The food of a country provides an insight into the people, their land, and their way of life. And for many of us, it is one of the highlights of a trip. Jordanian food and hospitality invoke all that is Jordan.
When eight of the International Food Wine Travel Writers Association members journeyed to Jordan, we eagerly sampled much of what Jordanians eat each day. Much of the food is peasant food. We found the cuisine to be healthy with lots of vegetables, making it easy to be vegetarian in Jordan.
Vegetable laden table at Haret Jdoudna Restaurant ©Linda Milks
Farmers in Jordan grow crops and livestock in two main areas: the rain-fed northern and central areas of higher elevation where they grow wheat, barley, lentils, olives, and chickpeas, as well as grapes in vineyards, and the fertile Jordan River valley where cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, melons, bananas, and citrus crops grow. Sheep and goats are the main livestock in the region with some cattle, too. Only about 12 percent of the land is currently able to grow crops compared to roughly 52 percent in the United States. This requires Jordan to import much.
Religion also plays into some of the types of foods prepared in Jordan. Somewhere between 92 and 97 percent of the population is Muslim. Muslims don’t eat pork or drink alcohol.
In Jordan, hospitality and generosity are a crucial part of their identity. Hospitality is everywhere.
Mezze, small appetizers, adorn tables throughout Jordan. For more gourmet mezze, head to Bar In The Back at 13 C Wine Shop where the chef takes traditional Jordanian food and tweaks it to elevate the food to another level.
Jordanian Wine, Spirits and other Beverages
Muslim religion forbids drinking alcohol; however, Jordan has been making wine as a country for about 4,000 years. Most ordinary eateries do not serve wine. We found the larger hotels do offer wine, and in Amman there are lots of bars and larger hotels that serve wine and alcohol.
Jordanian fusion Food at the Bar in the Back ©Linda Milks
We found Jordanian food and hospitality on our first night visiting 13C Wine and Spirits and the Bar in the Back. Khaled Zumot owns 13C along with his brother and family. In 1954, Khaled Zumot’s father, Bulos Zumot, started in the wine business. If you are in Amman, this is the perfect place to find a wide variety of great wines.
Arak Al-Zumot Bottles alongside a milky glass of Arak at 13C Wine and Spirits © Linda Milks
Besides wine, 13C Wine and Spirits also has the spirit called Arak, the liquor of Jordan. Grapes and oil of anise seed give Arak a licorice flavor. When a host serves Arak, he adds water. The dilution causes the clear liquid to transform into a milky white drink.
If you love tea, it can be found everywhere. Jordanians often steep tea with a bit of sage and mint. Look for Hibiscus tea at many of the restaurants. The color is beautiful and the flavor is delicious.
Al-qahwa, Jordan’s coffee, is a traditional beverage of Jordan and roasted with cardamom. Try this coffee with the local dates. Amazing. If you want a stronger coffee, Turkish coffee is also in abundance.
For the perfect non-alcoholic refreshing beverage, order Limonada. The citrusy taste will delight you. It is a slushy smoothie of mint and lime or lemon blended with crushed ice.
Breakfast, a Time to Try Some Perfect Jordanian Food
Fuul, served under a heat lamp at Movenpick Aqaba Hotel © Linda Milks
What a surprise when we were at the Movenpick Aqaba Hotel to learn about Fuul. The cook mashes fava beans with lemon juice, olive oil and chopped chillis. He serves it with a long-handled ladle from a bulbous cooking pot. Small dishes of olive oil, tomatoes, tahini, fresh parsley, and za’atar surround the pot for topping the fuul.
A breakfast highlight is Manakish. This is a type of bread similar to pizza and topped with za’atar, a mix of sumac, thyme, and roasted sesame seeds. Sometimes oregano and marjoram are included in the mix. Jordanians use Za’atar as a seasoning for many of their dishes.
Creamy hummus at Haret Jdoudna Restaurant ©Linda Milks
Jordanians serve Hummus at every meal including breakfast. The Jordanian hummus is creamy and topped with olive oil and can have sumac (a tart and citrus-like herb) as well. Fattet Hummus is a variation of the traditional but is smoother and made of chickpeas mixed with pieces of torn pita bread, tahini, and pine nuts. You will find it with a pale green pool of olive oil on top.
Om Ali or Umm’Ali, similar to bread pudding, may surprise you when you see it on the menu or in a buffet when dining in Jordan. For added flavor, it can have coconut flakes, pistachios and a sprinkling of cinnamon on top.
Lunch and Dinner Await Guests with Jordanian Hospitality
Galaya Bandura, stewed tomatoes with onion and olive oil, adds flavor and color to every meal. This was originally prepared by farmers in the field. Sometimes meat adds protein to the dish. Servers bring this dish to most meals.
