2 Best Restaurants in Oman

Background Illustration for Restaurants

Traditional Omani food is a marriage of rustic Bedouin dishes of rice, meat, and preserved fish, plus the plentiful, sweet dates that grow abundantly in the country, all infused with the diverse flavors of the spice route. The East African island of Zanzibar, as well as port cities in Persia and South Asia were once part of the Sultanate, and local versions of foods like biryani, pulao, and coconut-enriched vegetables have become part of the Omani canon of dishes. Great examples of local cuisine can be sampled at restaurants in Muscat, along with a wide offering of international options, from sushi to American fast food. In the capital and other coastal cities, like Sohar, Sur, and Salalah, fantastic fresh fish, prawns, crab, and giant squid called cuttlefish, are on offer even at humble restaurants. Options in the mountains and deserts of the interior are more limited, though simple sandwich shops, restaurants serving Yemeni-style mandi (a dish of rice and tandoori-cooked meat), tea shops offering Omani bread with various fillings, and casual Indian restaurants can be found almost everywhere.

Zanzibar Island Restaurant

$ Fodor's Choice
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, Oman
9236 2213
Restaurant Details
No lunch Fri.
Reservations not accepted

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Al Mandi Al Dhahabi

$
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.