One of the best areas to head for moderately priced restaurants is Ruwi high street; and the surrounding area at the centre of the business district features a large number of Indian and Pakistani restaurants.

The most popular curries here are made with potato, chicken or mutton – pork is, of course, strictly off the menu given the strong Islamic make-up of Oman. Beef is also non-existent as Hindus are a fairly large minority and run many of the Indian restaurants in Muscat.

More upscale Western and foreign restaurants of many different styles are typically found in the biggest hotels and around the business district.

Local cuisine

Typical fare in Oman includes shuwa, meat cooked with herbs and spices for two days in clay ovens, and mashuai, roasted kingfish served with lemon rice.