i was greatly looking forward to the availability of seafood during my time in sri lanka, and galle did not let me down. i had some form of seafood for nearly every meal in town, and it was all so fresh and delicious. today i thought i would give you a brief run-through of the best meals i had during my time inside the fort.

pedlar’s inn cafe x 2.

when i first arrived in the fort, i was soaking wet and starving, so as soon as i dropped my bags in my hostel i set out for food. luckily for me, pedlar’s inn cafe was just around the corner, so i made a beeline straight there. all the outdoor tables were occupied – people tend to sit around longer in the rain – but luckily there was a space inside that i was able to nab. i noticed on the specials board mention of tiger prawns, so that is obviously what i chose, and they were delicious. the little salad on the side and the french fries rounded it out well, and galle and i were off to a pretty great start.

i also had lunch at pedlar’s on my last day in the fort, opting this time for the spaghetti bolognese. i am always a sucker for ordering pasta if it’s on the menu, and after the tiger prawns i had a feeling pretty much anything on the menu would be equally as tasty. i wasn’t quite hungry enough for another go-round with the prawns, and the spaghetti was delicious and the perfect portion size for me.

fortaleza x 2.

this was the find of the trip for me. i stumbled across it while exploring the fort on my first full day in town, and i couldn’t stop myself from wandering in and taking a seat. the inner courtyard was beautiful, and it had such a calm and peaceful feeling to it. that first day i had bruschetta and then the prawns spaghetti for lunch, and it was so good. the pasta was a little on the oily side, but it was yummy. and for dessert i couldn’t pass up the banoffee tarts — and thank goodness, because they were pretty heavenly.

the following night i decided to head back to fortaleza for two reasons: one was that the food was really good and i wanted to try something else from the menu, and two was that i needed to respond to an email and theirs was the best wifi i had found inside the fort. i treated myself to a glass of red wine and the jumbo prawns, and that was hands-down the best meal i had during my time in sri lanka.

[ed note: fortaleza also offers lodging, and judging by the design of the building and the friendliness of the staff i met, it’s probably a nice place to stay. it’s somewhere i would look at if i were travelling with someone]

taphouse.

on my third morning in galle, i woke up to a torrential downpour. it had been raining on-and-off since i had arrived, but this was heavier than it had been and showed no signs of letting up. i knew i wanted to find someplace where i could chill for a few hours and take my time eating while i read my book and watched the rain, and taphouse ended up being perfect, because it was completely empty and i could just hang out for as long as i liked. taphouse is inside the newly renovated dutch hospital in the fort, and it’s got lovely high ceilings, wooden tables and benches, and a jukebox that i was quite tempted by. i settled into a high table by the window, ordered myself some cider, and read for hours. i also ordered a “meat plate” and cuttlefish ‘n chips, both of which were pretty great. taphouse ended up being a great refuge from the rain, and i rather liked it during the day while it was empty and i had the place to myself.

i did eat at a few other places, but these were the standout meals of my time in the fort. i would recommend all of them, but fortaleza was definitely my favourite.

xx