Maria Bonita

Holiable’s Review of Maria Bonita Café

Getting there

Maria Bonita is a hotel as well as a café-restaurant located in the small town of Ahangama on the southern coast of Sri Lanka.

Less than 20 minutes by tuk-tuk from the well-known seaside resorts of Weligama and Mirissa, this accommodation is also easily accessible from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Galle Fort.

With direct access to the beach, Maria Bonita is a charming place with a design reminiscent of the founder's native Spain.

A cuisine driven by strong values

Cristina is a young Spanish woman who has been living in Sri Lanka for 3 years now.

Fluent in Spanish, French and English, she takes the time to start a conversation with every customer who enters her restaurant.

It is essential for her to identify the tastes of her customers in order to propose a service or recipes that are adapted and unique. This is why it is possible to ask for any changes to the menu, as often as possible.

Ingredients are bought every morning at the local market in Ahangama.

They are consumed during the day so as not to have unnecessary stocks and to serve the fruits and vegetables still fresh from the day. Any leftovers are donated.

The recipes, Sri Lankan or European, are designed by Cristina and prepared by a local team, trained beforehand.

Faire Trade Boutique

Inside Maria Bonita, on the left side, there is a porter's rack full of clothes, purses and jewellery.

A way for Cristina to spotlight and support various local projects that fight for the conservation of the planet, the education of young girls and help people in need.

She sells these products, talks about them and tells the story of these meaningful objects.

What's in my plate?

We had the chance to taste two refined, original and very rich dishes:

• • A vegetarian burger with lentils, caramelized onions and carrots seasoned with a delicious homemade vegan mayonnaise on soft black buns.
  • Wholemeal bread toasts topped with beet humus, thin slices of fresh avocado, poached eggs, mushrooms and a special Maria Bonita sauce.
  • An iced coffee with coconut milk, dates and chocolate.

Our opinion

We enjoyed this space full of life, very well decorated and pleasant. We could have stayed there the whole day!

In addition to the very high quality of the dishes on the menu, the minimalist design and the cleanliness of the rooms, we were won over by the designer's joie de vivre. Very smiling, she is delighted to answer any questions about Maria Bonita's creation or the projects she supports in her restaurant.

We recommend it without hesitation. A great restaurant which aims to reduce the impact of tourism and the food sector on our planet.

Recommended for: vegan food, local commerce, fair-trade shopping, fresh produce, organic dishes

Tested by Les Consomm'acteurs, during the sustainable world tour