Amman’s surprising restaurant scene

Jordan – February 2022

Jordan surprised me in many ways, as you might know if you read a previous post taking you on a stroll through Amman. And one of the most interesting things for me is the capital‘s restaurant options. I already covered the infamous falafel street food place in downtown run by Hashem. But there is so much more.

Let‘s start with the countless cafés spread out all over town. The first one I visit on a walk down Rainbow Street is 12:12 The Mid Coffeehouse. I pass by on a wintery, early afternoon and there are no other guests. Despite the cold wind blowing, I want to enjoy the sun and decide to sit at one of the small tables set up in the small alley. I order a cappuccino and a piece of the rich chocolate cake on display at the counter.

A café that I actually go to twice, is Rumi Café. It’s located in a beautiful stone building surrounded by a lush garden in an international neighbourhood. The first time I come here with a girl I met at my hostel, and we enjoy a pot of Arab tea sitting by the green-painted window. I decide to return to do some work on my last day in Amman. This time I order their incredible Yemeni tea and baked goods at the tiled bar before sitting down at a table in the corner to work.

On another day, I follow a fellow guest‘s recommendation and spend a whole afternoon at Books@Café. Also located on Jabal Amman (Amman Hill) its terrace is a great sunset spot and offers views of Abu-Darwish mosque. Their coffee, tea & cakes are very tasty but what‘s even better: they also have a large Shisha menu. Many of the customers – even the ones on Zoom Calls – have a bubbling Hookah sitting next to them. On the first floor, there is a small gallery displaying Jordanian artist’s work and a shop that tempted me to buy all the cute stationary and postcards on display.

Speaking of Shisha, I couldn‘t write a blog post about Jordan restaurants without mentioning Sufra Restaurant. The one on Rainbow Street is set in a marvellous historical building and the vintage interior lets you travel back in time. Of course, the Middle Eastern Mezze are incredible. My Dubai roommates and I eat our way through the whole menu and order 2 Shishas for dessert. And the best thing: there is another restaurant managed by the same company. It’s located at the top of Umm Qais with magnificent views of the ruins and the northern Jordan landscapes.

Finally, we have a place that I stumble upon on my first night in Amman. Despite my host‘s concerns, I walk up to Jabal Lweibdeh by myself at night and found the international restaurant street. And located off the main road, Lolita Café & Restaurant, a tiny eatery with a menu that made my mouth water reading it. I order the tacos and while waiting, enjoy the carefully selected, bohemian design pieces with artwork from all over Latin America. On my way back, I cross paths with another guest from my hostel and after telling her about my dinner, she makes me return with her right away.

Stay tuned for a post about a day-trip to northern Jordan, the Jordan Valley and the dead sea. 🙂