Amman is Amman is Jordanian and Levantine cooking — mansaf, falafel, knafeh, mezze, and fresh-baked bread — from 1950s institutions Hashem and Habibah to Rainbow Street tables. We've organized 12 restaurants across 5 categories. Each entry includes prices, hours, local tips, and a Google Maps link so you can plan straight from the page.
AmmanFood Map
Click pins to see restaurant info · 12 restaurants
Mansaf (the national dish — lamb in fermented jameed yogurt over rice), maqluba, Bedouin home cooking
Sufra Restaurant
مطعم سفرة · Rainbow Street, Jabal Amman
1
#1
MUST TRY
Mansaf (national dish — lamb in jameed yogurt over rice), maqluba, mezze spread, Jordanian breakfast (Fri-Sat)
The go-to sit-down spot for traditional Jordanian home cooking, set in a restored early-20th-century villa on Rainbow Street with a leafy garden and terrace. Opened in 2011 as one of the first restaurants to serve a wide range of Jordanian dishes in an elegant setting; mansaf is the signature.
Local tip: Order mansaf to share — it's a large communal dish of lamb in fermented-yogurt (jameed) sauce. Dinner is served daily 17:00-23:30; lunch Sun-Thu 12:00-17:00; breakfast only Fri-Sat morning. The garden is lovely on warm evenings. Reserve on weekends.
Hands-on Arabic cooking class — prepare and then eat a multi-course Jordanian/Levantine meal
Not a regular restaurant but a cook-and-dine experience in a family grandmother's house in Jabal al-Weibdeh, one of Amman's oldest neighborhoods. You prepare a multi-course Arabic meal with guidance, then sit down to eat what you cooked — a hospitable, social introduction to Jordanian food.
$60-90 (cooking class + meal)
(around JOD 120 per person)
By reservation (scheduled sessions)
Local tip: Booking ahead is essential; sessions run on a schedule rather than walk-in. Around 120 JOD per person, which includes the class and the full meal. Great for travelers who want to understand the cuisine, not just eat it. Confirm timings and dietary needs when you reserve.
Mansaf, mahshi (stuffed vegetables), kebab, and famous baklava and sweets counter
A long-running downtown institution on King Faisal Street, well known for hearty Jordanian and Levantine classics and an attached sweets section. Plain, busy and popular with locals — a reliable place to try mansaf and grills downtown without ceremony.
$8-20
(JOD 6-14)
Daily ~09:00-23:00
Local tip: The sweets counter at the front is worth a stop even if you don't sit down. Lunch is the main meal; mansaf may sell out later in the day. Cash is easiest here. Central, near the downtown souks and a short walk from the Roman Theatre.
Downtown falafel-and-hummus institutions, shawarma wraps and manakeesh flatbreads
Hashem Restaurant
مطعم هاشم · Downtown (off Prince Mohammad St)
4
#1
MUST TRY
Falafel, hummus, ful medames, fattet hummus, mint tea — the classic Amman breakfast
The legendary downtown falafel-and-hummus joint, largely unchanged since the early 1950s. Most seating is open-air, squeezed along an alley between two buildings off Prince Mohammad Street near the Al-Husseini Mosque. Cheap, meatless and beloved by locals and visitors alike.
$3-8
(JOD 2-6)
Open 24 hours
Local tip: Open around the clock and busiest at breakfast. There's no real menu — they bring falafel, hummus, ful, bread, tea and a few sides. A full filling meal costs only a few dinars. Cash only. The reliable benchmark for Amman street food.
Beef shawarma wraps with garlic sauce — the late-night Amman classic
A tiny, famous shawarma stand by 2nd Circle that has drawn long queues for decades for its no-frills beef shawarma wraps. There's barely anywhere to sit — people order at the window and eat standing or in the car. A genuine local late-night ritual.
Local tip: Expect a line, especially evenings and weekends. Order by the piece; a couple of wraps is a cheap, satisfying meal. Cash only, and it's a stand rather than a restaurant — manage expectations on comfort. Near Rainbow Street for an easy after-dinner add-on.
