Omani food is quieter and more subtle than the cooking of some of its neighbours, shaped by the sea, the desert and centuries of trade across the Indian Ocean. You taste it in the mix of spices that came from India and East Africa, in the freshness of the fish and in the generous hospitality that makes every guest feel welcome. Muscat is a good place to try it, from simple local cafés to polished hotel dining rooms. Here is how to eat and drink well.
Start with the national dish
Shuwa is the dish most closely associated with Oman and with celebrations. Meat, usually lamb or goat, is marinated in a paste of spices and wrapped in leaves, then cooked slowly for many hours in an underground oven, until it is so tender that it falls apart. It is traditionally prepared for religious festivals, and restaurants that serve it often need notice or offer it only on certain days, so ask in advance. It is typically served with rice, and the flavours are rich, smoky and mildly spiced rather than hot.
Rice and the everyday table
Rice is the base of many Omani meals. Majboos, also called machboos, is a spiced rice dish cooked with meat or fish and flavoured with dried lime, and variations are found throughout the Gulf. Mashuai is a simple, delicious dish of grilled kingfish served with lemon rice, and it is a good order at a seaside café. Harees, a thick porridge of wheat and meat, and soups flavoured with lentils and spices are comforting dishes that you will see during the cooler months and festivals. Bread is often fresh and flat, baked in a clay oven, and eaten with curries, dips and eggs at breakfast.
Fish and the sea
With a long coastline, Oman eats a lot of fish, and the fish market at Mutrah is a lively place to see the morning catch, with kingfish, tuna, hammour and lobster laid out on ice. You can often buy fish and have it grilled at a nearby stall or restaurant, and a simple plate of grilled fish with rice is one of the best meals you can have in Muscat. Keep in mind that markets are busiest early in the morning, and by midday much of the activity has finished.
Coffee, dates and halwa
Hospitality in Oman begins with kahwa, a light, fragrant coffee flavoured with cardamom and sometimes saffron or rosewater, poured in small cups from a long-spouted pot. It is traditionally served with dates, and it is polite to accept at least one cup and to shake the cup gently when you have had enough. Omani halwa is a sticky, sweet jelly made from sugar, starch, ghee and spices, often flavoured with cardamom, rosewater, nuts or saffron, and it is sold in decorative tins and boxes that make good gifts. Dates come in dozens of varieties, and the shops in the souq will let you taste before you buy.
Fruit juices and cafés
The Omani habit of ending the day in a café with a glass of fresh juice is easy to share. Juice stalls and cafés serve mango, pomegranate, lime and mint, and avocado shakes, and they stay busy into the evening. Karak, a strong milky tea with spices, is a common street drink, and Indian and Pakistani restaurants, which reflect Oman’s large South Asian community, serve excellent biryanis, curries and breads at modest prices.
Alcohol and dining out
Oman is a Muslim country, and alcohol is served only in licensed venues, mainly hotel restaurants and bars, so it is not available in most local cafés and restaurants. Many visitors enjoy a meal in a hotel restaurant for the setting and the option of a drink, and then try the local cafés for the food at other meals. Ramadan changes the rhythm of eating, with many restaurants closed during the day and busy after sunset, and visitors should avoid eating and drinking in public during daylight hours in that month.
Practical tips
Lunch is often late, around one or two in the afternoon, and dinner is often late as well, so you may find the evening is the liveliest time. Friday and Saturday are the weekend, and restaurants can be busy, so book ahead for hotel dining. Tap water is generally not recommended for drinking, so choose bottled water. Tipping is appreciated but modest. If you have dietary requirements, ask for details, because dishes often include meat or ghee, and vegetarian options are easiest to find in Indian restaurants and in hotel restaurants.