The pink YAKA neon sign glowing over the open front of the restaurant, diners at tables under warm lights and a brick wall behind

Sri Lankan restaurant & bar, Braddon

Canberra, you've never seen Sri Lankan like this.

Where Sri Lankan heritage and Aussie imagination collide. Upstairs on Lonsdale Street, Braddon.

Book a table See the menu
YAKA's logo, a traditional Sri Lankan mask rebuilt in neon: flame crown, round eyes, white fangs and flower ear discs

Tradition, turned up loud.

Our name comes from the yaka, the larger-than-life figures of Sri Lankan mask tradition. We rebuilt one in neon for the logo and let Braddon do the rest.

A wooden slatted screen hung with dozens of hand-painted Sri Lankan masks in red, yellow and green, potted plants at its base
The mask wall: wes muhunu in red, yellow and green.

Upstairs on Lonsdale

Warm lights, loud kottu and a little Sri Lankan chaos upstairs.

Every mask on our wall has a story. Ask us.

A neon YAKA mask glowing on a marble wall above a red-lit bar counter, bottles on the shelf above
Neon over the bar
A full dining room at night, guests standing and talking between tables beneath hanging lights and a brick wall
A full house
Diners in upholstered booths along a warm brick wall set with arched lattice panels and pendant bulbs
Booths by the brick

Book a table

Unleash your inner YAKA.

Pick a night, a time and how many of you are coming.

  • Bringing a group or planning a function? Call 0400 015 094.

Book a table

Two quick steps. No account needed.

YAKA saysCalories don't count when you're emotionally invested.

Find us

Look up on Lonsdale Street.

Follow the neon and take the stairs.

Where

72/30 Lonsdale Street
Braddon ACT 2612

First floor.

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Hours

Opening hours
MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday5pm to 10pm
Thursday5pm to 10pm
Friday5pm to 10pm
Saturday5pm to 10pmLunch 10am to 2pm
Sunday10am to 2pmLunch

Get in touch

Eat in or take it home

  • Dine-in
  • Takeaway
  • Curbside pickup
  • Outdoor seating
A YAKA team member at the kitchen pass, patterned scarf in her ponytail, copper pendant lights and a small neon mask behind her

Our story

From a truck to upstairs on Lonsdale.

YAKA started as a food truck in Braddon, cooking the way Dananjaya's Amma taught him. Weekends sold out in two hours, with no ads, just kottu. Now there's a room to match.