"Food of Amman" by Rawan Shamaileh
People of Belad Al Sham (The Levant) carry great pride in their cuisine. We believe that we make the best food in the Arab world, some even argue that we have the best cuisine in the world!
Jordan has a strategic location in the Levant. Jordan’s connection to the Gulf and North Africa influenced the diversity and quality of our cuisine.
So, what and where to eat when in Jordan?
Mazzeh
First thing you need to try is mazzeh. Mazzeh is a table filled with salads like fattoush, tabbouleh, and dips you eat with pita bread like hummus, baba ghanough, and mutabbal. People eat mazzeh for breakfast, dinner, as appetizers before lunch or dinner, and as a food that accompanies nights out. The best place to eat these amazing dishes are:
Daymeh - near AMIDEAST;
Sufra - a fancy local restaurant in Jabal Amman;
Jafra - a downtown restaurant with great food, and an awesome view of the old city.
Mashawi
Translated to English - grilled food. We grill lamb chops, kabab, chicken, onions, tomatoes and eat along with mazzeh. Mashawi places are all over the country ranging from cheap to extremely expensive, and you can find mashawi everywhere in Jordan, but the best, moderately priced places in Amman are Kababji and Shehrazad downtown.
Falafel
Many countries claim falafel as their traditional dish, but it is definitely a Levantine dish, and we have the best falafel in the world, no questions asked. Falafel is eaten by everyone. You can either sit and enjoy a meal of hummus, falafel, pickles, foul, and fatteh, or grab your stuffed sandwiched on the go. In both cases, falafel in Jordan is not to be missed!
The best place in Jordan for falafel is Hashem downtown, don’t be disappointed with all the tourists down there! Locals always go to Hashem especially for a late-night meal.
And for a quick sandwich you must visit Al Quds restaurant on Rainbow street (don’t mix it up with Quds downtown) this is just a hole in the wall that serves the best falafel sandwiched in the world!
Kaak
Kaak sellers are all over Amman in the morning wandering the streets but you can’t see them past noon. It’s a very cheap yet delicious and fulfilling meal of sesame bread like bagels that you can stuff with anything you want, traditionally boiled eggs and zaatar. Don’t worry if you can’t catch one in the morning! You can always go to SalahEddin bakery in Abdali and grab your hot kaak and feel free to stuff it with all the options available on the counter.
Manaqish
This is oven baked dough with many options for toppings. Traditionally they are, cheese, thyme, or cheese and thyme, but now there’s turkey, mixed cheeses, and Nutella. These heavenly tasting, hot from the oven, manaqish are a must! There are many manaqish places and so it’s hard to say one, but Abu Khamis in Sweifiyeh is good.
Shawarma
Shawarma is street food - pita bread filled with either meat or chicken that is stacked in a cone-like shape and roasted on a slowly turning rotisserie. Meat shawarma comes with onions, tomatoes, and tahini sauce, while chicken shawarma comes with pickles and garlic sauce.
Best place for meat shawarma is Reem in Jabal Amman.
Best chicken shawarma is Karam in Sweifyieh.
Mansaf
Mansaf is a traditional Jordanian dish and limited to Jordan. Jordanians offer mansaf in weddings, funerals, and to guests to show generosity. Don’t tell a Jordanian you do not want to try mansaf! They take their mansaf seriously, and feel insulted if you say you don’t like it!
Best place to eat mansaf is at Quds restaurant downtown, along with many home dishes to choose from.
Zarb
Zarb is meat and chicken, with rice and vegetables that is buried in a deep hole in the ground with coal underneath it and buried with sand. After a few hours you will have the best smoked meat and rice with vegetables you will ever introduce your taste buds to. It is a Bedouin dish that is not available everywhere in Amman because it needs a designed underground oven.
Best place to try is in Wadi Rum.
Knafeh
Knafeh is a dessert that is like no other! It has a salty cheese base and crumbled knafeh with sugar syrup on top and sprinkled with pistachio. Believe me when I tell you it feels like an explosion of taste in your mouth!
Best place to eat knafeh is Habiba downtown, this place has a long que all day long everyday of the week! Wait in line, grab your plate, and enjoy!
Coffee
Arabic coffee with cardamom and prepared on wood fire is different than any other coffee in the world! Most local restaurants serve this coffee after meals so if you go to Daymeh you will be offered a cup.
One thing is that Jordanian food is a food to be shared. We barely have individual meals, mazzeh, lamb zarb, mashawi are offered in large quantities and Jordanians believe that the more the merrier when its time to sit at the table and eat a delicious meal.
