Finding excellent restaurants in Oman is easy. It is a country where food is an important part of people’s daily lives and where, like in many other countries on the trade routes between continents, eating goes far beyond nutrition and is a way to develop social and commercial relationships.
Below you’ll find information about some of the best restaurants in the sultanate, plus a few typical dishes that you should try during your stay. Bear in mind that, when it comes to lunch or dinner, you should be open to trying something new, and listening to the advice of the people who know the country and its food best: the locals.
Typical dishes of Oman
It would be unforgivable to visit Oman and not try the country’s finest traditional food. Classics include shuwa, the national dish, which is made by slowly roasting marinated lamb or goat underground for a period of several hours.
Other classic dishes are majboos, a rice stew with vegetables and spicy red or white meat, and mishkak, a type of marinated meat skewer that is grilled over a barbecue and served with grilled vegetables.
Harees is typically eaten for breakfast and dinner, and is a gruel-like dish made from wheat grain, meat, and ghee (butter).
And when it is time for dessert, there is much to enjoy besides the typical Arabian pastries made with honey, dried fruit, and nuts. Other popular treats include halva (a type of paste), and halawet ahmad, little balls made from wheat flour, butter, almonds, desiccated coconut, and condensed milk.
Best restaurants in Oman
It is worth noting that many of the best restaurants in Oman are in hotels, especially those frequented by international guests. Despite this, you can also enjoy good Omani food (and haute cuisine) in independent restaurants such as those listed below:
Al Angham Oman (463 Al Khariyah St., Mascate)
Serves typical, skilfully prepared Omani food with irresistible colours and aromas. Customers often mention their camel meat dishes and the red pomfret in coconut and saffron sauce as being particularly delicious.
Bait Al Luban Omani (Muttrah Corniche Om 130, Mascate)
The sophisticated food at this restaurant is as spectacular as the views of the Corniche that you can enjoy from its windows and balconies. It has a firm emphasis on fish and seafood, and is almost decadent in its use of spices. The natural fruit juices go especially well with the food.
Vaydans Fish and Grill Restaurant (Sur)
As its English name suggests, this restaurant focuses on foreign visitors and serves grilled seafood. However, the menu also features dishes from a variety of world cuisines, including Indian and Arabian food, and also Western haute cuisine dishes such as lobster thermidor.
Ocean Blue Beach House (Al Khnadaq Street Crowne Plaza, Salalah)
This restaurant by the sea and beach is a wonderful place for a change of style and it serves excellent international cuisine. It is open from breakfast to dinner and you are sure to find something that catches your eye at any time of day. Dishes are also presented in a highly attractive and creative way.
Toledo Restaurant (Al Maha, St. Mascate)
It might seem incongruous to have lunch or dinner in a restaurant named after a Spanish city while you are in the capital of Oman, but don’t be put off because you will enjoy a truly authentic culinary experience. Food here is a fusion of the finest flavours of traditional Omani cooking and recipes that you could easily find in good European restaurants, often combined in the same dish.
Where to eat typical food in Oman
Some of the best places to sample typical food in Oman are its souks and food markets, and many have street food stalls where you try can local dishes. However, if you would prefer to eat in more comfort, below is a selection of great restaurants:
Al Angharm Oman (463 Al Kharjiyah, Mascate)
Apart from typical dishes, such as the inevitable shuwa and harees laham, it also serves a selection of Omani salads and local confectioneries. The various fish soups are also highly recommended.
Bait Al Luban Omani (Al Mina, Muttrah Corniche. Mascate)
The wooden furniture, tin lamps, and aroma of frankincense make dining in this restaurant feel like a journey back in time. Spices play an important role in the food here, and dishes are influenced by the cuisines of several different continents.
Sur Sea Restaurant (Sur)
This restaurant is in the traditional coastal town of Sur and is a wonderful choice if you would like to discover the versatility of typical Omani fish dishes and seafood.
Make sure to try the barbecued fish seasoned with delicious local sauces.
Al Mandi (Nizwa)
Food that is so traditional and authentic they even have dishes made from camel meat. Particularly tempting options include the skewers, and meat roasted over wood and coal embers.
Barceló hotel restaurants
This Spanish hotel group owns the Barceló Mussanah Resort, Sultanate of Oman. The hotel is in the south of Al Batinah region, and it has three restaurants with plenty of character, each serving a different type of cuisine.
First, you have Mydan, which has a long menu of international dishes and is extremely popular among diners with more classic and sophisticated tastes.
If you prefer the pure flavours of the Mediterranean, you’ll love Azure, where the menu also features an impressive choice of seasonal seafood.
And, last but not least, La Dolce Vita serves Italian food and specialises in pizzas, which are cooked in a large, visible pizza oven.
