Red Pepper Diner: A Flavorful Mediterranean Escape in Beacon, NY

This place is off the beaten track. You need a car to get here. The food is amazing. The owner is personable and loves to share his love of Sri Lankan culture and food. The dishes are all so delicious. We meet up with friends there every time we go to Beacon. They take the train up from NYC and we drive over from Ulster County. It’s a cozy place. Highly recommend it.

First time trying Sri Lankan food — and I did not expect to have this kind of experience in Beacon, NY! From the outside, it feels like you’re walking into someone’s home, and the inside has that same cozy vibe. We came on a Sunday around 1 p.m. after hiking for some fall foliage and were happy to find seats available. There was just one person taking orders, so it took about 5–6 minutes to place ours, but that gave us time to really look over the menu. Here’s what we tried: * Appetizer Sampler – 2 fried fish balls, 2 spring rolls, and 2 small veggie samosas. (7/10) * Deviled Pork – Must try! Perfectly crisp edges with a slightly chewy texture, full of flavor — sweet, savory, not greasy — all over fluffy yellow rice. Absolutely delicious and not that spicy. (10/10) * Hopper with Goat – The hopper itself was so interesting! It’s a thin, bowl-shaped pancake to pair with the goat. (8/10) * Sri Lankan Tea with Milk – As a milk tea lover, I was so happy. The ginger and spice blend gave it such warmth, and they even serve it with a piece of brown rock sugar if you want it sweeter. (10/10) * Watalappan – A spiced coconut flan with cashews for crunch — rich, fragrant, and perfectly balanced. (10/10) * Kiri Peni – High-quality yogurt drizzled with a light sweet syrup — simple but so good. (9/10) The food came out fairly quickly, and we were done by 2 p.m. The portions are on the smaller side, but with an appetizer, entrée, and dessert, we left feeling satisfied and not bloated. This makes sense since they take pride in using just spices to cook without oil. Prices are a bit high for the portion size, but I would still consider it a gem in Beacon. I’d definitely come back to try more entrées in the future and check out a spot in the city! IG: Jubes111 Youtube:JujubiFam

First time trying Sri Lanken food. This place was SOOO tasty and healthy. I had the fried rice house special and they gave me a lot of meat that was packed with flavor. The service was so friendly and let us know what was popular. The ambience was calm and reminded me of home.

We had a great meal at Red Pepper Diner while visiting Beacon for the weekend. We ordered the deviled pork and the chicken kothu roti, and both were excellent. The deviled pork had great flavor and just the right amount of heat, and the kothu roti was incredibly satisfying with a nice mix of spices and textures. We also tried the Sri Lankan tea and finished with the watalappan for dessert, which was a perfect way to end the meal. Everything felt authentic, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Beacon and want something a little different from the typical restaurant options.

Food was absolutely delicious, staff was super friendly and told us more about the food. Add this to your list. Highly recommend!

My wife who is a terrific cook and Sri Lankan said ‘this is the best Sri Lankan meal I had in America’ after eating Saman’s Nadi Goreng and black pork curry. Dessert was Watalappan (below).

Red pepper diner is amazing! All the dishes are so flavorful. Love the artwork and decor. It’s a true Sri Lankan cultural experience. The owners are so warm and welcoming. Highly recommend this restaurant!

Absolutely amazing Sri Lankan cuisine you can experience in NY. The Kottu is much more flavourful and way better than Sigiri in NYC. The new location feels welcoming, pleasant and Saman is like family to us so will continue to come here more often. Thank you and keep up the great work :)