General Information » Culture & Lifestyle » Food & Drink

You can eat your way around the world in Oman – there is a huge choice of international cuisines thanks to the cosmopolitan mix of nationalities living there. Not only can you feast on exotic cuisines in the numerous five-star hotels, but you can also find cheaper options at the many street cafes and independent restaurants. You’ll also find all the obligatory fast-food outlets such as McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut. Browse through the Going Out section for some pointers on where to find the kind of cuisine you love.

Arabic Cuisine XXX

Arabic cuisine is similar in some respects to Omani cuisine, using many of the same ingredients and styles of cooking. It is basically a blend of many types of cooking, such as Moroccan, Tunisian, Iranian, Egyptian and Afghani, although in general terms modern ‘Arabic cuisine’ invariably means Lebanese food. The cuisine is excellent for meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

Shawarmas (lamb or chicken carved from a rotating spit, then rolled in flat bread with salad) are sold in small shops throughout Oman. If you don’t eat meat, you can try a vegetarian version of this delicious, inexpensive snack made with foul (a paste made from fava beans) or falafel (deep-fried balls of mashed chickpeas).

Don’t miss out on trying the ultimate Arabic dessert – Umm Ali (similar to British bread and butter pudding) is made with milk, bread, nuts and raisins and it is delicious!



Omani Cuisine XXX

Traditional Omani cuisine is fairly simple, with rice as the main ingredient cooked together with beef, mutton, goat, chicken or fish. The meat is roasted, grilled or baked after marinating in a variety of spices, including cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, pepper, turmeric and saffron. This is not surprising considering Oman’s position on the ancient trade routes. However, the food is rarely ‘hot and spicy’ since the flavours are used in a subtle manner.

Traditional Omani meals are eaten with the right hand. The main meal is usually eaten at midday, while the evening meal is lighter. Salads are quite simple – lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes served with a slice of lime for dressing. Maqbous is a saffron coloured rice dish cooked over spicy meat. Skewered meats (kebabs) are often served with flat bread (khoubz). Harees is a staple wheat-based dish with chicken, tomato, seasoning and onion. Fish and shellfish are used widely in dishes such as mashuai – whole spit-roasted kingfish served with lemon rice.

Favourite local drinks are laban (heavy, salty buttermilk) and yoghurt, which is often flavoured with cardamom and ground pistachios. Fresh juices, mad...