text Panchali Illankoon

Founded by five university friends – Seyed Waqar Moulana, Sharanga Hettiarachchi, Nikira Senanayake, Abdul Khaliq Ghouse, and Atif Haariz –  Döner & Dürüm is a  Mediterranean-inspired eatery that has swiftly become a local favourite, blending flavours from afar with the unmistakable kick of Sri Lankan spice.

The story of Döner & Dürüm began as most good stories do – over food. What started as casual meals between friends at Monash University in Malaysia transformed into a shared interest in finding the food they loved upon returning to Sri Lanka. Back in Sri Lanka, they realized that the market for Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine was virtually untapped. With no one serving Turkish Döner, the group set out to make this fast food staple a local sensation.

Spending over a year experimenting, testing and perfecting their recipes, their big break came at Colombo’s Eat Street Festival, where they were sold out in a matter of a few hours, making it clear they were onto something good. Shortly after, Döner & Dürüm opened its first branch in Thimbirigasyaya in 2018, an intimate joint that’s ideal for small group dine-ins and takeaway.  

Since opening its doors, Döner & Dürüm has done incredibly well. While they were perhaps one of the first ‘meat’ joints to be opened in Colombo, the restaurant continues to do well today – even with the addition of many more meat eateries to the food scene in the city.  The secret? “Consistency,” shared Sharanga, one of the founders. “Our customers always come back to us because we’ve kept our menu small and focused on delivering consistent food from day one.” 

The New Branch at Thalawathugoda

Their second branch, located down Madiwela Road, Thalawathugoda, is their biggest outlet yet. A two-storey layout with rustic décor, the new outlet can host well over 40 guests. The aesthetic of the space is inviting and set for casual dining. Upon entering, diners are greeted with high ceilings and an uninterrupted view with floor-to-ceiling windows. 

A smattering of Turkish carpets, wall paintings and wooden tables lend a touch of the exotic to what is, at heart, a celebration of international street food. 

The menu

The true draw to Döner & Dürüm remains the food. The menu, while compact, is carefully curated. We are, after many years of trials, a little wary of lengthy menus – we often find that a restaurant that offers a few items tends to embody the concept of ‘quality over quantity’ so we were pleased to see that Döner & Dürüm – though with ample opportunity to expand on their menu – opted to stick to a few items with variations. 

There are a few signature items at Döner & Dürüm that have become customer favourites over the years – the Snack Pack with layers of fries, cheese and meat, the Döner H&T (Döner with hummus & tabbouleh), their signature creamy hummus and the Cheese Melt Döner. 

During our visit, we sampled a variety of dishes off their menu. Here’s what we thought. 

Pics by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe