23 Best Restaurants in Oman

Celebrity chef Issa al Lamki opened Al Mandoos, and though it has since changed ownership, the food still bears his elegant touch, with authentic Omani dishes made with the freshest ingredients and modern twists, like his shorbat harees, a traditional crushed wheat soup, enlived here with tender whole wheatberries in a rich lamb stock. It is the best place to get a taste of local specialties like madroobah, a delicious spiced rice and vegetable mash topped with crisp-skinned chicken, fried fish, or malleh, a dish of saltfish, lime, and onion served over rice. Though unassumingly set on a quiet suburban side street, the interior is a suprisingly chic space decorated with traditional Omani textiles.

North of Muscat, just in front of the Seeb souk, each evening a row of cement grill stations open and the air fills with the scent of charring beef mishkak. Cars queue, waiting for foil packets of the clove- and cinnamon-spiced barbecue. After exploring the market, sit on the low concrete wall overlooking the beach and enjoy a few sticks of this traditional Omani snack.

This is the only restaurant in Bahla, and you might be skeptical of this run-down-looking Turkish café, but the private family rooms inside are comfortable, and the chicken shawarma (spit-roasted slices of chicken served in a wrap as a sandwich or with rice and chopped vegetables) is actually excellent.

This simple café is the only dining establishment for miles around, and it serves up good fresh juice and an inexpensive buffet lunch featuring a hodgepodge of dishes and several types of rice.

Amid the towering buildings in the Central Banking District (CBD) in Ruwi, this Turkish standby is the best dining option in the entire area. It offers a plethora of grilled options, including Turkish-style ground meat kebabs, garlic- and lemon-marinated chicken, lamb chops, whole fish, and prawns; the mixed grills are the main draw and are ideal for sharing. But the kebabs and grilled chicken wrapped in flatbread with a smear of garlic mayonnaise, a few french fries, and house coleslaw for 700 baisas (less than US$2) are the best value in town. During the day the restaurant bustles with the lunch crowd from surrounding banks, but at night the quiet outdoor dining space takes on a more relaxed, romantic feel.

The unassuming exterior of this shop gives you no sense of the fantastic, freshly-made baked goods made within. The stone-fired oven roars right behind the counter; when you ask for one of the pastries, such as a delicious cheese- and honey-stuffed fatyer, the bakers set to work rolling out fresh dough and sliding it into the oven. Yes, everything is baked to order. You can also get fresh fruit juices, which are on the sweet side but can be requested with no sugar added.

This small shop offers the traditional Omani snack and breakfast foods: creamy sweet karak tea and crisp Omani bread stuffed with egg and cheese.

On the new corniche, across from the Sur Beach Holiday Resort, this small takeaway karak shop makes delicious, paper-thin Omani bread stuffed with savory fillings like egg and cream cheese, or sweet combinations like honey and cheese or Nutella, along with the namesake beverage, a milky tea sweetened with condensed milk and spiced with lemongrass, cardamom, and ginger. Just pull up front and honk; someone will come to your car to take your order.

This small takeaway tea shop at the base of Jabal Akhdar is a great place to stop for breakfast on your way back to Nizwa after a night camping on the mountain or to grab a snack before making the ascent. You can get karak, a tea sweetened with creamy condensed milk and spiced with cardamom and ginger, as well as crisp Omani bread stuffed with savory combinations like cheese and egg, or sweet combinations like honey and cheese.

One of the best dining options in the Dakhiliyah region is the massive Lulu Hypermarket in Nizwa. The prepared foods counter offers all manner of Indian delicacies, grilled and fried chicken, rice dishes, fresh baked breads, and cold salads. There are countless scenic places to picnic after stocking up on food and beverages at Lulu, and the quality of the food is superior to almost all the restaurants in the area.

Overlooking the Marina Bandar Al Rowdha, this poolside restaurant offers a wide international selection of dishes, including a good BLT (with real pork bacon), fish-and-chips, rack of lamb, Indian curries, and all manner of local grilled seafood options, along with cocktails, wine, and beer. At breakfast time, the main draw is the full English breakfast. The relaxing seaside location, free pool access, liquor license, and menu of Western comfort foods make this a charming oasis for those craving a taste of home.

Each evening after the sun goes down, in a parking lot just past the Shati Street Roundabout, a grill stand appears serving up the popular Omani barbecue called mishkak. The beef skewers are tender and especially good with their super spicey tamarind hot sauce, and the squid, laced with earthy turmeric, is nice with a squeeze of lime. Whole barbequed quail are also on offer. Simply ask for the number and type of skewers you want, and you will be given a number; when your order is ready, they will call you over to collect the foil-wrapped snack. Many sit and picnic in the parking lot, but Qurum beach is steps away and offers a more picturesque dining venue.

There are many small tea shops in and around the Mutrah souk offering fried Omanized Indian snacks like sambusa, small triangles stuffed with mildly spiced chicken or cabbage and potato, and kachori, chili-laced potato puffs, along with soft drinks, juices, and sweet milk tea. Two particular vendors rise above the rest. One is the first shop on the left as you enter the souk from the Corniche, and the other is on the backside, on the left as you exit the interior of the market. The snacks cost only a few baisa and are a wonderful with a splash of hot sauce, available upon request. (The souk closes from 1 to 4:30 daily.)

