Sri Lanka's Dairy King

Galle Fort, Sri Lanka

Traveling in Sri Lanka was surreal, and a life-changing experience.

One of my very best friends is from Sri Lanka – and I was able to go visit him for 3 weeks and travel around the country with him. I fell in love with a lot of the food there – which surprised me to be honest. I don’t like a lot of Indian Cuisine, and I assumed the flavors would be similar. Though there is a lot of Southern Indian influence in some regions, Sri Lanka has a flavor profile all its own. I loved pretty much every dish we ate, and could not get enough Roti, Dahl & Sambol.

Despite all the beauty and amazing cuisine – I still had ice cream on the brain.

I found my sweet release on my second to last night in Sri Lanka, in a city called Galle. This is a fortified city on the southwestern tip of the Island that was at the peak of its development during the 18th Century Dutch Colonial Period. For this reason, the architecture is unlike anywhere else on the Island.

The Galle Fort now houses many curated shops and restaurants appealing to travelers. Nestled within the Fort is a small, unassuming shop called Dairy King.

This small pink store front had the door propped open. The counter is right there when you walk in, but we didn't see anyone working when we walked in. My friend called out and we were quickly greeted by the smiling owner. He asked where I was from, and when I told him, "America," he handed me a Dairy King sticker and said, "You tell the Dairy Queen you met the Dairy King in Sri Lanka." I got the pineapple ice cream. I didn't think to take a photo because this was the first ice cream I'd had in weeks and the rest of the world disappeared for our brief moments together. The texture was a little icier than creamy but it was dense and filled with pineapple flavor. It certainly satisfied my sweet tooth!

I hope to return to Sri Lanka again someday. When I do, I will know exactly where to go for my ice cream fix.