My girlfriend and I were strolling on the beach in the morning when we stumbled upon Leyon Restaurant.
It is not much of a restaurant, with a single set of plastic table and chairs. There are a few wooden stools at the side. It is a little rundown, but it offers an unparalleled view of the sea. My girlfriend and I fell in love with this tiny rustic restaurant and we decided to have our breakfast here.
There are only three breakfast sets available at Rs 420-475. You have a choice of Coconut Roti, Toasted Bread and Banana/Pineapple Pancake, served with fruit juice and tea or coffee.
The food is prepared in the small wooden hut behind the set of plastic table and chairs.
You can order freshly-cut coconut juice from the next “stall”. A plump Sri Lankan lady will cut up the coconut for you on the spot.
This is Banana Pancake [Rs 420]. As you can see, a generous amount of sliced bananas are used. It is simple and delicious.
This is Coconut Roti [Rs 450] made with coconut flesh, cooked into an omelette. It is thinner than the pancake but the sweet aroma of the coconut flesh makes it very tasty.
Leyon Restaurant also serves other food items throughout the day. There are grilled seafood (lobster, prawns and fish), rice & curry, fried noodles, salads and soups.
Dining at Leyon Restaurant is less about the food and more about the atmosphere. You dine facing the sea, warmed by the warm sun rays. If you are lucky, you get the whole beach to yourself.
In fact, Leyon Restaurant is so under the radar and off the beaten track that I can’t even find its address on Google. Just walk along Negombo beach and look out for the little straw hut with two canoes in front. Leyon Restaurant should be just behind it.
Leyon Restaurant
Address: Negombo Beach, Negombo, Sri Lanka”
