Near the main T1 gates, you’ll spot the Karak Tea stand
This small stand in Muscat T1 sits on the airside concourse, handy if your flight boards from the central gate cluster. It’s a grab-and-go counter only, so think quick stop, not a sit-down café. You order at the front, wait a couple of minutes, and you’re back at your gate with a paper cup in hand.
The signature karak runs in the roughly 0.300–0.600 OMR range, depending on size and any extra flavor. Expect sweet, strong, cardamom-heavy tea that’s closer to dessert than hydration. It comes very hot, so if boarding is in under 10 minutes, ask them to leave a bit of space so it cools faster.
The stand usually opens early morning, around the first T1 departures, and stays open late into the night to catch the midnight bank of Gulf flights. That makes it a reliable caffeine hit on a 03:00 connection when most other options feel wiped out. Cash and cards are both accepted, and small notes (1 or 5 OMR) keep things smooth.
Snacks are basic: a few pastries, packaged biscuits, and sometimes small sandwiches in the 0.500–1.500 OMR bracket. Nothing here replaces a full meal at T1’s larger restaurants, but it’s enough to tide you over if your last real food was a 4-hour-old inflight tray. If you want something light with your tea, grab a croissant or a simple bun and skip anything that’s been sitting too long in the warmer.
Practical move: order one karak for now and one extra plain tea to cool, then carry both to your T1 gate and alternate sips so you’re not burning your tongue right before boarding.