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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.
Almouj St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman
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$$$ | |
Tucked away behind a strip mall in the posh Madinat Sultan Qaboos neighborhood, this popular restaurant is a tranquil place to spend the evening dining on Arabic and local specialties, sipping on an infused tea from their extensive beverage menu, or to have sheesha. The garden, softly lit with hanging lanterns, is ideal in the cool evenings. Though the huge menu features everything from Arabic mixed grill to pasta, they also serve a great version of the Omani specialty shuwa, lamb rubbed with spices and oil then slow-cooked over embers in an underground pit overnight. Their za'atar bread is also fantastic, and it is one of the only places around where you can sample infusions of simmered cinnamon bark, ginger, or clove. The service is unbelievably slow, so this is not the place for a quick bite; be prepared to have a long, leisurely meal.
Al Bashair St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman
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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.
Seeb Corniche, Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$ | Al Khuwair |
Cars queue in front of this little café from morning (opening time is 8 am) until closing (around midnight). Honking horns draw over waiters from the shop, who bring over cups of the local specialty karak, a spiced tea sweetened with creamy condensed milk, and paper-thin Omani bread smeared with savory cheese and egg or sweets like Nutella or honey, to customers in idling cars and those seated at the scattering of tables out front. In the evening, when the temperature cools down, groups of men gather here before and after going to prayers at the adjacent mosque, and though groups of ladies are rare, all are welcome at the friendly shop. There are similar karak shops beside gas stations and on roadsides throughout the city, but this is by far the best one. Try the zataar karak, made with wild thyme or the "special" mixed spice karak alongside an order of paper-thin Omani bread stuffed with egg, cheese, and "Chips Oman."
Thaqafah St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Fri.
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The most notable of the sophisticated dining venues in the Chedi hotel is the aptly named Beach Restaurant, which is built on Atheiba Beach, overlooking the sea. Modern arabesque design—high white walls, hanging lanterns, elegantly curved arches, and dark mohogany wood accents—set the mood while the exquisite cuisine does the rest of the work. The chef celebrates local lobster, fresh fish, and massive prawns simply grilled and served alongside saffron rice; blue crab dressed with avocado and truffled mayonnaise; and playful, modern dishes like "Asian-style" salmon gravlax with black in grissini and kombu granita and lobster "cappacino" with rosemary whipped cream. In addition to seafood, wagyu beef, organic chicken, and pan-seared foie gras with contemporary takes on the steak house staples of creamed spinach and "deconstructed" fried potatoes are available. Drink pairings abound, from glasses and bottles from the largest wine cellar in Oman as well as cocktails and fresh juice mocktails.
18th November St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Al Khuwair |
Run by a former fisherman who personally selects the restaurant's fresh seafood selections from the Mutrah market each morning, this is the best place in town to sample the incredible local catch. The popular restaurant has expanded to a large building facing the parking lot (so there is rarely a wait), but the smaller original dining room just behind it is quieter with a bit more ambience. An order of the mixed mezze, which includes hummus, babaghanoush, olive tapanade, and a spicy tomato puree, comes with long, thick loaves of fresh-baked Turkish flatbread and makes a great accompaniment to grilled fish and prawns. The house salad, dressed with a light vinegar, is excellent as well. The knaffe, a dessert of slightly salty cheese topped with sweet fried vermacelli, paired with a cup of strong Turkish coffee provides the perfect finish to a meal here.
Al Khuwayr Al Janubiyyah, Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
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The East African island of Zanzibar was part of the Sultanate of Oman up until 1965, when many, like the owner of this casual eatery, returned to Muscat. The vibrant red walls of the dining room are covered with old photographs and paraphernalia from Zanzibar, and the kitchen turns out authentic, home-style Afro-Arabian specialties. Ask your server what is on offer, and he will lead you to the small kitchen to see hot pots of daily specials, which will likely include beans, cassava, and spinach simmered in coconut milk, spice-encrusted fried fish and chicken, and fresh chapati bread. Request a mixed plate to sample them all. After your meal you will be served complimentary light Omani coffee spiced with cloves and a plate of sweet, dried dates. This is one of the best lunch values in town.
Al Badi, Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Fri., Reservations not accepted
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$$$$ | Shatti Qurm |
Al Angham impresses with opulence, both in its design and on your plate. The high-ceilinged dining room is adorned with intricately carved wooden details, including Arabesque arches and artfully chosen, modern Omani touches that mimic the grand design of the Opera House. The extensive menu features traditional regional Omani dishes artfully presented in delicate portions, either à la cart or as part of several tasting menus. This is a favorite lunch spot for government officials and business leaders with big expense accounts, who want to offer visting guests some local flavor and a sophisticated of environment. It may be the most expensive alcohol-free restaurant in Oman.
