Whilst recently through in Glasgow for a gig at the QMU in the West End, we chose Kochchi as our pre-gig dinner venue for some tasty (and spicy) Sri Lankan food. The menu all sounded so good, so we decided to go all in with The Kochchi Experience menu, which turned out to be a very good decision. It meant no overthinking, no menu paralysis — just letting the food arrive and dealing with it as it came.

Kochchi can be found on Ruthven Lane in the West End, in the building that once housed the Hanoi Bike Shop. Slightly tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Byres Road, it’s on a lane that feels a world away! Inside, it’s relaxed, noisy in a good way, and feels like a place people are actually enjoying themselves rather than just photographing their plates.

What We Ate

To kick things off on the Kochchi exprience we were given Achcharu – a mango and pineapple dish, steeped in vinegar, chilli and spice. Sharp, spicy and refreshing, it was a great way to get the meal going, certainly made the taste buds come alive!

After that came the starters: garlic cheese toast and hot buttered squid. The toast was exactly what it sounds like — rich, garlicky, cheesy and comforting — and the squid was really good: tender, spicy, and very moreish. One of those dishes that disappears faster than you expect and you fight over how many pieces you have each had!

For the mains we had the black pork curry and the devilled chicken. Both were great dishes — deep flavours, good heat, and the kind of food you want to keep going back to rather than rushing through (again with a bit of friendly fighting involved!).

Alongside that we had a hopper and veg and egg fried rice, which did exactly what you want sides to do: soak everything up and keep the whole thing moving.

The Experience also comes with a spread of extras — parippu (a Sri Lankan lentil curry), pol sambol (a fiery shredded coconut and chilli condiment), cucumber, tomato and onion salad, seeni sambol (a caramalised onion relish), and chilli paste — and honestly this might have been my favourite part.

Having all of that on the table meant you could completely change a mouthful each time. Cooling things down, ramping the heat back up, adding sweetness — it kept the meal interesting right to the end.

To finish things off, we shared dessert: a Wattalappam (try saying that after a couple of glasses of wine!). It’s a coconut custard pudding, with a lots of spices like cardamon, cloves and nutmeg. Much lighter than I expected, but very tasty. A great end to a delicious, accompanied by a Peach Lankan cocktail, based on the Sri Lankan spirit arrack – dangerously drinkable!

Final Thoughts

Dinner at Kochchi felt generous and relaxed. Nothing flashy, nothing trying too hard — just really good food, well thought out, and clearly made with confidence. The Experience menu is ideal if you want to try a bit of everything and not spend the evening second‑guessing your choices.

We holidayed in Sri Lankan a few years ago, and the food took us straight back.

We left full, slightly buzzing from the spice, and already talking about what we’d order next time, which feels like the best sign you can get. Kochchi also have a street food outlet in Bonnie & Wild at the St. James Quarter in Edinburgh, so you don’t have to head west for your fix!