicator.
Practical Notes
- Peak season (December–March) brings full restaurants; book ahead for dinner or arrive early
- Vegetarians are well-catered for - most menus flag vegan and vegetarian options clearly
- Alcohol is freely available at beach restaurants; liquor stores are on the main road
- Prices are higher than inland Sri Lanka but fair for a beach destination; a seafood dinner runs LKR 2,000–4,500
- The beach restaurants closest to the water charge a small premium over the road-side spots
- Confirm the price of crab before ordering at beach restaurants - sold by weight in some places
- The tuk-tuk to Galle Fort from Unawatuna takes 15–20 minutes and costs LKR 250–400; many visitors use Unawatuna as a base for day trips to Galle