Shawarma, where the chef prepares the dish on slowly-rotating spits of sliced lamb, chicken, or beef and serves it in pockets of pita bread, awaits diners on the menu at the beautiful Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa. Raw onion and za’atar offers some bite to the dish. Cumin and turmeric can also season the shawarma. Alongside the shawarma, cucumbers and yogurt often adorn the plate.
Lunch at Galsoum’s Kitchen—A Highlight of Food and Hospitality
If you are very lucky on a Jordanian trip, you may be served Maqmoura (or Makmoura). It requires five hours to prepare.
Maqmoura, a layered pastry filled with chicken and onion ©Linda Milks
Maqmoura is a dish of layered dough with chicken and onions. It is prepared in a large-sided pan called a saj that shapes the dish into a perfectly round cake. Maqmoura is inverted when served.
Talking about Jordanian food and hospitality, Galsoum’s Kitchen exudes both. We dug in to the Maqmoura at Galsoum’s Kitchen where we were greeted by Galsoum Al-Sayyah’s warm smile. She led us to her dining area where we were seated around a low table with cushions on the floor.
Galsoum Al-Sayyah with tea at Galsoum’s Kitchen © Linda Milks
At lunch we also had Mansaf which is everywhere throughout Jordan since it is the Jordanian national dish with deep roots in the Bedouin kitchen. Hosts serve Mansaf to show their guests honor and respect. Jameed, a cheese-like goat’s milk yogurt that is dried and salted highlights the dish of chicken or lamb with rice. Shrak bread accompanies the Mansaf.
On our table was also Kubbah or Kibbeh (meaning ball) that has a crisp exterior of bulgar wheat with a filling of onions and minced meat of either lamb or beef.
Executive Chef Zaid Nawafteh at Sharah Luxury Camp © Linda Milks
Learning about Zarb from Chef Zaid, a Trademark of Jordanian Hospitality
When we were in Wadi Rum at the Sharah Luxury Camp restaurant, we experienced serving tables laden with food and that Jordanian food and hospitality again. Our chef, Zaid Nawafteh, uses a Zarb, an ancient traditional Bedouin barbecue where he cooks on racks in an underground pit filled with coals. The racks contain chicken, goat, or sheep, along with vegetables of carrots, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes. This method of cooking produced a smoky and tender melt-in-your mouth meal.
Plates of food with some from a Zarb at Sharah Luxury Camp ©Linda Milks
Salads Add Delightful Vegetarian Dishes
At Petra Kitchen cooking school in Amman, guests prepare and enjoy a Fattoush salad of tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. Crisp bits of fried bread and a slightly acidic dressing add to the flavor. Petra Kitchen invites all to learn about Jordanian food and hospitality.
Moutabbel, a spicier puree of aubergine (eggplant) similar to baba ghanouj but lighter textured and combined with yogurt, tahini, garlic, and lemon, makes for a great vegetarian dish. Find moutabbel along with other mezze, at Beit Khairat Souf Social Enterprise.
I loved trying the unique Makdous, a baby eggplant hollowed out with a filling of pickled walnuts and chilli. The first bite revealed the treat inside.
A bowl of Tabbouleh topped every table on our journey. This refreshing salad uses parsley as the main ingredient mixed with chopped tomatoes, onions, mint, and bulgur wheat, dressed with lemon and olive oil.
Plate of Jordanian food with walnut stuffed eggplant ©Linda Milks
As you might expect, at each meal guests find a delicious small bowl of olives, plentiful in all of Jordan.
Yogurt is a mainstay in Jordan. In addition to plain yogurt that we were used to enjoying, we found a yogurt unique to Jordan called Labaneh or Labneh. Cheesemakers strain goat’s milk several times to create a thicker yogurt. Lightly salty with a slightly sour flavor, Labaneh often accompanies other dishes.
Desserts, the Way to a Jordanian’s Heart
Jordanians have a sweet tooth. Of course, anywhere in the Levantine region you will find Baklava. The pistachios topping the Baklava grow wild in Jordan.
Jordanian pastry with creamy cheese filling ©Linda Milks
Kunafa, a crisp layer of thin strands of phyllo dough soaked in sugary syrup of cardamom, cinnamon stick, lemon, and rose water, tops a tangy cheese (called akkawi, similar to a mix of ricotta and mozzarella) or cream. Do not miss this dessert. Our guide brought us from a local bakery a similar pastry called Namoor. We loved it. These rich desserts are good with Turkish coffee.
Another delight is Warbat, a Jordanian pastry filled with custard or cream and made of stacked thin phyllo dough soaked in sugar syrup and stuffed.
When you travel to Jordan, take in all the flavorings and seasonings of the country, and make sure you show your appreciation by adding a tip of 2JD for each meal. You will surely enjoy the Jordanian food and hospitality.
Read more about Jordan here:
Discoverimg the Spiritual Side of Jordan
6 Unique Experiences in Jordan
