Authentic flavours
Customers describe the Sri Lankan dishes as authentic, with buffet items tasting like home cooking.
Thambapanni Restaurant
Al Karama
Thambapanni is a Sri Lankan restaurant in Al Karama serving traditional meals, snacks and desserts. Reviews highlight its egg hoppers, lamprais and weekend buffets, while event customers also mention live hopper and kottu stations for home gatherings.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
208 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Generous portions
A 4–6 person sawan reportedly fed 10 people comfortably, making the larger sharing portions useful for groups.
Egg hoppers
The hopper combo is praised for crisp, well-cooked hoppers with authentic flavour.
Live stations
For catered gatherings, customers have enjoyed live cooking stations serving appa and kottu.
Clean outlet
One dinner review specifically noted a clean outlet and prompt service.
Event catering
Large catering orders have included fresh snack boxes, generous dinner portions and on-time delivery.
What to Eat at Thambapanni Restaurant How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For Thambapanni Restaurant, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Thambapanni Restaurant, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 10
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Beef curry Net +1
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”June 2025
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Beef kankung Net +1
“We also got their ‘Beef Kankung’: we reallyyyyy loved this one! The beef was fried and cooked to perfection and the kankung leaves were sautéed to the right amount and the soy sauce based gravy was flavourful! Perfect to have with rice, breads or even roti! This dish is highly recommended 👏🏻.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We also got their ‘Beef Kankung’: we reallyyyyy loved this one! The beef was fried and cooked to perfection and the kankung leaves were sautéed to the right amount and the soy sauce based gravy was flavourful! Perfect to have with rice, breads or even roti! This dish is highly recommended 👏🏻.”June 2025
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Cashew/peanuts spicy mix Net +1
“Instore they have bottles of cashew/peanuts spicy mix which has become my new favorite!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Instore they have bottles of cashew/peanuts spicy mix which has become my new favorite!”October 2025
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Chicken biriyani sawan Net +1
“We Ordered their Chicken Biriyani Sawan. And it was absolutely delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We Ordered their Chicken Biriyani Sawan. And it was absolutely delicious.”May 2026
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Chicken lamprais Net +1
“A must try is their Chicken lamprais.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A must try is their Chicken lamprais.”January 2022
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Dinner packs Net +1
“The dinner packs were delivered on time, with generous portions and great quality.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The dinner packs were delivered on time, with generous portions and great quality.”November 2025
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Egg godamba roti Net +1
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”June 2025
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Fish bun Net +1
“Our members specifically praised the snack boxes — every item was fresh and flavorful, and the fish bun became a clear favourite among many.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Our members specifically praised the snack boxes — every item was fresh and flavorful, and the fish bun became a clear favourite among many.”November 2025
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Fresh roast paan Net +1
“Authentic Sri Lankan taste in the heart of Karama! Loved the Samon fish sambol parippu curry, and fresh roast paan. Feels just like home cooking – highly recommend for anyone craving real Sri Lankan flavors.””
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Authentic Sri Lankan taste in the heart of Karama! Loved the Samon fish sambol parippu curry, and fresh roast paan. Feels just like home cooking – highly recommend for anyone craving real Sri Lankan flavors.””September 2025
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Godamba roti Net +1
“My new go-to place for Roast Pan and Godamba roti which is all made fresh !”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My new go-to place for Roast Pan and Godamba roti which is all made fresh !”October 2025
Honorable mentions (20)
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Godamba roti set Net +1
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”June 2025
-
Hopper combo Net +1
“The hopper combo was superb and the spices in every dish were enhancing without being too overpowering.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The hopper combo was superb and the spices in every dish were enhancing without being too overpowering.”June 2025
-
Hot buttered cuttlefish Net +1
“Their food takes you back home.. Highly recommend you try the Nasi Goreng and Hot Buttered Cuttlefish..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their food takes you back home.. Highly recommend you try the Nasi Goreng and Hot Buttered Cuttlefish..”November 2025
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Lamp rice Net +1
“The Lamp Rice was absolutely delicious, and both the Chicken Kottu and Egg Hoppers were amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Lamp Rice was absolutely delicious, and both the Chicken Kottu and Egg Hoppers were amazing.”April 2025
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Lamprais Net +1
“I tried the lamprais which included a big drumstick on a bed of curry stock boiled rice and other sides surrounding making it a filling meal with a huge spice hit on the tastebuds as you would expect from a Sri Lankan restaurant. Let's just say no part of the meal lacked flavour, so be prepared!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I tried the lamprais which included a big drumstick on a bed of curry stock boiled rice and other sides surrounding making it a filling meal with a huge spice hit on the tastebuds as you would expect from a Sri Lankan restaurant. Let's just say no part of the meal lacked flavour, so be prepared!”December 2021
