Jaffna’s cuisine is not merely a collection of dishes—it is a chronicle of a region shaped by history, resilience, and tradition. Rooted in the northern tip of Sri Lanka, Jaffna’s food culture draws on Tamil heritage, the bounty of the Indian Ocean, and generations-old cooking techniques that celebrate both spice and simplicity. This August, Shangri-La Colombo brings this vibrant culinary tapestry to life with the Jaffna Food Festival, taking place from 7 to 27 August 2025during the dinner buffet.
The festival showcases an extraordinary array of regional favourites: Jaffna crab curry, aromatic fish mango milk curry, and hearty mutton paal poriyal curry; rustic odiyal kool, fragrant coriander rasam, and a variety of rice dishes from tangy tomato rice to zesty lemon rice. Guests can also savour an assortment of pittu variations, from odiyal pittuto purple yam pittu, alongside string hopper biryani, artisanal dosa and idli, and flavour-packed kottu roti. A colourful spread of vegetarian delights—like banana blossom varai, brinjal paal curry, and pumpkin milk curry—is complemented by an enticing selection of sambals, chutneys, and crisp vadai. The feast concludes with traditional sweets including paal payasam, rava laddu, and rasavalli pudding, celebrating Jaffna’s rich culinary soul.
More than a meal, the experience reflects the deep cultural essence of Jaffna. Every dish carries a story: of bustling spice markets, palmyra groves, and recipes passed down through generations.
Hosted in the elegant surroundings of Central, Shangri-La Colombo’s signature dining destination, the festival offers diners an evening of refined hospitality and cultural discovery. Priced at LKR 9,350 nett per person, guests can also enjoy an exclusive 25% savings with NDB credit cards, making it the perfect occasion to share this extraordinary experience with family and friends.
Shangri-La, an iconic flagship brand of the Shangri-La Group, puts heartfelt service at the core of its distinctive Asian hospitality experience. Through imaginative and nature-inspired design, delightful culinary and cultural experiences, and its authentic and thoughtful service, the brand enables guests to realise their own moments of Shangri-La.
Today, the brand experience is brought to life in over 90 deluxe hotels and resorts at destinations around the world, including Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sultanate of Oman, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
