Where To Eat

Amman has many restaurants that serve top quality Arabic food. When Jordanians go out to eat they expect at least the same high standard of cooking that they would have at home. Unfortunately, the same is not the case with the foreign cuisine available locally. Here, quality varies and it is very rarely exceptional, even though Amman has a host of Italian, Far Eastern and 'continental' restaurants.

Although it is difficult to generalize about the standards of restaurant hygiene in Jordan as a whole, it is safe to say that Jordan is one of the cleanest countries in the region as far as food is concerned.  Nonetheless, if you have not had vaccination shots before traveling, it may be wise to enquire about the reputation of an eating establishment before you make use of it and to go easy with uncooked vegetables.

 When you are faced with a buffet meal, check the freshness of the salads and cold meats and refrain if they look as if they have been sitting there for a while. The restaurants listed are generally known to be safe choices in this respect.

There are no vegetarian restaurants in Jordan but vegetarians will have a real feast with Arabic food (most of the many appetizers are suitable). Where available, fish makes an excellent alternative to meat dishes for a main course. You can also have excellent vegetarian meals in Amman's Italian restaurants.

The recommendations that follow include a guide to price, based on the average cost of meal with appetizer and main course per person and either have gardens or air conditioning. Establishments without summer facilities are indicated. 

Outdoor eating starts in May and ends at the end of October. Jordanians tend to eat late, with lunch at around 2 p.m. and dinner at 9 p.m. However, restaurants do open earlier, at 12:30 p.m. for lunch, and at 7:30 p.m. for dinner. 

All the restaurants listed below serve alcohol except for lower range restaurants. During Ramadan, many restaurants close for the whole month because they are not allowed to sell alcohol and their profits are low. Those that do open serve food only after sunset when the fast is broken; some of these offer fantastic Ramadan specials.

Drinking

Most restaurants and hotel bars in Amman and outside serve alcohol except during Ramadan when alcohol sales and drinking are banned. Jordan has its own beer, the excellent Amstel, brewed locally under license. A big bottle costs just over 1JD to buy in a shop, but anywhere between 50-200% above that amount in bars and restaurants. 

Wine is imported from the "Holy Land," Tunisia, Cyprus and France. The best of the Palestinian wines are the Domaine de Latroun wines, especially the Pinots and Sauvignons, as well as the Caregnano. Alcohol can also be purchased at many grocers and supermarkets. Safeway stocks the widest selection in foreign wines.

Jordan has a rapidly developing fine art scene and, to a lesser degree, theatre and poetry that are indigenous to the country and the Middle East region. Music, ballet and film are imported and, this being a relatively poor and small country, are very costly to operate and therefore appear irregularly and often under sponsorship.

 Many of the cultural activities in Amman take place at the Royal Cultural Centre, which comprises theatres, conference and exhibition halls. The foreign cultural centers are very active in organizing lectures, exhibitions, film shows, occasional plays and recitals promoting the work of Jordanian and other Arab artists and intellectuals, as well as their own nationals.