Sigiri: An Authentic Sri Lankan Culinary Gem in the East Village

Sigiri Introduce

Sigiri is an East Village treasure, offering an authentic taste of Sri Lankan cuisine that has captivated a loyal following of New Yorkers. Tucked away on 1st Avenue, this unassuming eatery has earned a reputation for serving bold, flavorful dishes that many claim are so good, they "will ruin you for all future Sri Lankan food." It’s a a place where the focus is squarely on the food, delivering a powerful and satisfying culinary experience in a casual and cozy setting. While the ambiance is simple and no-frills, it is this very lack of pretense that allows the vibrant flavors to take center stage. Sigiri has become a favorite for both locals and those who have a personal connection to Sri Lankan food, with one reviewer noting that the dishes taste like they were "home made" and are "exactly like what you'll find in Sri Lanka."

The menu at Sigiri is a delicious exploration of Sri Lankan cuisine, with a variety of dishes that showcase the island's unique blend of spices and flavors. The "Kotthu Roti" is a best-seller, praised by customers for its perfect combination of texture and taste. Another standout is the "Black Pork Curry," which is described as "ridiculously flavorful" and "burn-your-face-off spicy" for those who love heat. For seafood lovers, the "Sri Lankan Crab Curry" is a must-try, known for its incredible flavor. The menu also features traditional items like "Hoppers" ("Aappa"), "String Hoppers" ("Indi Aappa"), and a variety of curries made with a special house blend of traditional spices and coconut milk. The offerings are incredibly diverse, with plenty of options for everyone, including healthy, vegetarian, and vegan choices. Lunch is a popular time at Sigiri, with a "Sigiri Rice and Curry Special" that offers great value.

Reviews from real customers are overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the food as "delicious" and "authentic." One reviewer enthusiastically declared it the "best place for KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN," though it's important to note the restaurant specializes in Sri Lankan cuisine, and that review may have been referring to another establishment or the popular "Hot Battered Calamari" which has a similar fried texture. The general sentiment, however, is that the food is phenomenal, with a flavor profile that truly sets it apart. While some have mentioned that wait times for food can be a bit long and that the restaurant is cash-only, these are small prices to pay for the "legendary food" that is so "worth it." Patrons also praise the friendly and accommodating staff.

Located at 91 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003, USA, Sigiri sits in the vibrant and bustling East Village. This puts it in a fantastic spot for both residents and visitors exploring the area's rich culinary scene. The restaurant is easily accessible via public transportation, with the 1st Avenue L train station just a short walk away. The 2nd Avenue F train station is also a convenient option, making it simple to get to from many parts of the city. For those who choose to drive, paid street parking is available, though it can be scarce in this busy neighborhood. The restaurant is tucked up a small flight of stairs, but accessibility is not an issue, with a wheelchair accessible restroom, entrance, and seating.

Services Offered

Dine-in: Enjoy a meal in the cozy and casual restaurant setting.
Takeout & Delivery: The restaurant offers both takeout and no-contact delivery, making it easy to enjoy their food from the comfort of your home.
Table Service: Attentive and friendly staff provide a great dining experience.
Lunch and Dinner: Open for both lunch and dinner, with a great lunch special.
Catering: Sigiri offers catering services, perfect for events and gatherings.

Features / Highlights

Authentic Sri Lankan Cuisine: Widely praised for its authentic and traditional flavors.
Bold and Flavorful Dishes: Known for its use of unique spices and a variety of dishes that pack a punch.
Great for Solo Dining: The casual, comfortable atmosphere is perfect for a solo meal.
Vegan and Vegetarian Options: The menu includes a variety of healthy and plant-based dishes.
Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is available for patrons.
Wheelchair Accessible: The restaurant is fully equipped with accessible seating, restrooms, and entrance.

Contact Information

Address: 91 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003, USA

Phone: (212) 614-9333

What is worth choosing?