After midnight on the weekends, waiters rush huge platters of grilled meat, kebabs, french fries, and hummus, and glasses of fresh juice to the boisterous groups occupying the outdoor tables and to cars waiting in a long queue for takeaway at this lively 24-hour restaurant. The late-night scene is an experience in and of itself, but the expertly prepared Turkish grill restaurant is well worth a visit anytime.

This simple restaurant is one of the best places to enjoy the traditional Yemeni dish called mandi, which consists of lamb or chicken set atop a pot of simmering spiced rice; it's wildly popular in Oman. Upon entering, you will be shown to a private room strewn with cushions. Remove your shoes and take a seat. When the waiter returns, you need only tell him whether you want chicken or meat. Once you've ordered, head to the back of the restaurant to wash your hands, which will also be your utinsils for this meal. By the time you return, a large silver tray mounded with saffron-yellow rice and crowned with tender chicken or lamb will likely be waiting for you along with mild, tomato-based Yemeni salsa and some fresh chopped vegetables and limes. Eat your meal the traditional Gulf Arabrian way, using your right hand to take a small peice of meat and a pinch (or a handful) of rice. Be sure to take a complimentary cup of sweet Yemeni tea on your way out.

Shuwa (meat slathered in Omani spices and then slow-roasted in an underground pit overnight) is considered by many to be the most iconic of Omani dishes, and it is usually reserved for major holidays, like the Eids or wedding celebrations. At this casual eatery in the Bareeq Al Shati mall, lamb or chicken shuwa is used to stuff sandwiches made with your choice of seven types of flatbread; then choose from eight different sauces and other fillers like cheese or shredded vegetables. The lamb is the best option, expecially delicious in the oily, pan-fried paratha bread. Despite being adjacent to a mall food court, the shop has a surpising amount of ambience, with Omani-style decor and high-top tables made from brass serving trays. It is a great option for those craving simple sandwiches and french fries, but with a local twist.

A well-known Indian chain in Oman with five outlets throughout the country, this family-friendly Indian restaurant offers reliable curries, tandoori-grilled meats, and other typical north Indian cuisine. The dining room is simple but comfortable, and it is nice to have a sit-down option in a city with so few dining outlets. To top it off, the prices are very reasonable.

This run-down restaurant has no ambience: the dark dining area offers plastic-covered tables while a leaky air conditioner keeps the space reasonably cool. But what it lacks in decor it makes up for in an unusual menu item: cuttlefish biyrani. This spiced, layered rice dish of South Asian origin is wildly popular in Oman, and the giant squid known as cuttlefish is a local specialty. And it's something to savor: well-seasoned rice topped with cashews and raisins, layered with tender cubes of cuttlefish dressed in a luscious, mildly spicy masala. One order is more than enough for two people.

Near the souk, this no-frills restaurant serves fantastic local seafood, grilled to perfection alongside a curry dipping sauce and a simple chopped salad. It is best to request whatever was freshly caught that day, which will typically include cuttlefish, a giant squid, and kingfish or tuna. Ask for an order of flaky parata bread to round out your meal.

On the outskirts of town, this popular, ramshackle restaurant serves typical local rice dishes in the traditional way, on the floor of private family rooms, on big metal trays. The biryani, consisting of rice studded with dried fruit served with pan-seared local chicken is a tasty option, and the fish of the day, usually pan-fried kingfish, is a good option as well.

This small takeaway shop offers a few scattered tables and chairs out front and a wide variety of freshly squeezed juices, including watermelon, mango, and lime-mint. As with most juice shops in Oman, sugar will be added unless you request otherwise, so if you aren't in the mood for a super-sweet beverage, but sure to ask. You can also get fruit salad with huge chunks of fresh-cut pineapple, passion fruit, mango, and more, depending on the season, served in a large plastic cup topped with optional whipped cream. As with other takeaways in Oman, you can simply park out front and honk your horn for car-side service. The beach is across the street, with covered gazebo seating farther down the strip, offering a much more scenic place to enjoy your order than the parking lot of the shop.

At the end of the Corniche, directly across the bay from the Al Ayjah watch tower, this small coffee stand serves milky tea, cardamon-scented Omani coffee, Nescafé, and freshly fried lequimat, a popular Omani dessert of fried balls of dough soaked in simple syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds. In the evenings a small steamer is set up in front of the shop, from which is served sweet corn kernels that are tossed with butter, chili, and lime and served in Styrofoam cups. It is a great place to grab a snack to go before taking a walk down the seaside street.

The Omani equivalent of KFC, Zaki Fried Chicken offers tasty and crispy fried chicken in both spicy and mild options, either on its own or in a sandwich and wrap. The small restaurant has a clean, air-conditioned dining room and is a nice option for a quick meal in the late afternoon, when many of the other area restaurants are closed.