The best restaurants Dead Sea And Kings Road

Haret Djoudna is a little more than a restaurant. It is a group of old houses that have been renovated and transformed into a tourist complex with handicraft shops, restaurants and cafes. Al Sarayat is one of the good restaurants, not only in this complex, but in Madaba. It serves fine Jordanian cuisine in the beautiful garden courtyard. The speciality of the place is the sawani, chicken cooked with wild thyme, the zaatar. You can also come here to have a drink and smoke hookah while enjoying the music played in the evening.

Located not far from St. George's Church, this café is known for its excellent fresh fruit juices and simple, inexpensive dishes. Housed in an old house, the restaurant offers a large room with stone walls decorated with reproductions of ancient mosaics that are the pride of the city. Between two mouthfuls of mustabal or two sips of cold beer, you can also admire a mosaic portrait of King Hussein. We like the colourful benches with big cushions, perfect for a break.

At first sight, it is not the setting of this small restaurant that should seduce you. The garden furniture made of woven faux-jonc, the TV on all the time, and the big pillars in the middle of the room do not give it any charm. On the other hand, the cuisine is prepared daily with fresh products. The mezzes attract a local clientele as well as those from nearby hotels for tourists. The waiters, who all speak impeccable English, will be able to decipher the menu and advise you on the house specialities.

In the stone and wood decor of an old house converted into a restaurant, one can taste good local specialties, accompanied by a pleasant service. Popular with Madaba's wealthy families and youth, the restaurant is appreciated for its tasty food and old-fashioned tavern decor. We like the wooden tables and the benches covered with Bedouin fabrics. The restaurant is located in an alleyway on the edge of the city's archaeological zone, between the museum and the Catholic Church of St. John the Baptist. We recommend it!

This little snack, which is not very inviting, nevertheless offers good and truly inexpensive local dishes.

Immerse yourself in this little gargote which, although it doesn't look like much, has some nice surprises. The very smiling Adel proposes tasty traditional home-made dishes as well as sandwiches for those in a hurry. For three times nothing, you can enjoy the dish of the day, a hummus, and a salad. The pocket-sized room only houses four tables painted in lagoon green and the kitchen area where Adel prepares the dishes before your eyes. Admittedly, the establishment could do with a facelift, but the main reason for coming is the owner's warm welcome and his good recipes.

The restaurant is located in one of the city's oldest houses. The chef draws on his Lebanese and Egyptian origins to offer original dishes. Don't be put off by the presence of a (friendly) pusher on the sidewalk; the food served here is well worth the effort. The "Jordanian Potery" speciality is a mixture of chicken and vegetables simmered in an earthenware jar. A vegetarian version is also available.

With its elegant facade, its chairs and tablecloths in a shade of green, its Bedouin decorations (carpets, traditional costumes, stuffed Nubian ibex heads...), we can feel that the Kir Heres is playing the tourist card to the full. Sadam has created a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere, and this is reflected in his prices. Here, the dish is at the price of a meal in the other gargotes close to the castle. You will find the traditional Jordanian dishes you are now used to and some continental dishes.

Located in the tourist area of the Archaeological Museum, this restaurant may not be the best table in Madaba, but it serves quite decent food and the staff is lovely. The house specialty is sajiyeh, a lamb (or chicken, and sometimes even beef, though it's less available in these parts) dish cooked over a wood fire in shreds with onions and peppers in a clay dish. Don't be put off by the busloads of tourists who arrive here and let yourself be tempted.

The Mujib Chalets restaurant is primarily for residents. But you can also plan to have your meal there, as long as you book 24 hours in advance. The address is well known by the locals who appreciate the quality of the dishes, their abundance and their low prices. The setting is most remarkable with its large windows offering a view of the Dead Sea in delicate shades of blue. You can also order a picnic to take away for a day's hike in Wadi Mujib or at the beach.

This RSCN-run resort is perched above the Dead Sea on the slopes of Mount Zara. Its restaurant offers tables on the terrace with a breathtaking view, the most beautiful in the area. The best time to come is when the sun is setting, and then to dine there. But beware, seats are expensive on weekends, as the place is very popular with Jordanians. The menu is not cheap but the dishes are exquisite and rather traditional. Remember to take a little wool in mid-season or in winter because the wind is refreshing at night.