Sigiri is the go-to spot for an authentic Sri Lankan culinary experience in New York City. Its most compelling feature is undoubtedly the food, which is consistently lauded for its bold and genuine flavors. From the savory and spicy curries to the unique "Kotthu Roti" and classic "Hoppers," every dish on the menu is an opportunity for a flavorful adventure. It's a place that caters to different spice preferences, allowing diners to choose their level of heat. For those who are new to Sri Lankan cuisine, Sigiri offers an excellent introduction to the diverse and delicious flavors of the island. While the restaurant has a casual and unpretentious atmosphere, the quality of the food and the friendly service are what keep people coming back. For New Yorkers seeking an authentic, satisfying, and unique dining experience, Sigiri is a fantastic choice that promises to transport your taste buds to Sri Lanka and leave you wondering why you haven't been coming for years.

Sigiri Food & drink

Best Sellers
Kotthu Roti $17.00
Sri Lankan road side specialty prepared from doughy pancakes shredded and stir fried with Vegetables, Onions and Eggs. Vegan $17 or choice of meat (Chicken, Beef or Pork) $19
Sri Lankan Crab Curry $28.00
Crab curry is one of the tastiest dishes in Sri Lanka. Our crab curry dish is made with inhouse spices and slow cooked to perfection infusing intense flavor and aroma to the crab meat. (Cook time 30 mins)
Pepper Pork $18.00
Pepperd deep fried pork chunks smothered in a savory graze.
Chicken Lamprais $20.00
A Dutch Influenced “Special Occasion” dish of flavored rice served with chicken, fish cutlet, deep fried boiled egg, ash plantain and eggplant wrapped & baked in a banana leaf to give this dish a unique flavor.
Beef Cutlets $8.50
Ground beef, veggies and spices are coated in a batter and deep fried to a golden perfection.
Black Pork Curry $14.50
This is one of our best selling dishes, Pork is seasoned with our inhouse roasted black curry powder and spices and cooked to perfection.

Lunch Special (11:30 - 3:30PM)
Sigiri Rice and Curry Special $10.00
Vegan $10 or Choice of Meat (Chicken, Pork, Beef) add $2.00 (Fish, Shrimp, Squid) add $3.00. Served with 2 Veg, Dhal curry, Papadam and a Soda.

Appetizers
Dhal Wade (4 pcs) $6.00
Deep fried Lentil patty with traditional Sri Lankan spices.
Fish Cutlets (4 pcs) $7.00
Fish, veggies and spices are coated in a batter and deep fried to a golden perfection.
Beef Cutlet (4 pcs) $8.50
Ground beef, veggies and spices are coated in a batter and deep fried to golden perfection
Vegetable Spring Roll $8.00
Fried crepes with potato, carrot, leek, and onion filing.
Sri Lankan Fish Spring Roll (4 pcs) $9.00
Breaded, deep fried crepe with fish and potato filling.
Gothamba Roti (2 pcs) Vege or Beef $7.50
Doughy pancake filled with potato, carrot, beef & Sri Lankan spices
Appetizer Sampler $14.00
2 Dhal vade, 2 fish cutlets, 2 Sri Lankan Vegetable spring rolls and 2 fish spring rolls.
Fish Patties (4 pcs) $8.00
Slightly spicy & savory filling encoded in a flaky & buttery crust.

Sri Lankan Specialty Entrees
Chicken Lamprais $20.00
A Dutch Influenced “Special Occasion” dish of flavoured rice served with chicken, fish cutlet, deep fried boiled egg, ash plantain and eggplant wrapped & baked in a banana leaf to give this dish a unique flavor.
Chicken Biryani $18.00
An aromatic combination of saffron, cashew nuts, raisins and herb flavored rice served with boiled egg and roasted chicken leg.
Kotthu Roti $17.00
A Sri Lankan roadside specialty prepared from doughy pancakes Shredded and stir fried with vegetable, onions and egg. Choices: chicken, beef $19 or vegetarian $17
String Hopper Kotthu $17.00
String hoppers (rice noodle) stir fried with onion tomato cabbage and egg. Choices: chicken, beef $19 or vegetarian $17.
Roast Chicken and Cheese Kotthu $20.00
Kotthu roti, shredded roast chicken smothered with cheese source.

