What to Eat in Oman in 2026: The Best Food and Drink

Omani food is one of the most distinguished Arabian cuisines, shaped by the country's maritime trading history, its frankincense wealth, and the Indian Ocean spice routes that ran through Muscat for centuries. Shuwa — whole marinated lamb, wrapped in banana leaves and buried in an underground sand oven for 24-48 hours until the meat falls from the bone into a concentrated smoky spiced tenderness — is the Omani celebration dish for Eid and weddings. Harees (wheat slow-cooked with meat until it reaches a thick porridge consistency) and majboos (rice with dried lime, Gulf spice, and meat or fish) carry the Gulf rice tradition. Omani halwa, the dark, chewy, rosewater and cardamom confection studded with nuts, is the specific Omani sweet that accompanies every formal occasion and a cup of qahwa (light coffee with cardamom and saffron). The Muttrah Souk frankincense (burned as incense, sold as a resin, and incorporated into Omani cooking in specific mountain community preparations) extends the food culture into the sensory. Omani rose water from Jebel Akhdar roses is the cooking perfume. Take your time.