Weligama is one of the most famous surf towns in Sri Lanka, but over the past decade, it’s slowly grown into one of the top digital nomad hubs on the island.
Part of this has to do with the surf scene, but it also has to do with its proximity to the central coast. It’s less than an hour from Mirissa, Hiriketiya, Tangalle, Ahangama, Unawatuna, and Galle.
But this growth has also led to the food scene exploding.
We loved the food around Weligama. During our 2 weeks here, we found a great mix of local Sri Lankan food and international options for people who are looking for a taste of home.
Here are the best places in Weligama, from highly recommended restaurants (that actually lived up to the hype) to ‘hole-in-the-wall’ spots you wouldn’t hear about otherwise!
1. Moochies
Address: 32 Samaraweera Pl, Weligama
Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM (Daily)
Menu
Moochies was our favorite cafe in Weligama.
It caters to tourists and offers a full menu of typical Western food, vegan options, and healthy dishes. As you’d expect from a place like this, they’re also really good about accommodating people with dietary restrictions (gluten-free bread, alternative milk, etc.).
The seating is all open-air, and they have live music every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.
Their Wifi was also some of the best we could find in Weligama, and prices were reasonable compared to other touristy restaurants in the region.
If you’re looking for recommendations, we particularly loved their avocado toast, cauliflower nuggets, and sweet potato fries!
2. Hangtime Hostel
Address: 540 Weligama By Pass Rd, Weligama
Opening Hours: 7:30 AM – 9:30 PM (Daily)
Menu
The rooftop cafe at Hangtime Hostel is one of Weligama’s most popular places to eat.
It’s right across the street from a group of surf camps, and the cafe is poppin’ at all hours of the day, both with residents of the hostel and people just looking for good coffee and a tasty meal.
Since we stayed at Hangtime Hostel for a few days, we ate there often and sampled most of the menu. Our favorites were the Coconut Date shake, Avocado Bliss smoothie, Falafels, and Mexican Fries. They source their coffee beans locally from Soul Coffee!
We booked a private room for less than $35/night, but hostel beds start at just $10/night.
3. Ceylon Sliders
Address: No 9 New Galle Road Rest House Junction, Weligama
Opening Hours: 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM (Daily)
Menu
Although the meals at Ceylon Sliders are fairly expensive, you know you’re getting quality food, and we found that the coffee is quite affordable!
We came here to grab coffee and get some work done on several occasions.
On one of those visits, we split the chicken teriyaki bowl and thought it was really tasty. However, would we buy it again for $9? Probably not.
So, if you’re on a tight budget, come here for coffee and head elsewhere for dinner.
There’s also a small boutique at the bottom with fun clothes, recycled souvenirs, surf gear, and Ceylon Sliders, which even has a highly reviewed guesthouse connected to the property!
4. Fujisan
Address: Latheena Resort, Mirissa, A2
Opening Hours: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Daily)
Fujisan feels like a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but it offers every kind of cuisine you could want, from Chinese and Japanese dishes to burgers, burritos, and traditional Sri Lankan food.
Yet, Fujisan is one of the most affordable restaurants in Weligama, and the portions are huge!
This eatery is connected to Latheena Resort, a budget guesthouse between Weligama and Mirissa. We stayed here for nearly a week (which is how we originally found Fujisan) and tried several items from their menu.
5. Locale
Address: 446, New Galle Road, Main Street, Weligama
Opening Hours: 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM (Daily)
Menu
Locale is another hotel/restaurant to visit right on the beach in Weligama.
It’s a classier gastropub/cocktail bar on the far East of the beach (near Taprobane Island), and we love the romantic atmosphere.
You can expect some of the best cocktails on the island and live music most weekends, which are perfect for date night!
The menu features seafood dishes (such as Yellow Fin Tuna Steak, mahi mahi, and Garlic Prawns) and comfort foods like burgers, paninis, and pasta.
6. Meewitha Restaurant
Address: 486/C Matara Rd, Weligama
Opening Hours: 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Daily)
Instagram
Meewitha is an extremely popular restaurant in Weligame. It serves authentic Sri Lankan dishes for cheap. Almost all the dishes cost less than 1500 LKR ($5), making it the most affordable restaurant in town.
But it doesn’t slack on the quality. Everything is really good, especially the curries, kottu, and deviled meat!
However, it’s open for only a few hours each evening, so it’s worth making a reservation earlier in the day if you know you want to have dinner here (you can simply message them on Facebook or Instagram.
7. Zephyr Pool Bar
Address: 496 Matara Rd, Weligama
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Daily)
Facebook
Zephyr has two locations. The main restaurant is in eastern Mirissa (15 min from Weligama).
But they just opened a second location at the Mariott Hotel in Weligama. It’s right on the beach, and you don’t have to stay at the hotel to visit Zephyr.
It’s a cocktail bar, so it’s definitely more focused on drinks than food, but it does have a partial menu. The options are mostly seafood dishes, like tuna Steak, mahi mahi, or butter-fried prawns, but some burgers and pasta are also available.
Besides the food, Zephyr is honestly a relaxing place to spend a day, especially if your hotel doesn’t have a pool. There are changing rooms, showers, and beach access, giving it the same vibe as some beach clubs we’ve been to in Bali!
8. Jamu Surf Lodge
Address: No 44, Kadebeddagama Gurubebila, Weligama
Opening Hours: 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM (Daily)
Menu
The cafe at Jamu Surf Lodge is a great place to get a healthy breakfast/brunch.
The menu is fairly small (compared to the other restaurants on this list), but it offers all the typical dishes you’d expect at a beach cafe, like avocado toast, banana pancakes, veggie wraps, and smoothie bowls.
I also thought they had excellent coffee, and it’s cool that they make their own in-house Jamu–a traditional Indonesian herbal medicinal drink.
In addition to its cafe, Jamu Surf Lodge’s guesthouse has comfortable rooms suited for slow living, a yoga studio, and a surf school. It’s a great place to stay if you’re willing to travel a bit outside of Weligama.
Final Thoughts
There are so many places to find good food in Weligama, and places like Hangtime Hostel and Fujisan became regular dinner spots for us while we were based here.
But you can’t go wrong with any of these restaurants.
All of them offer great value for your money, and there’s a good variety of cuisines, whether you want fresh seafood, western comfort food, or a traditional Sri Lankan experience!
However, if you are looking for more options, it’s very easy to pop next door to Mirissa. The town is only 10 minutes away, and we found some excellent places to eat here as well!
