Fun and entertainment Amman

Locals, expatriates and tourists meet in this trendy and design café with its sixties decoration to nibble on sandwiches, salads and burgers. In the alcove armchairs or on the comfortable sofas, you feel at home to chill out without taking your head off. From the terrace, you can enjoy the view of Amman and hear the call to prayer from the nearby Hussein Mosque. Books, including travel guides, are sold on site. An ideal place to have a brunch or a break in the afternoon. Very friendly staff and draft beer.

Only a few steps from Paris Square nestles this very nice traditional café, with an oriental and wooded Art Deco decor. The heterogeneous decoration, the old mosaics, the bistro chairs, the mottled objects give to the place the air of a Spanish inn with Levantine sauce. A clientele of regulars rush there to share a shisha, to devour some local specialities at low prices (try the manakish, a Levantine speciality, or the classic kofta), to quench their thirst with a mint tea between friends or family. A recommended stopover.

Despite the passing years, the Blue Fig has maintained its status as a trendy bar, very popular with the trendy youth of Amman. It must be said that the place is very nice, all glass, steel and wood, and that the volumes are impressive. Moreover, the Blue Fig has a large terrace sheltered by parasols. During the day, families with young children come here for a burger or French toast and in the evening, a certain youth takes over to devour bread and chill out to lounge music.

The Goethe-Institut is a German cultural center located in Amman. It offers a variety of shows and cultural events for art and culture lovers. The Goethe-Institut website offers detailed information on upcoming shows, exhibitions and language events. It also offers German courses and exams for those wishing to learn the language.

The Vegas is the trendy club in Amman these days. It is a nightclub bar. The room is not very big and is occupied by rows of high tables and bar stools. You sit there and order a bottle or a drink, listening to live sets of Arabic electro music. You're in Jordan and smokers are welcome here. Despite a purification and air renewal column, the room is very smoky and will remind the less young of the French nightclubs in the 90s.

Prime Cinemas is the equivalent of Pathé or Gaumont in France. The company distributes films and shows them in its multiplexes. In Amman, Prime Cinemas is located in two shopping centres: Al Baraka Mall and Abdali Mall. It has 13 cinemas in each of its complexes, equipped with the latest technology (Full HD, laser broadcasting system, immersive sound...). Prime Cinemas shows mainly the latest American blockbusters, as well as mainstream Arab films. The screenings take place between 11am and 11pm.

The Hussein Cultural Centre is managed by the Greater Amman Municipality. It has a new building, built by the architect Bilal Hammad, which is located not far from the Jordan Museum. It includes a large theatre and smaller rooms for workshops, readings and smaller conferences. Most of the events that take place here are in Arabic. However, music knows no boundaries, so ask at the reception desk.

The Shepherd Hotel's Cube has been livening up Amman's nightlife for several years now, and despite the passage of time, its success continues unabated. Wednesday evenings, dedicated to the 80s, kick off the weekend and are very popular. On other evenings, the club offers a more classic program aimed at the younger crowd, with R&B and hip-hop nights, funk and electro nights, all sprinkled with the Arab standards that get the youngsters moving. You can obtain the evening calendar by contacting the hotel.

Dali is known to all Amman's hip and slightly "out-of-touch" people. This bar attracts lovers of cold draught beer, local wine, cocktails... in short, it serves alcohol, even during Ramadan. In the early evening, it's very difficult to find a free table, both on the terrace and inside. We like the relaxed atmosphere, the slightly loud music, the cheerful hubbub. During the day, many people come to work on a corner table while drinking tea or coffee.

If you're a fan of original cocktails, this is the only address in Amman worth keeping your eye on. Here, the menu includes the great classics of international bars, but also a whole series of original creations. So original, in fact, that some of them are served in a huge iced drop. It's imperative to reserve your table on weekends (Thursday and Friday evenings), especially if you want to enjoy the pleasant but small garden courtyard. You can accompany your cocktail with a snack to share.