Al Kharjiyah St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | |
Just across the main road from the Nizwa Souq, this restaurant serves wonderful Zanzibari dishes like coconut curried shrimp, fried chili and potato puffs called kachori, and fluffy, cardamom-scented mandazi bread. It also serves a strange combination of "international dishes" like pizza and pasta, which are best avoided.
Rte. 21, Ad Dakhiliyah, Oman
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The bare-bones restaurant in the Bowshar International Hotel doesn't look like much, but the biryani (basmati rice layered with masala spices and either chicken, prawns, or fish) is the best in Muscat. As one of the city's only 24-hour dining options, it is a favorite post-nightclub dinner spot on the weekends. The prawn biryani and the local hamour fish biryani are especially good, served with a cooling yogurt sauce called raita. Order it mild if you are especially sensitive to heat.
Sultan Qaboos Street, Muscat, Masqat, Oman
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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.
Rte. 21, Ad Dakhiliyah, Oman
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$$ | Mutrah |
At the northern end of the Mutrah Corniche, the exquisitely designed "House of Frankincense" offers diners a taste of authentic Omani dishes, including grilled beef, chicken, and squid mishkak skewers;harees (a savory porridge of chicken or meat slow-cooked with wheatberries and spices, topped with fried onions and ghee); and rice kabulis (flavourful basmati pilaf cooked with whole cardamom pods, cinnamon bark, ground cumin, corriander, and other spices), along with local seafood from the nearby fish market and modern inventions like shuwa (Omani slow-cooked meat) lasagna. The tranquil dining area features traditional dark, carved wood accents and colorful Omani pillows and tapestries, and the sound of Arabian oud music plays softly in the background. A few small tables on the balcony overlooking the Corniche are a romantic option during cooler months.
Al Mina St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman
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The secluded seaside restaurant at the exclusive Al Bustan Palace Ritz-Carlton, which is about ½ hour from central Muscat, is one of the most romantic destinations in the city. Dining by moonlight, serenaded by the sound of waves, warm sand beneath your feet, and a silhouetted backdrop of mountains and ocean, you'll have as memorable a meal as you are likely to have in Oman, well worth the high price and long drive. The service is as good as you would expect, and the food, while not earth-shattering, is well-prepared, especially the grilled local seafood. The real star, besides the unbeatable ambience, is the well-curated, international wine list, which is one of the most sophisticated in Oman.
Al Bustan St., Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | Al Khuwair |
The small size of this relaxed North Indian eatery—it has only has a dozen tables—only partially accounts for it being perpetually jam-packed. Friendly service helps, but the overwhelming draw is the excellent Mughlai cuisine. Dozens of dishes—with plenty of vegetarian choices—beguile even the most persnickety palate: specialties like chicken or fish kebab biryani, chicken curry, and paneer tikka masala are plentiful, spiced to perfection, and habit forming.
Way 3521, Al Khuwair St., Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$ | |
Traditional Omani restaurants are few and far between, and this one gives a rare introduction to the regional specialties in a traditional setting. The menu offers a huge range of dishes, like slow-cooked meats with fragrant spices served with boiled wheat, along with fish dishes, super-sweet desserts, and the rich cardamom flavored coffee served with dates to end the meal. There are four branches in Salalah, two on 23 July Street.
23 July St., Salalah, Zufar, Oman
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This well-known franchise serves Omani cuisine in a no-frills environments the traditional way: on large silver trays set down on the floor of a private dining area. The shuwa, a local celebration dish of spicy, pit-roasted lamb served on a mound of rice with a tangy tomato salsa on the side, is particularly good. Steer clear of the seafood, as the inexpensive restaurant does not always source the best or the freshest catch.
Rte. 21, Ad Dakhiliyah, Oman
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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.
Sur St., Ash Sharqiyah South, Oman
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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$2) are the best value in town. During the day the restaurant bustles with the lunch crowd from surrounding banks, but at night the quiet outdoor dining space takes on a more relaxed, romantic feel.
2706 Way, Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Fri.
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$ | |
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.
Rte. 17, Ash Sharqiyah South, Oman
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This ramshakle takeaway restaurant on a busy street in the business district of Ruwi is appropriately named, as it turns out the best falafels in town. Hot chickpea patties are served straight out of the fryer so their outer crust is crisp while the interiors are moist and well-seasoned. The hummus is thick and tahini-heavy, providing a perfectly rich dip for the sandwiches and fries. Traditionally, lunch is the main meal of the day in Oman, consisting of a rice and main, and dinner consists of sandwiches or other lighter fare, so in keeping with that routine, this restaurant is only open in the evening. Though there are a few tables and chairs out front, the view of the freeway is less than idyllic, so it is best to take your order to go.
Al Hamriyah Roundabout, Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
