Sri Lankan and South Indian food is having a real moment in the GTA, and Scarborough is the heart of it. If you have never ordered it before, the menu can be intimidating. Here is a plain-English, dish-by-dish guide to what to get.
Biryani and rice and curry: start here
The safest entry point is rice. A Sri Lankan rice and curry plate in Scarborough gives you rice, a protein, and several small curries and sambols, so you taste a bit of everything. It is also the best value on most menus.
Kottu and Tamil staples
Next, explore the Tamil side. If you want to understand the broader cuisine, this overview of Tamil food in Scarborough is a good map: kottu roti, idiyappam (string hoppers), dosa and more. Most of these started as Tamil home cooking.
South Indian options
There is a lot of crossover with South Indian cooking too, so if you love dosa and idli, look for a kitchen that does proper South Indian food in Scarborough. The flavours are lighter and more rice-and-lentil forward than North Indian.
Lunch vs dinner
For a quick midday meal, a rice packet or a kottu is ideal. This guide to halal lunch in Scarborough covers the fast, filling options. If you are ordering for delivery, halal Indian takeout in Scarborough travels surprisingly well.
Where it all is
Most of this is concentrated in Scarborough, but the wider scene is worth exploring across the city. This roundup of Sri Lankan food in Toronto is a decent starting point.
The short version
Start with rice and curry, try a kottu, branch into dosa, and do not be shy about asking for it spicy. Scarborough has some of the best Sri Lankan and South Indian food in North America, mostly halal, and almost always cheaper than you expect.
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