Sri Lanka is an island of innate beauty and a complicated, formidable history – both of which show up, unapologetically, in its food. Sandwiched into Western Road’s busy strip of eateries is The Coconut Island, a restaurant which manages to encompass all the best parts of the vastness of Sri Lankan cooking. Warmth, spice, depth, disarming hospitality – it’s all right here. Open the door and you’re hit immediately with the addictive aroma of fried curry leaves wafting under your nose, enticing you before you’re even sat down.
Inside, it’s a beach-bar dreamland. Canopies hanging over tables, colour thrown across the walls, and an instant sense of being transported to a very, very faraway place. The playlist bounces seamlessly between reggae and laid-back funk, all pulled directly from owner Naveen’s very own collection – he’s a former DJ who proudly intertwines food with music. Naveen channelled his love for sound straight into The Coconut Island – #PureIslandVibes and #AddingMusicToTheFood are graffitied on the walls, and for once, it doesn’t feel like a marketing tactic. The music and food bleed into each other, creating a vibrant energy you won’t find anywhere else.
This is definitely the kind of place you come for a lively dinner with friends and end up staying far longer than planned.
What You’ll Love
- Bold, vibrant Sri Lankan cooking
- A beach-bar atmosphere with instant holiday energy
- Brilliant cocktails including arrack serves and a piña colada served in a pineapple
- Standout signature dishes like Egg Hopper and moreish Hot Battered Prawns
- A lively, welcoming team who are happy to guide you through the menu
- A menu full of colour and character
If you’re overtaken by choice, the team is always happy to steer you in the right direction. Better yet, let them take over – your meal is in very safe hands. Everything is freshly prepared every day with a distinctive attentiveness, and the menu is generous with vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian dishes. Fussy eaters, I challenge you to find something you’ll dislike.
Cocktails with island flair
If you land a seat by the bar, count yourself lucky – watching the bartenders work on a cocktail is a show in itself. We start with the ever-impressive Down South: a piña colada in a massive pineapple, theatrical in the best way and considerately served with two straws.
Alongside it, the tropical, creamy, mango-y No. 87, and an Arrack Attack. Arrack, Sri Lanka’s signature spirit, is typically distilled from the fermented sap of coconut flowers. Sweet, floral, and dangerously easy to drink. Fresh lime and sharp ginger might trick you into thinking it’s a heath shot…
Somewhere between drink-swapping and general excitement, we nearly forget about the incredible meal to come.
Dishes that demand your attention
The iconic Egg Hopper arrives first, decorated with three different sambols, all bringing something different to the party. The flawless outer shell becomes spongier the closer it gets to the runny yolk, and is perfect as a starter or for soaking up any curry left on your plate. Delicate and sturdy all at once.
What follows is like an edible colour wheel – we can taste the flavours and feel the textures before they even touch our mouths. If ‘eating the rainbow’ is meant to be aspirational, this is how it’s done. Naveen encourages us to eat with our hands, but of course, cutlery is available. The unspoken ethos here is that food is to be enjoyed however you like to enjoy it – whether that’s taking bites from dish to dish, building a plate with all your favourites or getting stuck in with your hands.
Pineapple curry is a mild, fruity, loose curry that seeps wonderfully between grains of rice and is ideal for cooling down between hot mouthfuls. The black pork is the opposite: dark, cooked with intensely roasty Sri Lankan spices, with just enough fat for satisfaction without excess.
We relished handfuls of chilled coconut sambol topping every bite. Kothu is a Sri Lankan staple, the name originating from the Tamil word meaning ‘to chop’. Roti, spices, aromatics and, in this instance, chicken are all cooked at a high heat and chopped until deliciously toasted. No one has to miss out on this – beef, veg, seafood and vegan alternatives are all at the ready. This elevated version of the plain carb has universal appeal, but fluffy basmati and crisp roti also made a very welcome appearance – eater’s choice.
Hot, crisp and impossible to stop eating
It would be criminal not to spotlight the Hot Battered Prawns – one of the standout dishes on the menu. A play on the country’s classic Hot Butter Cuttlefish, these polenta-battered prawns are fried until puffed, crisp and aggressively moreish. Crunchy chilli sneaks into all the crevices, and there’s a hit of citrus freshness from green onions and lemon. I find myself actively hunting down rogue crispy chilli flakes.
The dish that sticks with me is the Say Cheese. Uniform cubes of fried paneer transform into jewels under Devil sauce (a tangy, rich, spicy sauce – dare I say the slightly more thrilling cousin of sweet and sour), dotted with snappy red onions and a hint of char.
Craving Dope Plantain
Feeling defeated and extraordinarily satiated, we’re lured into dessert. It didn’t take much convincing. If you want the fun to continue (you do), take my advice and order the Dope Plantain: battered with the multi-faceted arrack, dressed in treacle and brought alive with a dancing flame right at your table.
This, paired with the excellently creamy vegan coconut ice cream, was a triumph – indulgent, syrupy, and exactly what I want in a dessert. If you’re in the mood to finish with something a little softer, try Watalappam – a set custard made with coconut milk and jaggery, a cane or palm sugar common in a multitude of South Asian desserts. Cashew nuts meet warm spices for a smooth conclusion to a spectacular meal.
Why The Coconut Island is a Dream Destination
The Coconut Island has been going strong for two years now, never missing the mark for both food and hospitality. The whole place runs on an infectious, authentic energy. Brighton & Hove took to it so quickly that The Coconut Island has decided to share its unmissable atmosphere with London, opening a second branch in Angel. Watch their socials – if you didn’t already have enough reason to go, soon you’ll have two.
