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Restaurant

Loku

298 High St, Northcote VIC 3070, Australia

Recommended by 61 people

Updated

Find Loku

298 High St, Northcote VIC 3070, Australia

Directions ↗
+61 461 308 007
HoursMonday: Closed Tuesday: 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM Wednesday: 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM Thursday: 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM Friday: 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM Saturday: 5:30 PM – 10:30 PM Sunday: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

*Opening hours may differ during holidays.

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About Loku

Loku delivers comforting, scratch-made Sri Lankan cooking to High Street with rare home-kitchen honesty. Run by chef Lanka, this tiny dining room handles hearty portions of banana-leaf-wrapped lamprais, fragrant pot biriyani, and crisp-crusted roast paan. Regulars start meals with inventive betel leaf tacos stuffed with oyster mushrooms alongside cold Lion Lagers while dishes simmer on the pass. Come Saturday afternoon, the kitchen rolls out an all-you-can-eat buffet with black pork curry and potato sodhi kept warm in traditional clay pots.

  • Clay-pot Saturday buffet: Lined with banana leaves and kept warm over tea candles, clay pots brim with curries like black pork and potato sodhi during Saturday lunch.
  • Oyster mushroom betel tacos: Crisp betel leaves fold around seasoned oyster mushrooms for a fresh, street-food-inspired starter.
RestaurantSri LankanRestaurant

What's On at Loku

Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.

No events or specials listed right now.

Why Choose Loku

Why Northcote diners choose Loku for homestyle Sri Lankan cooking, playful street food, and weekend buffets

  • Authentic, Scratch-Cooked Sri Lankan Staples

    Dishes like pot biriyani, slow-cooked lamprais, and crispy roast paan are freshly cooked from scratch with deep spice profiles.

    The pot biryani was one of the main highlights—aromatic, rich, and cooked to perfection.

    Nishama Amarakon

  • Traditional Clay-Pot Saturday Buffet

    The weekly Saturday buffet serves generous spreads of meat and vegetable curries in banana leaf-lined clay pots over tea candles.

    The pots are lined inside with banana leaf for extra aroma & kept warm with tea candles for excellent temperature control.

    Ken Rjay

  • Transportive Nostalgia in Every Bite

    Chef-owner Lanka's homestyle cooking evokes deep cultural memories and familiar comforts for Sri Lankan diners.

    the crab curry, pol sambol and roast paan was so good it felt like I was pulled back to Lanka in a heartbeat!

    Nuha Aslam

  • Welcoming Family-Run Hospitality

    Diners are welcomed into an intimate, family-run kitchen space where care and attentive service define the visit.

    Lanka ( the owner and chef) is so welcoming and we felt like we were personally fed in her home with her cooking.

    Fooodiejoy

  • Innovative Betel Leaf Tacos for Sharing

    Crisp betel leaves filled with spiced oyster mushrooms provide a playful, approachable entry point for sharing Sri Lankan cuisine.

    The betel taco was amazing and very innovative.

    Liya Ajayan

  • Approachable Introductions for Group Dining

    Generous sharing portions and welcoming staff make the dining room a reliable gathering place for groups and newcomers.

    it was my mother-in-laws first time trying Sri Lankan and she enjoyed it!

    Ariel Magid

Authentic staples and innovative Sri Lankan specialties loved by diners

  • Lamprais

    The Lamb Lamprais packed a punch in terms of flavour and was a generous serving.

    Lourdes Leschen

  • Betel Leaf Tacos

    The betel taco was amazing and very innovative.

    Liya Ajayan

  • Pot Biriyani

    The pot biryani was one of the main highlights—aromatic, rich, and cooked to perfection.

    Nishama Amarakon

  • Saturday Buffet

    Loku now have a budget friendly $25 Buffet on Saturday afternoons and it is excellent.

    Donna Meehan

Beyond the menu

Thoughtful touches and distinctive hospitality details experienced at Loku

  • Clay Pots Lined with Banana Leaves

    Saturday buffet dishes are served in clay pots lined with banana leaves and kept warm with tea candles for authentic aroma and temperature control.

  • Betel Leaf Starters with Oyster Mushrooms

    Traditional Sri Lankan flavours are served in an innovative format with betel leaf tacos filled with spiced oyster mushrooms.

  • Direct Kitchen View and Owner Conversations

    Diners can watch owner and chef Lanka prepare dishes from scratch in the open kitchen, followed by personal conversations after the meal.

  • Fresh Off-Menu Pol Sambola Preparation

    The kitchen accommodates special requests by preparing off-menu dishes such as fresh pol sambola to complement the meal.

Before you head over

Practical advice on timing, ordering, and transport for your visit to Loku.

  • Start with quick appetizers while mains simmer

    Because dishes are prepared from scratch in a small family-run kitchen and mains can take time during peak hours, start with fast starters like the betel leaf tacos or crispy roast paan.

  • Target Saturday afternoon for the clay pot buffet

    Visit during Saturday lunchtime to experience the budget-friendly all-you-can-eat buffet, featuring multiple curries kept warm over tea candles in banana-leaf-lined clay pots.

  • Plan transit and reserve ahead for busy periods

    The intimate dining room fills quickly with large groups and back-to-back reservations, and transport is convenient with a tram stop directly outside the entrance on High Street.

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