Food & Flavours

Hospitality at the table

In Jordan, a meal is an act of welcome. Hosts often prepare far more food than guests can eat, and they will offer second and third helpings with great insistence. It is polite to try a little of everything. When you have truly finished, a gentle phrase of thanks, together with a hand placed over the plate, usually tells the host you are full.

Food is traditionally eaten with the right hand, and bread is often used to scoop up dips and stews. On special occasions, guests may gather around a large shared tray. Before eating, many people say bismillah, meaning 'in the name of God', and after the meal it is common to praise the food and thank the host with words such as sahtein, 'to your health'.

Ramadan and feast days

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, and the evening meal, called iftar, becomes a daily family gathering. It often begins with dates, water and soup, especially lentil soup, followed by main dishes such as maqluba, mansaf or stuffed vegetables. Drinks made from apricot paste, tamarind or liquorice are popular, and sweet shops prepare qatayef in large quantities.

The two Eids are also times of special food. During Eid al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, families bake ma'moul, small pastries filled with dates or nuts. Eid al-Adha is associated with sharing meat with relatives, neighbours and people in need. Weddings, births and graduations are often celebrated with mansaf served to many guests.

Street food and cafés

Street food is part of everyday life in Jordanian cities. Bakeries sell fresh manakeesh in the morning, falafel shops fill sandwiches with crisp patties and salad, and stalls offer roasted corn, sweet potatoes or boiled broad beans in the cooler months. In Amman's downtown, small restaurants serving hummus, ful and falafel are favourite breakfast spots for locals and visitors alike.

Sweet shops are busy late into the evening, especially those famous for kunafa. Juice stands press fresh oranges, carrots, pomegranates and sugarcane, while coffee kiosks along main roads serve strong cardamom coffee to drivers. Shawarma, sliced from rotating spits of chicken or meat and wrapped in thin bread, is one of the most popular quick meals.

Vegetarian and plant-based options

Although meat is central to festive meals, vegetarians eat well in Jordan. Many everyday dishes are naturally free of meat, including hummus, falafel, ful, mutabbal made from roasted aubergine, tabbouleh, fattoush, lentil soup, mujaddara and galayet bandora. A table of mezze, or small shared dishes, can easily make a full meal.

Some dishes that look vegetarian may be cooked with meat stock or contain small pieces of meat, so it is helpful to ask. Useful phrases include bidun lahma, meaning 'without meat'. Fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts and dried fruit are sold in every market, and many restaurants in larger cities now label vegetarian and vegan dishes on their menus.