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Live hoppers station Net +1
“A special mention to the live hoppers station, which was a huge hit, freshly made, delicious, and perfectly executed by chef DY. Guests couldn’t stop complimenting the taste and freshness.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“A special mention to the live hoppers station, which was a huge hit, freshly made, delicious, and perfectly executed by chef DY. Guests couldn’t stop complimenting the taste and freshness.”January 2026
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Lunu miris sambal Net +1
“For our main dishes we opted for their ‘Hoppers’: a rice flour based batter poured into a deep pan and cooked till the middle’s are soft and springy whilst the exteriors are brown and crunchy 💯. A favourite dish of mine since childhood this set comes with 1 egg hoppers and 4 plain hoppers served with Lunu Miris Sambal- a spicy side dish made using salt(lunu), miris(chillies) with lime juice and maldive fish pounded together into a fine paste. My mouth is watering just typing about this sambal 😝. And, what I loved about these hoppers is the presentation, I found it so cute and pretty 😍.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“For our main dishes we opted for their ‘Hoppers’: a rice flour based batter poured into a deep pan and cooked till the middle’s are soft and springy whilst the exteriors are brown and crunchy 💯. A favourite dish of mine since childhood this set comes with 1 egg hoppers and 4 plain hoppers served with Lunu Miris Sambal- a spicy side dish made using salt(lunu), miris(chillies) with lime juice and maldive fish pounded together into a fine paste. My mouth is watering just typing about this sambal 😝. And, what I loved about these hoppers is the presentation, I found it so cute and pretty 😍.”June 2025
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Mixed fried rice Net +1
“‘Mixed Fried Rice’: can’t say no to a deliciously made fried rice tossed with shredded chicken, prawns, calamari, beef and veggies with a subtle kick of spice to make it nice or you could totally ask them not to ✌🏻. Simple yet wholesome flavours 💯.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“‘Mixed Fried Rice’: can’t say no to a deliciously made fried rice tossed with shredded chicken, prawns, calamari, beef and veggies with a subtle kick of spice to make it nice or you could totally ask them not to ✌🏻. Simple yet wholesome flavours 💯.”June 2025
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Monthly package Net +1
“The monthly package has been nothing short of amazing. From the variety of food, to the carefully selected curry combinations, the packaging and the generous servings and quality cuts of meat.. Brilliant job all around.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The monthly package has been nothing short of amazing. From the variety of food, to the carefully selected curry combinations, the packaging and the generous servings and quality cuts of meat.. Brilliant job all around.”December 2024
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Nasi goreng Net +1
“Their food takes you back home.. Highly recommend you try the Nasi Goreng and Hot Buttered Cuttlefish..”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their food takes you back home.. Highly recommend you try the Nasi Goreng and Hot Buttered Cuttlefish..”November 2025
-
Parippu Net +1
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”June 2025
-
Plain godamba roti Net +1
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“‘Godamba Roti Set’: another lankan classic that you cannot miss, this wheat flour based roti comes with a curry of your choice and we opted for beef curry and parippu as an extra. This set includes 3 plain godamba roti and 1 egg godamba roti- which is my most favourite! The beef and parippu were so aromatic and flavourful as we bundled our roti with them 🤤.”June 2025
-
Plain hoppers Net +1
“For our main dishes we opted for their ‘Hoppers’: a rice flour based batter poured into a deep pan and cooked till the middle’s are soft and springy whilst the exteriors are brown and crunchy 💯. A favourite dish of mine since childhood this set comes with 1 egg hoppers and 4 plain hoppers served with Lunu Miris Sambal- a spicy side dish made using salt(lunu), miris(chillies) with lime juice and maldive fish pounded together into a fine paste. My mouth is watering just typing about this sambal 😝. And, what I loved about these hoppers is the presentation, I found it so cute and pretty 😍.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“For our main dishes we opted for their ‘Hoppers’: a rice flour based batter poured into a deep pan and cooked till the middle’s are soft and springy whilst the exteriors are brown and crunchy 💯. A favourite dish of mine since childhood this set comes with 1 egg hoppers and 4 plain hoppers served with Lunu Miris Sambal- a spicy side dish made using salt(lunu), miris(chillies) with lime juice and maldive fish pounded together into a fine paste. My mouth is watering just typing about this sambal 😝. And, what I loved about these hoppers is the presentation, I found it so cute and pretty 😍.”June 2025
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Prawn fried rice Net +1
“I always order the prawn fried rice and spicy chicken curry. It comes with the chilli paste on the side. Photo of dishes lol to show how yummy it was.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I always order the prawn fried rice and spicy chicken curry. It comes with the chilli paste on the side. Photo of dishes lol to show how yummy it was.”February 2026
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Roast pan Net +1
“My new go-to place for Roast Pan and Godamba roti which is all made fresh !”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My new go-to place for Roast Pan and Godamba roti which is all made fresh !”October 2025
-
Samon fish sambol parippu curry Net +1
“Authentic Sri Lankan taste in the heart of Karama! Loved the Samon fish sambol parippu curry, and fresh roast paan. Feels just like home cooking – highly recommend for anyone craving real Sri Lankan flavors.””
