A culinary guide to Amman—the historic capital shaking up its food scene

Absorbing influences from the traders, pilgrims and immigrants who have long roamed its lands, Jordanian cuisine fuses Palestinian, Syrian, Iraqi, Persian and Mediterranean traditions. Yet it's greater than the sum of its parts, as a culinary tour through the nation's capital, Amman, will demonstrate. Stroll the city's historic neighbourhoods to discover classic Jordanian mezze, like hummus and falafel; the country's hearty national dish, mansaf, made with lamb, rice and a special yoghurt sauce; and decadent bites of flaky, syrup-soaked baklava. Here are the restaurants, bakeries and street food joints that are making their mark on Amman's culinary scene.

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In Al-Balad, the oldest part of the city, hundreds of hole-in-the-wall food joints can be found along tightly braided streets, sandwiched between the alabaster facades of bookstores and barbershops. Space is at a premium in Hashem, a tiny 24-hour restaurant that’s been a fixture in the area for more than 70 years. Those lucky enough to score a table will be able to try the likes of hummus, fatteh (a popular layered dish of bread and yoghurt), mutabal (roasted aubergine dip) and Hashem’s calling card — stuffed falafel with a soft centre of sumac-sauteed onions.

Commanding a panoramic view of the Amman Citadel from atop Jabal Amman — one of the city’s seven hills — the restaurant Alee by celebrity chef Ali Ghzawi puts a fine-dining spin on Jordanian home cooking. Batata harra (spiced potatoes) feature a locally produced fermented chilli paste called shatta, while seasonal produce from the Jordan Valley, such as cauliflower, is given the haute-cuisine treatment. Also in the Jabal Amman neighbourhood, Fakhreldin, set in a villa that was formerly the prime minister’s private residence, fuses Lebanese flavours and Jordanian hospitality. The extra-zingy, Beirut-style hummus and the house specialty of kibbeh nayeh — lamb tartare with bulgur wheat — are among the highlights.

Such innovative cuisine is not limited to formal restaurant settings. Head over to Rainbow Street, a bustling downtown thoroughfare in the Jabal Amman district named after a popular cinema, for the city's best street delicacies. Al Quds does a textbook Jordanian falafel, with its vivacious green colour courtesy of fistfuls of chopped herbs folded through the chickpea mix. A short walk away, Shawerma 3a saj serves Amman-style shawarma wraps loaded with chicken and punchy garlic sauce or beef, tahini and pomegranate molasses. Come the evening, this district lights up with bars and gastropubs. At 1920 Speakeasy there’s often a jazz band or musician playing an oud (a pear-shaped string instrument similar to the lute) to accompany the cocktails.

If you find yourself on the western outskirts of Amman visiting the Hellenistic palace Qasr Al-Abed, be sure to stop in at Sabaho, a bakery rumoured to dish up the city’s best manakeesh. The topping of choice for this woodfired flatbread is za’atar with olive oil and briny akawi cheese.

For modern art galleries and shopping malls, head to the neighbourhood of Jabal Al Lweibdeh, located to the west of the Citadel — a historic site sat atop the Jebel Al Qala'a hill in downtown Amman. The leafy streets that radiate off Paris Square are crowded with sidewalk cafes such as Aristotle, where young Ammanis gather over cardamom-infused Arabic coffee to play boardgames. Most often found in home kitchens and only eaten on special occasions, mansaf — an elaborate dish of stewed lamb, rice and nuts heaped atop paper-thin shrak bread — can be ordered at Al-Khather. This dish is always served sharing-style in the centre of the table and eaten with one’s right hand.

Room for sweets? Jabri, a restaurant chain known for its desserts, has branches all over Amman, so a sugar hit is never too far away. Take a cue from the locals and order a plate of warbat baklava — ghee-gilded filo pastry filled with rich ashta cream and drizzled with rosewater syrup and crushed pistachios — with a glass of chai bil naana mint tea on the side. In downtown Amman, visit the original branch of Habibah, a sweet shop that’s been trading since 1951. Squeeze inside and take your pick between huge platters of kunafa — a salty-sweet dessert of elastic akawi cheese drenched in sugar syrup — topped with either a yielding semolina crust or crunchy kataifi pastry.

Three culinary experiences that give back

1. Dar Ne’meh
Backed by a training programme that upskills Jordanian women in the culinary arts and traditional handicrafts, this restaurant dishes out all the classics on a terrace overlooking the Citadel in downtown Amman.

2. Ezwetti Initiative
For every plate ordered at this volunteer-run downtown restaurant, the team will distribute a meal to an Ammani in need. Visitors can also leave a hand-written note for the recipient on the bulletin board.

3. The Iraq Al-Amir Women’s Cooperative
Located just over 12 miles west of Amman near the Iraq Al Amir Caves, this social enterprise features a courtyard restaurant where home-style cooking is front and centre, as well as a boutique that sells ceramics and papercrafts.