Hummus, falafel, foul, msabbaha — a popular all-day hummus-house chain
A well-known local hummus-and-falafel chain with several branches across Amman, busy from breakfast onward. Clean, quick and consistent, it's an easy sit-down alternative to downtown's chaos when you want hummus and falafel away from the old city.
$3-8
(JOD 2-6)
Daily ~07:00-24:00 (varies by branch)
Local tip: Branches are scattered (Mecca Street, Gardens, etc.), so pick the nearest. Good for a hummus breakfast before sightseeing. Cards accepted at most branches. Portions are generous — one mezze spread feeds two.
Upscale mezze and grills in restored Jabal Amman villas — Levantine cooking at its most polished
Fakhreldin
فخر الدين · 2nd Circle, Jabal Amman
7
#1
MUST TRY
Mezze selection, grilled meats and seafood, refined Levantine classics
Amman's best-known upscale Levantine restaurant, established in 1997 in the restored 1940s mansion of a former prime minister on Taha Hussein Street. Polished service, a lush summer garden, and a long mezze-and-grill menu have made it a fixture for celebrations and visiting dignitaries.
$40-70
(JOD 30-50)
Daily 13:00-24:00
Local tip: Open daily 13:00-24:00. Reserve ahead, especially for the garden in summer. Smart-casual dress. Build a meal around a spread of hot and cold mezze before the grills. Among the pricier options in town, but the setting and consistency justify it for a special dinner.
Italian-leaning Mediterranean dishes, pasta and grills in a historic Jabal Amman house
A long-established upscale Italian-Mediterranean restaurant in a characterful old Jabal Amman building, part of the same group behind Sufra. A change of pace from Levantine fare when you want pasta and Mediterranean cooking in a refined setting near Rainbow Street.
$30-60
(JOD 22-42)
Daily ~12:00-23:30
Local tip: Reserve for dinner; the historic-house setting is the draw as much as the food. A lighter-wallet alternative to the international-hotel restaurants while still being a sit-down occasion. Licensed, so wine is available. Walkable from Rainbow Street.
Boutique cafés, brunch spots and rooftop bars in Jabal Amman and arty Jabal al-Weibdeh
Books@Cafe
بوكس آت كافيه · Rainbow Street, Jabal Amman
9
#1
MUST TRY
Brunch, coffee, light Mediterranean plates — with a rooftop terrace and city view
A bookshop-café-restaurant-bar on Rainbow Street that opened in 1997 and bills itself as the region's first internet café. A relaxed all-day spot with a rooftop terrace overlooking the city, an eclectic crowd, and a menu spanning brunch, salads and Mediterranean dishes. Also one of the city's well-known licensed venues.
$8-20
(JOD 6-14)
Daily ~09:00-24:00
Local tip: Go for the rooftop and the laid-back atmosphere as much as the food. Good wifi and a working-friendly vibe by day, livelier in the evening. Cards accepted. A natural pairing with a Rainbow Street stroll.
Farm-to-table Jordanian breakfast and brunch, fresh juices, vegetarian-friendly plates
A bright, locally focused café known for seasonal, organic and largely vegetarian cooking and an excellent Jordanian breakfast. Quiet, art-filled and popular for brunch with a younger, design-minded crowd — a calmer alternative to the Rainbow Street bustle.
$8-18
(JOD 6-13)
Daily ~08:30-18:00
Local tip: Breakfast and brunch are the strengths — try the labneh, eggs, za'atar and fresh juices. Gets busy on weekend mornings. Cards accepted. A good first meal of the day before heading to the Citadel.
Amman's most famous sweets name, a family business dating to the early 1950s. The tiny original downtown shop, tucked in an alley near the Arab Bank, sells nabulsi knafeh by weight and almost always has a line out the door. Several larger branches now exist across the city.
$1-4
(JOD 1-3)
Daily ~08:00-23:00
Local tip: Order knafeh fresh and eat it hot on the spot — a portion is only about JOD 1-2 by weight. The downtown original is the experience, but branches are quicker if it's mobbed. Cash for the downtown stall. A must-try Jordanian sweet.
