What are popular Sri Lankan snacks?

Popular Sri Lankan snacks include crispy cassava chips, spiced roasted cashews, and traditional sweets like kokis (deep-fried rice flour wheels) and kavum (oil cakes). Savoury street food nibbles like murukku and vadai are very heavily seasoned and commonly offered by train vendors, especially when the carriages are crowded.

The snacking culture on the island leans deeply into deep-fried textures, and then those robust spices follow right after. Isso vadai, a tasty lentil patty topped with whole prawns, is a legendary seaside treat that you can spot again and again at Galle Face Green in Colombo. During festive seasons, sweet snacks featuring kithul treacle and coconut milk take over the table, giving a rich, caramelised flavour profile.