Hopper Joint has two rules. Wash your hands before eating, and order hoppers, Sri Lanka’s crowning carb. Every curry comes with at least two of the crisp, bowl-shaped rice pancakes – more if you lean into the unlimited hopper service.

Whether you choose lush beef or hot-and-sweet pineapple curry, you’re expected to eat with your hands, as demonstrated by thoughtfully designed art on walls and menus. Start with the punchy Lankan steak tartare or a golden basket of bonda, those subcontinental spheres of fried potato and green chilli. Finish on love cake, which can also be ferried home for later.

Look around between sips of curry leaf martini and drink in layers of soft light, brass accents and Sri Lankan motifs. Interior designer Brahman Perera and co-owner Jason Jones haven’t just styled the place, they’ve told a story.

Good to know: Ring the bell on the table for free hopper refills.

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