Hoppers Soho

We came in without a reservation, started at the bar, and eased into the evening with a Paloma and the cheekily named Arrack Attack — built on Sri Lanka’s own arrack, a spirit distilled from coconut or toddy palm. From there, the namesake dishes took center stage. A hopper is not an insect (LOL, I am vegetarian) but a fermented rice-and-coconut crêpe, thin and bowl-shaped with crisp edges. Its counterpart, the string hopper, presses the same batter into delicate noodles. We had ours with kiri hodi, a coconut milk curry, alongside the house set of chutneys and sambols: coconut, tomato, pol (coconut sambol), and seeni (caramelised onion). Each brought a different register of spice, sweetness, or coolness — designed to be mixed, matched, and layered. The veg kothu parotta — flatbread chopped and wok-tossed with vegetables and heady Sri Lankan spices — stole the show, while a dosa added its crisp, savory bite. It’s easy to see why Hoppers has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand nod year after year: the food doesn’t chase novelty, it delivers consistency, character, and a rare taste of Sri Lanka in London.