Sigiri Chef's Special Entrees
Crab Fried Rice $20.00
Real Crab meat tossed with eggs & vegetables
Mixed Seafood Fried Rice $20.00
Shrimp, Fish, Cuttlefish, Eggs and vegetables
Sri Lankan Crab Curry $28.00
Crab curry is one of the tastiest dishes in Sri Lanka. Our crab curry dish is made with inhouse spices and slow cooked to perfection infusing intense flavor and aroma to the crab meat. (Cook time 30 mins)
Mixed Seafood Special (30 minutes prep time) $35.00
Crab, prawns, calamari & fish tossed in wok and glazed with spicy savory sauce
Pepper Pork $18.00
Peppered fried pork chunks smothered in a savory glaze
Black Chicken Curry (limited) $18.00
Bone-in chicken curry with house special Sri Lankan black curry powder.
“Sigiri Special” Chicken Curry (limited) $16.00
Boneless chicken curry with house special Sri Lankan curry powder.
Hot Battered Calamari $20.00
Battered calamari tossed in wok with green chilis and scallions in a buttery chilly garlic glaze.
Fried Handallo (limited) (30 minutes cook time) $18.00
Fried fresh Anchovis tossed with raw onion, chilies and lime.

Sri Lankan Stews (30 minutes prep time)
Chicken, Beef or Pork $16.00
Sri Lankan Stews are cooked in a thick coconut milk based gravy with black pepper and spices.
Fish $17.00
Sri Lankan Stews are cooked in a thick coconut milk based gravy with black pepper and spices.

Sri Lankan Curries (Made with a special house blend of traditional Sri Lankan spices and coconut milk.)
Chicken Curry $11.50
Beef Curry $13.50
Prawn Curry (Shrimp) $14.50
King Fish Curry (Seer fish) $14.50
CuttleFish Curry (Squid) $14.50
Black Pork Curry $14.50
Seasoned with our inhouse roasted black curry powder and spices.
Dry Fish Curry/Beduma $15.00
Sri Lankan Salted Dry fish curry or stir-fry
Dhal Curry $7.00
Slow cooked lentils with Sri Lankan spices & coconut milk
Special Sri Lankan vegetables $9.50
Please ask your server or call for our specials of the day.
Eggplant Moju (Pickle) also known as Wambatu Moju, Brinjal Moju $10.00
Fried eggplant, shallots, green chilies mixed with mustard-vinegar to pickle the vegetables, giving it a combo of sweet, sour and heat.

Sri Lankan Rice Specialties
Sri Lankan Fried Rice $12.00
Made with onions, veggies and eggs with choice of meat. Veg $12, Chicken $14, Beef $14, Pork $14, Shrimp $15
Mixed Fried Rice $18.00
Made with a mix of Chicken, Beef, Pork and Shrimp.
Yellow Rice $8.00
Fragrant saffron rice with cashew nuts and raisins.
Whole Grain Red Rice $6.00
Hearty and Healthy alternative to white rice.
White Basmati Rice $4.00

TRADITIONAL BREAD & RICE ACCOMPANIMENTS (Traditionally eaten with a choice of curry)
Pol Roti (Coconut Roti) $10.00
Pan grilled flat bread with fresh grated coconut, onion and mild chili, includes: 4 roti with onion sambol*
Aappa (Hoppers) $12.00
Wafer thin, bowl-shaped pancakes made from a fermented batter of rice flour and coconut milk includes: 3 plain hoppers and 1 egg hopper with a choice of Sautéed onion sambol* or coconut sambol*
Indi Aappa (String Hoppers) $12.00
(Indhi aap-pa) Spaghetti-like strings of rice-flour dough squeezed through a sieve onto small woven trays, which are steamed to perfection. Includes: 10 string hoppers served with coconut gravy and a choice of sautéed onion sambol* or coconut sambol*
Pittu $12.00
(Pit-tu)Pittu is a mixture of fresh rice meal, very lightly roasted and mixed with fresh grated coconut, and steamed in a bamboo mold. Served with coconut milk and onion sambol