The Almond Coffee House uses its large glass roof to create a bright, warm, contemporary and cosy place. It is one of the "hot spots" in Amman, one of those that are always full from morning to night. The long list of coffee proposals (espresso, Turkish coffee, hazelnut and toffee latte, almond latte...) is matched only by that of pastries and cakes. Will you fall for a muffin, a donut covered in chocolate, cookies or an almond croissant? The hot chocolates are also the reputation of the house.

This café, located on the top floor of the Taj mall, will surprise you in more ways than one. Its pleasant setting recreates the atmosphere of the old cafes of Amman, now disappeared, all in woodwork and tiles. Its wide choice of coffees and teas, why not accompanied by a shisha, in the local style, will satisfy you. The quality of its Lebanese-inspired cuisine makes it possible to take more than a break, and to have lunch or dinner between a few purchases. If the address seems uninspiring on paper, Café Hanin has established itself as one of the best in Amman.

This small, modern and relaxed café pays tribute to Rumi, a famous Persian poet of the 13th century. We like the old tiles, the pretty round tables in light wood and their matching bistro chairs and the large glass roof that lets the daylight in. The café is preceded by a pleasant terrace separated from the street by a hedge of greenery. You will come across a mainly student clientele, those who like to debate for hours, coming here to share a good coffee or a tea scented with mint or rose water.

This small European-style café was founded by Yana Nikolayeva, a Ukrainian. We like its simplicity and its rough stone and brick walls left bare. It serves above all good coffee and in particular Ethiopian coffee or the unavoidable cardamom coffee that Jordanians can't do without. You can accompany your "little black" with mini-sandwiches or gourmet pastries. When the weather is nice, the owner takes out a few tables outside, lined up between two buildings. And during the hot weather, you can refresh yourself with an iced coffee.

Between the stacks of fine books, postcards and souvenirs in the National Museum of Fine Arts shop, this friendly café invites you to take a moment to relax and unwind. It is perfect for a refreshing break after browsing the museum's galleries. The bright atmosphere, the few tables and benches adorned with colourful cushions will make you want to pick from the dozen or so coffees on offer. Sandwiches and light snacks to fill the small hollows.

This is Downtown's place to sip a freshly squeezed juice. It's simple: there's a long queue, whatever the time of day. You'll spot the little stall by its neatly lined-up fruit stalls. You can combine fruits or opt for the refreshing "limoun nahna", lemon juice with mint. The little store has been quenching the thirst of passers-by since 1962 and has become a must in the capital. There are a few tables in the cul-de-sac, but they are often crowded.

This cocktail bar is decorated like a ship's dry dock, with woven bamboo ceilings, rattan pots and glass floats as lampshades. The place is a little confusing, as it doubles up as a dining room for private parties. The atmosphere is pleasant, as the place is huge, airy and very exotic, with green plants and wood panelling everywhere. Cocktails are prepared in XL format, and the bar menu includes a fine selection of spirits. At weekends, the dance floor welcomes salsa lovers who whirl to the sound of a live orchestra.

Rovers Return takes its name from the famous pub of the no less famous British river series Coronation Street which blew its 60 years of existence and its 10 000th episode in 2020! The Amman pub that pays tribute to the world's most famous soap-opera is much more recent, having appeared in the Abdoun district in 1997. It has all the ingredients of a traditional English pub with (fake) brick walls and pillars, wooden and skai bar stools and a waxed horseshoe bar. You can drink pints of Amstel on draught.

The Amigo has a classic pub atmosphere with its rough red walls, rock band posters, side tables, and pool table. Locals and expats alike mingle here for draft beers, cocktails, and whiskey on the rocks while munching on nachos and mini-burgers. You'll notice an old telephone switchboard under the screen that broadcasts sports. The place isn't exactly trendy, but its walls are full of stories.

On the heights of Jebel Amman, near the very lively Rainbow Street, the Wild Jordan Center café offers a superb view of the city. The terrace at the top of the building is not large, but, tucked into a comfortable sofa, you can enjoy the sunset facing the Citadel. What could be more romantic than to enjoy a fragrant tea, a fresh fruit juice or a good coffee in a relaxed atmosphere? You can also nibble on some snacks made with organic products or salads at lunchtime, but it's not cheap.