Jordanian cuisine is one of the richest and most welcoming in the Levant — generous portions, fresh ingredients, fragrant spices, and a Bedouin hospitality that turns every meal into an event. Whether you're in Amman, Petra, Aqaba or Wadi Rum, here are the 10 must-try Jordanian dishes you absolutely have to taste before flying home — written by our Jordan-based food-loving team.
- Mansaf — the National Dish of Jordan. Tender lamb cooked in jameed (fermented dried yoghurt) sauce, served on a bed of rice and shrak flatbread, topped with toasted almonds and pine nuts. Eaten by hand on a shared platter. The most authentic mansaf is in Madaba or Karak.
- Knafeh Nabulsieh. Stretchy white cheese under crispy orange semolina pastry, soaked in rose-syrup. The famous Habibah sweet shop in downtown Amman is a Jordanian institution.
- Maqluba ("Upside-down"). A spectacular pot of rice, fried aubergine, cauliflower and lamb or chicken — flipped onto a platter at the table.
- Falafel & Hummus Breakfast. Cumin-spiced chickpea balls and fresh hummus drizzled with olive oil, eaten with warm pita and pickles. The best falafel breakfast in Jordan is at Hashem in downtown Amman — a legend since 1956.
- Galayet Bandora. A simple, vibrant stew of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and chili, scooped with bread — one of the tastiest Bedouin breakfasts.
- Bedouin Zarb. Lamb, chicken and vegetables slow-roasted for hours in an underground oven covered with sand. This is the iconic dinner served in Wadi Rum camps.
- Mujaddara. Humble but addictive: brown lentils, rice and crispy caramelised onions. Often served at home with cucumber-yoghurt salad.
- Mutabbal & Baba Ghanoush. Smoky char-grilled aubergine blended with tahini, lemon, garlic and olive oil — a meze must.
- Kunafa & Atayef during Ramadan. If you visit during Ramadan, don't miss atayef — small pancakes stuffed with cheese or walnuts and soaked in sugar syrup.
- Arabic Coffee with Cardamom & Fresh Mint Lemonade. The signature welcome drink of Bedouin hospitality, paired with sticky-sweet dates. Lemonade with fresh mint is the ultimate Jordanian summer refresher.
Where to Eat the Best Jordanian Food
- Amman: Hashem (falafel), Habibah (knafeh), Sufra (fine Jordanian dining), Levant.
- Madaba: Haret Jdoudna — best mansaf experience.
- Petra / Wadi Musa: Beit Al-Barakah, My Mom's Recipe.
- Wadi Rum: the zarb dinner at your Bedouin camp.
- Aqaba: Ali Baba for the freshest Red Sea fish.