First Look: Lankan Tucker Brings Biryani Burritos to Lygon Street

When Lankan Tucker first opened its Brunswick West cafe in 2016, it quickly earned a following for sambols, kottu roti (shredded roti stir-fried with curry) and its playful take on Sri Lankan food. But it was a staff meal that made it to the menu and became its signature.

The biryani burrito – spiced rice, cashews and melted cheese wrapped in house-made roti – reflects the cafe’s founders’ non-traditional approach to the cuisine.

Husband-and-wife duo Hiran Kroon and Nerissa Jayasingha closed their original cafe at the end of last year. But last week, they reopened Lankan Tucker at the base of an apartment building on Lygon Street in Carlton.

“The new spot is to stay connected to our community,” Jayasingha tells Broadsheet. “But future growth is focused on catering, wholesale and retail.”

The space feels brighter and more expansive than the Brunswick West cafe. There’s a long run of wooden tables beneath a black ceiling, splashes of bold yellow on the walls, and plenty of greenery softening the room. A corner pantry stacked with Sri Lankan staples, fresh produce and tea makes the retail focus clear from the moment you walk in.

At the new site, Kroon is back in the kitchen alongside his mother, Sarojini Kroon, who leads as head chef, keeping the food firmly rooted in family recipes and tradition.

The cafe is only open Fridays and Saturdays, leaving the rest of the week for the team to focus on catering and new retail products, including house-made chutneys and pickles, plus take-home curries such as butter chicken and vegetable curries.

“Sri Lankan food is really having its moment, and we’re excited to further introduce it to Melbourne in a modern approach with something fresh that still respects tradition,” says Jayasingha.

But on Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll still find a menu that blends Sri Lankan street classics with Melbourne cafe staples. The biryani burrito sits alongside other roti wraps including the OGLT (hash, bacon, egg and tomato relish) and the Carlton smash (a beef patty, cheese and egg). Street food favourites include the pan roll (a crepe filled with spiced vegetables and optional beef and then deep-fried) and roast paan (a pull-apart yeasted bread that the team likens to shokupan) served with coconut sambol and dhal.

There’s also a breakfast plate with smashed avo, garlic butter mushrooms and sourdough, and a range of vegetarian curries and sambols.

To drink, Lankan Tucker partnered with Dilmah to create a range of bespoke teas designed to complement the food. Expect vibrant chai blends, single-origin brews and special infusions that tie directly to the spices used in the kitchen.

Lankan Tucker
570 Lygon Street, Carlton
No phone

Hours:
Fri 8am–2pm
Sat 10am–3pm

@lankantucker