The best restaurants Jordan

The rather short menu of this restaurant is displayed at the entrance, so you know what it is all about before you even sit down. In good French, we could call this address a rotisserie. The grilled chicken is served with rice (byriani, mandi or bukhari) in the Middle Eastern style. In addition, the house serves grilled chicken brochettes (sheesh tawouk) or kebabs. Bukhara is a nice change from the usual falafel and hummus, while still offering the pleasure of regional flavours. The dishes can be taken away.

Zajal offers a true haven of peace in the bustling city centre. You'll spot it by the umbrellas hanging on the stairs and the colourful flowerpots on the walls. The old stone room, all in length, is decorated with a motley collection of antique lamps, old wooden tables and mismatched chairs. But, if there is still room, prefer the terrace installed under a vine, really perfect as long as it is not too hot. The address has made a specialty of stews simmered in terracotta dishes.

What is the recipe for success of this café that is always full? A vitaminized setting arranged like a magazine's living room, "fusion" recipes served at any time of the day, original cocktails (without alcohol), reasonable prices to attract a young and trendy clientele. The agape starts at breakfast with a nice choice of pancakes, waffles and sandwiches. For lunch, you can opt for a quinoa salad or a classic Caesar. Teezers accompany the aperitif, while in the evening tacos and burgers satisfy the big appetite.

We fell in love with this establishment that transports you to a Bedouin tent in the middle of Amman. The bourgeois society of Amman meets with family and friends to share an excellent meal around large tables. The service is adorable and will not hesitate to give you some recommendations if you don't know what to take. You will be able to taste the farashee, the Bedouin bread as thick as lace, prepared in front of your eyes by an old woman at the entrance of the restaurant. Save room for the pastries for dessert.

You have to get past the fast-food look of this restaurant to discover the succulent Egyptian specialties it has in store. On the menu: fatayer, a dough made of flour, water and salt, worked to become thin and transparent. This multi-layered dough that crunches like a mille-feuille is filled with haloumi cheese, chicken or original mixes like "mushroom and rosemary". For dessert, don't miss the fatayer with date syrup and sesame cream. We still remember it!

You can't set foot in the old city without hearing about Hashem. The restaurant became famous the day King Hussein stopped there to eat some falafel. Tourists and locals alike flock to this canteen at all hours of the day and night. The fuul (bean purée), falafels or hummus are served in small portions on plastic plates. It's a no-frills place, and not very good, but its terrace is mythical. So, you too will go there to form your own opinion.

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.

This very famous restaurant in Amman is unfortunately a bit far from the center. But the taxi ride to get there is worth it, especially since the fares are really cheap. All the standards of Arabic cuisine are served here: mansaf, hummus, tabouleh, baba ghanouj, kebabs... The decor is pleasant and you can take place under the big Bedouin tent or in the garden. The atmosphere is really nice, especially for a group 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.

We love this café-restaurant-art gallery with its mismatched furniture, bric-a-brac and its joyful atmosphere of indescribable capharnaüm. You can just as easily stop in during the day to drink a cardamom coffee or stop in the evening for falafels or a salad. An old upright piano occupies a corner of the room and there is nothing to stop you from letting out a tune. The works of Jordanian artist Salam Kanaan are displayed on the walls. Again, you can buy a piece if you feel like it. It's a bit expensive though.

This central establishment, with its terrace popular with the local bourgeoisie, offers a very varied menu. The menu includes fresh fish specialties and Middle Eastern dishes that can be accompanied by local beer or wine. Now is the time to try the Jordanian white wine Machareus. It is a good match for grilled fish or fried calamari. And if you're craving a rare beef, the restaurant offers a pepper steak. The wooden and bamboo setting is pleasant and warm and above all not stuffy.

Located not far from the Visitors' Centre, this restaurant serves local cuisine prepared with locally sourced products (whenever possible), especially meat. The setting of the room is pleasant with its arches and exposed stones, as well as the terrace which allows you to get some fresh air on sunny days. The menu proposes some Bedouin specialities which are out of the ordinary like the bamia bil lahem, a meat simmered with okra, tomatoes, cinnamon, garlic and coriander. You can even drink a beer... without alcohol!

This restaurant caters to the business and expatriate clientele of Amman in a chic oriental style. The courtyard-garden is absolutely adorable and you can sit under large parasols. The restaurant serves high-quality regional dishes that differ from the classic mansaf or maqlouba. Try the "jaj machi" made of rice and stuffed chicken or the "sayadiya" made of fish and rice. The food is very hearty and the service is impeccable. This is one of the best places in Amman, run by the same team as Romero.

This establishment is appreciated by groups… and is included in all French guides. Attention to what you tell your neighbours could well understand! Indeed, the quality of the kitchen has deteriorated and we are now serving very disappointing dishes, frozen fries, preparation without interest… we prefer to enjoy a buffet not too expensive and get on! The framework is without interest. It is the only one of the 3 establishments in this category to serve alcohol. Bedouin music in the evening.

This restaurant, which doesn't look like much, serves hearty and tasty Middle Eastern cuisine at very low prices. It is a very popular meeting place for budget travelers. The setting with stone walls, wrought iron tables and chairs is more than pleasant and in winter the room is heated with a brazier. You can also stop by for a coffee or a fresh fruit juice. You will have no trouble finding this restaurant, it is located just before the Shaheed traffic circle in the street that goes up from the Kings Highway.

The first restaurant for tourists opened in Jerash, this family business is now run by the very professional Fadi Sweis. The restaurant is located at the entrance of the city and is a delight for the visitors from outside who make up the majority of its clientele. The buffet is composed of various local dishes such as hummus, mansaf, or keftas. We appreciate the demonstration of artisanal bread making at the entrance of the restaurant and the panoramic view on the site from the terrace. Good value for money.

Another popular canteen located at the back of the Sherif Hussein bin Ali mosque. It has a pleasant terrace set back from the street, for the days when it is not too hot. The room clearly displays the pretensions of this restaurant with its purple velvet chairs and tables on the beach themes. It is frankly kitsch, but the essential is in the plate. You won't be disappointed. The kebabs are juicy and grilled to perfection, the hummus is perfectly creamy and the portions are generous.

It is difficult to miss it. In a spacious setting there is a good local cuisine (with specialities such as mensaf) but also pizzas, pasta and vegetarian dishes. The card is long and allows you to vary your menus.

The establishment enjoys a privileged location, as it is situated on the parking lot of the ancient city. The buffet is very extensive, with salads, mezzes, garlic and parsley potatoes and chicken in sauce. Very touristy, the restaurant is inevitably a little less good and a little more expensive than elsewhere, and the staff are a little nonchalant. It's almost an essential stop-off for refreshments after walking around Jerash for several hours. The small terrace under the palm trees is perfect.

Located right on the Shaheed traffic circle, Beit Al-Barakah is a perfect place if you like to enjoy the bustle of the street while having your meal. Its name means "The House of Blessing" and it guarantees good food at a very reasonable price. Hummus, mansaf, maqlouba, kefteh, kabab, falafel: you will find all the must-try Jordanian dishes on the menu, served in generous portions. The restaurant has a small terrace along the street, perfect during the day for a mint tea with a pastry.