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Authentic Sri Lankan taste in the heart of Karama! Loved the Samon fish sambol parippu curry, and fresh roast paan. Feels just like home cooking – highly recommend for anyone craving real Sri Lankan flavors.””September 2025
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Sawan Net +1
“Had a very tasty sawan from Thambapanni over the Eid break. Excellent portion size (we got a 4-6 person sawan, 10 of us ate very comfortably!) and food was very very yummy. Not oily or greasy, fresh.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Had a very tasty sawan from Thambapanni over the Eid break. Excellent portion size (we got a 4-6 person sawan, 10 of us ate very comfortably!) and food was very very yummy. Not oily or greasy, fresh.”May 2026
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Spicy chicken curry Net +1
“I always order the prawn fried rice and spicy chicken curry. It comes with the chilli paste on the side. Photo of dishes lol to show how yummy it was.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I always order the prawn fried rice and spicy chicken curry. It comes with the chilli paste on the side. Photo of dishes lol to show how yummy it was.”February 2026
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Sunday buffet Net +1
“The Sunday Buffet is the highlight — a massive spread with all the classics, full of taste and real spices. Feels just like home food.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Sunday Buffet is the highlight — a massive spread with all the classics, full of taste and real spices. Feels just like home food.”November 2025
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Watalappam Net +1
“We also were given free Watalappam to try and again the taste was very authentic just like in Sri Lanka.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We also were given free Watalappam to try and again the taste was very authentic just like in Sri Lanka.”December 2025
Drinks 2
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Passionfruit juice Net +1
“To cool off ourselves from the humid weather we quenched our thirst by slurping on Thambapanni’ s refreshing passionfruit juice. So mellow, tropical with a dash of sweetness it was such a delight! 💛”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“To cool off ourselves from the humid weather we quenched our thirst by slurping on Thambapanni’ s refreshing passionfruit juice. So mellow, tropical with a dash of sweetness it was such a delight! 💛”June 2025
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Iced coffee Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“I also tried the iced coffee which was pre-made and OK but nothing special which I sadly ordered because they didn't have any desserts available at all when I ordered on a Friday just before lunch.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
What to Avoid (1)
Food 1
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Egg roti Net −1
“I had ordered two egg roti but unfortunately I got shredded pieces of roti but there was no egg at all .It's even not good for dogs to eat .I have never seen roti like this and these all looks like left overs. This is not the first time I have ordered egg roti from them and I have recived before perfectly.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I had ordered two egg roti but unfortunately I got shredded pieces of roti but there was no egg at all .It's even not good for dogs to eat .I have never seen roti like this and these all looks like left overs. This is not the first time I have ordered egg roti from them and I have recived before perfectly.”January 2026
Tips for a Better Visit
Reserve weekends. Book ahead for the Saturday or Sunday buffet, as one review says it can get busy.
Request mild spice. If you are spice-sensitive, ask for the hot batter cuttlefish to be made less spicy.
Eat promptly. For the best texture, consider dining in rather than letting takeaway food sit before eating.
Confirm timing. For a time-sensitive meal, confirm the order status before waiting; reviews include reports of delays exceeding an hour.
Ask short-eats prices. Ask the counter to confirm names and prices before choosing from the short eats.
Plan catering. For parties or office meals, discuss live stations and delivery arrangements in advance; large last-minute orders have also been handled.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Al Khazna Centre
Al Karama, Dubai
| Mon | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Tue | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Wed | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Thu | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Fri | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Sat | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
| Sun | 7:00 AM – 11:30 PM |
Common Concerns
Long waits
Several customers report waits exceeding an hour, including one order that was never served.
Small space
The dining area has been described as small and congested, which can affect comfort.
Inattentive service
Some diners waited without a menu or acknowledgement and left after around 10 minutes.
Inconsistent cooking
One takeaway complaint described very spicy food and improperly cooked rice in a talabath order.
Unclear prices
The tea counter and short-eats display were criticised for not clearly showing prices.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Thambapanni is a Sri Lankan restaurant in Al Karama with a menu built around traditional comfort food. The clearest draws in the reviews are egg hoppers, chicken kottu, lamp rice and the Sunday buffet, which is described as a broad spread of classic dishes with home-style flavour. Portions work well for sharing.
One 4–6 person sawan fed 10 people comfortably, and reviews of catered birthdays and office lunches mention live hopper and kottu stations, neatly arranged buffet service and on-time meal packs. That makes the restaurant relevant beyond a quick individual meal, especially for Sri Lankan food at gatherings. The experience is not perfectly consistent.
Some diners found the outlet clean and the service prompt, while others waited more than an hour, received no menu attention, or left without their order. The space has also been described as small and congested, and one review flagged unclear pricing at the tea and short-eats counter. For a weekend buffet, reserve ahead; if you are sensitive to chilli, ask whether dishes such as the hot batter cuttlefish can be made milder.
Reviews also suggest eating hoppers and similar items promptly while they are hot.