Restaurant
Ministry of Crab
Dharshan Munidasa's crab restaurant in the Old Dutch Hospital, co-founded with cricketers Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and serving wild-caught Sri Lankan mud crab.
Loon Tao
A beachside Chinese seafood restaurant at Mount Lavinia that reopened in 2025 after a long closure, with 350 seats, private rooms and live music every evening.
At a glance
- Type
- Chinese seafood
- Area
- Mount Lavinia, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Price
- $$$ · Upscale
Good to know
- Beachfront
- Live music
- Private dining rooms
Why we recommend it
Loon Tao is a once-legendary beachside Chinese seafood restaurant at Mount Lavinia, on Colombo's southern edge, and it returned in 2025. The restaurant had been closed for two and a half years before reopening early that year under new management, the SDA Hospitality Group, with a redesign and an expanded dining area.
The cooking is built around fresh, locally sourced seafood prepared with traditional Chinese techniques. The restaurant talks about curated menus and seasonal dishes rather than a fixed list, so ask what is good that day and how it can be prepared. The appeal is as much the setting as the food: the restaurant looks out over the beach at Mount Lavinia, and the beach here is known for its sunsets, so arriving a little before dusk is the way to see it at its best.
Loon Tao is open daily for dinner from 6pm, with live music every evening, and there is a Sunday brunch, also with live music. After the expansion the restaurant can seat 350 people and has three private dining rooms, and it caters for corporate events and celebrations, which makes it a good choice for large family groups and parties as well as couples. The kitchen team numbers about 20, and lunch is available for pick-up through the PickMe and Uber Eats apps. Booking ahead is sensible for weekends and for groups wanting a private room.
The beach itself needs some care. Swimming is only safe at certain times of year at Mount Lavinia, and the sea can be rough with a strong undertow, so treat a meal here as a sunset outing rather than a swim stop. The walk along the sand before dinner is the classic way to begin the evening.
Mount Lavinia is about 14 kilometres from Colombo Fort, and Mount Lavinia station on the coastal railway is a convenient way to get here, although few express trains stop and a tuk-tuk or taxi is simpler at night. The Mount Lavinia Hotel, built around Governor Thomas Maitland's 1806 residence, is close by, and its own beachside Seafood Cove offers an alternative if you want to compare seafood dinners on different nights.
Loon Tao FAQs
Where is Loon Tao?
On the beach at Mount Lavinia, on Colombo's southern edge.
What kind of food does it serve?
Chinese seafood made with fresh, locally sourced produce.
When is it open?
Daily for dinner from 6pm, with a Sunday brunch.
Is there live music?
Yes, every evening and at Sunday brunch.
Is it good for groups?
Yes. It seats 350 and has three private dining rooms.
Who runs it?
The SDA Hospitality Group, which reopened it in 2025 after a two-and-a-half-year closure.
When is the best time to arrive?
Shortly before sunset, to see the beach at its best.
How do I get there?
By tuk-tuk or taxi along Galle Road, or by coastal train to Mount Lavinia station.