Metropolitan New York has the largest Sri Lankan community in the United States, followed closely by Central New Jersey and the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Little Sri Lanka in Tompkinsville of the borough of Staten Island is one of the largest Sri Lankan communities outside of Sri Lanka itself.
Hema Sri Lankan Grocery & Movies
It is no surprise that this neighborhood is filled with Sri Lankan grocery stores and restaurants. Being that our group focused on food establishments in Tompkinsville, we learned a lot about the Sri Lankan traditions in the neighborhood. We visited many of these places, such as Hema Sri Lankan Deli & Groceries where we conducted an interview with the owner. Her name was Hema, and she told us that even though the store has been open for 15 years in Tompkinsville, her and her husband have only lived here for 8 years. They said the reason they opened the store was to sell Sri Lankan products with pride, and originally they sold well. Now business is slow, and Hema says it is because they only really get Sri Lankan and Indian customers; not everyone from Tompkinsville comes in there to shop.
Hema's Popular Products
Lak Bojun is a restaurant where we sampled delicious Sri Lankan cuisine. From fish buns, to koththu (curry and vegetables over chicken and beef), to lam price (commonly known as lampries), each dish was decadent and savory. The food was spicy but enjoyable. Aside from the food, the restaurant had a family atmosphere to it. There were many mothers with their children enjoying the food. The vibe of the restaurant gives people a sense of what the country of Sri Lanka is like. It’s a peaceful country off the coast of India with a history of over 3,000 years. The rich traditions of Sri Lanka have been passed down and carried throughout the world. Due to the civil war that began in 1985 and an effort to escape the violence, many Sri Lankans immigrated without visas and passports to different countries. A plethora of Sri Lankans came to the United States for this reason. The family atmosphere in Lak Bojun and family-owned grocery stores and delis here in Tompkinsville is just one hint of the culture of Sri Lanka.
Lak Bojun Menu
The media tends to overplay the amount of Sri Lankan restaurants in Tompkinsville, but there are the most here than in any other neighborhood of Staten Island. There are many more Sri Lankan stores and delis in Tompkinsville, and there is no denying that the neighborhood is rich with Sri Lankan traditions. One should definitely check out all of the Sri Lankan places in Tompkinsville if he/she gets a chance!
