Biryani spots around Colombo

Enticing yellow rice, a generous portion of chicken leg/thigh, delicious mint sambol and a boiled egg – the cardinal components of a good biryani. Here’s a list of some places in and around Colombo where you can find all this and more in a biryani.

 

1. Raheema Hotel
A good place to satisfy a biryani craving, Raheema Hotel does a decent job, especially with portion size and taste. The hotel has Indian staples like biryani, parathas and dosai. Their classic chicken biryani and beef biryani comes with a pol sambol concoction and gravy. The notable factor in their biryani is the seasoning; the salt is not overpowering as in most cases. The rice is lightly seasoned and even the meat, which is cooked well, is very tasty.
Price range – Rs. 300-350
Location – Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 7

 

 

2. Kebabish
You’ll be welcomed by friendly proprietors and assistants and even given a brief crash course on the makings of an authentic biriyani, Pakistani style! Talk aside, this small establishment located on the Galle Road, specialises in South Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. Their biryani is served with two mint chutneys and a raita. Even though their chicken is adequately large and quite tasty, it was their fluffy, authentic biryani-tasting rice that is the star.
Price range – Rs. 250-300
Location – #91 Galle Road, Dehiwala

 

 

3. Big Bite, Mount Lavinia
Large hot pans full of fragrant rice and accompaniments is what you’ll be greeted with when you step into Big Bite in Mount. Seeing your steaming hot biryani being served into containers is part of the experience here. Run by Pakistanis, the place is renowned for its tandoori chicken and biryani. The dish in concern comes with either mutton or chicken and is served with basmati that is nicely spiced. You get a nice amount of gravy if you order the mutton biryani.
Price range – Rs. 250 to 500
Location – #485, Galle Road, Mount Lavinia

 

 

4. Kandoori
An Indian restaurant that serves biryani among other things, Kandoori does a delicious spicy biryani. The portion sizes are fairly big and the chicken is well cooked. Although the prices are a little on the higher range, the fact that you can have a delicious Indian biryani in a friendly and quiet atmosphere tips the scale.
Price range – Rs. 400-450
Location – #17, Charlemont Rd, Colombo 6

 

 

5. Pot Biryani
You guessed right! The biryanis come in clay pots and you get to keep em. With over six years of experience in food serves and catering and specialising in Mughal, Hyderabadi biryani, the place serves chicken biryani, vegetable biryani, mutton biryani and spicy prawn biryani. With a takeaway and delivery option, the pots are meant for groups (six to eight depending on appetite). The biggest pot contains the well-spiced biryani rice of generous quantity, egg, chicken, etc., while the other pot has the chicken and onions. You also get accompaniments of Malay pickle, cucumber and onion raita. A very filling and scrumptious meal indeed.
They also have a ‘return the pot for a refund next time’ promo on sometimes.
Price range – Rs. 2,500-4,500
Location – #21A, 1st lane, Kirulapone

 

 

6. Chana’s
Only about a year old, Chana’s is a family-owned restaurant. All their food comes in disposable packaging and they do both takeaway and delivery. Serving predominantly North Indian cuisine, the biryanis here are easily some of the best – light and well-seasoned basmati rice and decently sized chicken and accompaniments.
Price range – Rs. 350-400
Location – #50, W.A Silva Mawatha, Colombo 6
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