Sri Lankan Desserts
Watalappam $6.00
A rich pudding of Malay origin made of coconut milk, brown palm sugar, cashew nuts, eggs and various spices including cinnamon, cloves cardamoms and nutmeg.
Sri Lankan Caramel Pudding (Flan) $5.50
Sweet custard dessert steamed with caramel syrup
Sweet Mango a la Mode $6.00
Mango in sugar syrup served with ice cream.
Banana Fritters $6.00
Deep fried crepes filled with sugar coated banana. Served with ice cream.
Kiri Pani $5.00
Traditional Sri Lankan yogurt with palm sugar syrup.
Falooda $8.00
This drinkable dessert with layers of strawberry jello, basil seeds, milk, rose syrup, and ice cream is favorite among Sri Lankan people.

Beverages
Sri lankan Sodas (Limited) $3.00
Sodas $2.00
Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, Club Soda, Diet Coke

Sigiri Details

Service options
No-contact delivery
Delivery
Onsite services
Takeout
Dine-in

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible seating

Offerings
Coffee
Comfort food
Healthy options
Small plates
Vegan options
Vegetarian options

Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Catering
Dessert
Table service

Amenities
Restroom
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi

Atmosphere
Casual
Cozy

Crowd
Family-friendly

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Debit cards
Credit cards

Parking
Paid street parking
Parking

Sigiri Photos

Sigiri Location

Sigiri

New York New York County New York 1st Avenue

91 1st Ave, New York, NY 10003, USA

Sigiri Reviews

An average rating of ★4.5 from 752 user reviews.

kotthulampraisBYOBblack pork currycrab currychicken kottustring hopperspol rotiwatalappamdhal curry

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

Warning: this unassuming eatery will ruin you for all future Sri Lankan food. Their black pork curry, chicken lamprais, appams and string hoppers are ridiculously flavorful, with spice levels tailored to your taste buds' whims. BYOB? No problem - grab beers from the bodega down the street. Ambiance? Who needs it when the food's this good? Just don't forget your wallet (cash only, folks!). We revisited after years and left wondering why we ever stayed away. come for the curry, stay for the food coma!
April 27 · Meera Mohan
Sigiri offers authentic Sri Lankan cuisine with bold, flavorful dishes. From spicy curries to hoppers and kottu roti, the food is a delicious exploration of Sri Lankan flavors. It's a great spot for a unique and satisfying culinary experience
April 17 · Paul Ampunun
I've been wanting to go here for years and finally got the chance when I was in town and I walked an hour from my hotel.It was totally worth it and the crab curry is phenomenal. The staff was super friendly and had a nice chat. I got some chicken lamprais to go even to try it. It wasn't as good as the crab curry but that would be a tall feat to match.I can't wait to go again when I'm in town. The only thing is that I would order mild as the spice level is pretty high even when I got medium.
April 18 · Karim D
I'm so glad a friend who is from Sri Lanka suggested Sigiri! Service was fast because I ate here on a weekday and it was early in the evening. My Nelli (Indian Gooseberry) Sri Lankan Cordial tasted like kiwi and mint. I would get the Chicken Biryani on the regular it was that fantastic-the chicken leg was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. There was more chicken and a boiled egg under the rice! The saffron and raisins enhanced the flavors of the herbs! The Watalappam shocked me. It wasn't what I expected, but the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom made the dessert enjoyable. I'll be back! Be mindful that it is cash payment only when you are preparing to dine in.
March 26 · Maya Thompson
This tiny, no-frills spot is tucked away above a specialty foods store, making it so easy to miss. We got the Sri Lankan crab curry, black chicken curry, and aappa. I could tell that the crab was quite fresh because the meat had a nice firmness and a hint of natural sweetness. The curry was thin like a broth. It had decent flavor but lacked the bold intensity I was hoping for. The black chicken curry had tender, bone-in pieces of meat with the flavors infused all throughout but its taste was reminiscent of Chinese herbal medicine that wasn’t really my thing. The aappa had a great contrast in texture: the edges were super crispy and toasty, while the center was soft and fluffy. Taste-wise, I think it needed a bit more coconut flavor to really be notable.
June 05 · Christina Huynh