Knafeh, baklava, ma'amoul and a wide spread of Levantine pastries
A long-established Amman sweets house and the other big name locals debate against Habibah for the city's best knafeh. Several branches, including downtown and the Sweifieh district, with a broad counter of baklava and traditional pastries alongside the knafeh.
$1-5
(JOD 1-3.5)
Daily ~08:00-24:00
Local tip: Worth comparing head-to-head with Habibah if you're a knafeh fan — opinions split sharply in Amman. Buy a mixed box of baklava and ma'amoul to take away. Cards accepted at the larger branches.
Hashem falafel + a Habibah knafeh + a shawarma and fresh bread.
Mid-Range
JOD 18-40/day
A Levantine dinner (Sufra, Fakhr El-Din) + mezze on Rainbow St.
Luxury
JOD 70+/day
A home-style Beit Sitti meal + a fine-dining Jordanian tasting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about food and restaurants in Amman.
What is mansaf and where should I try it?
Mansaf is Jordan's national dish — slow-cooked lamb in a tangy fermented-yogurt sauce called jameed, served over rice and flatbread and topped with toasted almonds or pine nuts. It's traditionally eaten communally with the right hand at weddings and gatherings. For a comfortable sit-down version, Sufra on Rainbow Street is the standard recommendation (around JOD 14-28); Al Quds downtown does a more local, lower-key version. It's a heavy, rich dish best shared.
Where do I get the best falafel and hummus in Amman?
Hashem, the open-air downtown institution off Prince Mohammad Street, is the classic — falafel, hummus, ful and bread for just a few dinars, open 24 hours and unchanged since the early 1950s. Abu Jbara, a local chain with branches around the city, is a cleaner sit-down alternative for a hummus breakfast. Both are cheap (JOD 2-6) and meatless. Hashem is the experience; Abu Jbara is the convenience.
Habibah or Al-Aker — who has the best knafeh?
It's a genuine Amman debate. Habibah Sweets, dating to the early 1950s, is the most famous, and its tiny downtown original near the Arab Bank usually has a queue for nabulsi knafeh sold by weight (about JOD 1-2 a portion). Al-Aker is the long-standing rival with a strong local following. Either way, eat knafeh fresh and hot on the spot rather than boxing it to go — it's at its best minutes out of the tray.
Where can I eat well on Rainbow Street and in Jabal al-Weibdeh?
Rainbow Street (Jabal Amman) is the café-and-restaurant strip: Books@Cafe for a rooftop, all-day spot, Sufra for traditional Jordanian, Romero for Mediterranean. Jabal al-Weibdeh, the artier neighborhood nearby, has calmer cafés like Shams El Balad, known for an organic Jordanian breakfast. Both areas are walkable and pleasant in the evenings — a contrast to the busier downtown food scene.
Can I drink alcohol with dinner in Amman?
At licensed restaurants, hotel restaurants and bars — yes, but it's limited and pricey, and most local eateries don't serve it. Rainbow Street and Jabal al-Weibdeh have the city's licensed venues (Books@Cafe among them), and upscale spots like Fakhreldin and Romero are licensed. Downtown street-food places like Hashem are dry. During Ramadan, alcohol service is heavily restricted citywide. Amman is more relaxed than the Gulf but still conservative — keep it discreet.
Is tap water safe, and how much should I tip?
Treat tap water as unsafe — drink bottled water (about JOD 0.30-0.50 a bottle), which is sold everywhere. For tipping, 10% is standard at sit-down restaurants if service isn't already included; at street stalls and casual joints, rounding up is fine. Carry small dinar notes, since downtown stalls, the original Habibah, and shawarma stands like Reem are cash-only.
More on Amman
Cost guide, itineraries, hotel picks — plan the rest of your trip.
Jimmy Kong
TripPick founder · Travel content creator
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.
8+ years analyzing travel data
30+ countries visited
Live exchange rate verified
Jordan