There’s a quote in Jordan and the Middle East that says something along the lines of:

“Even when you’re full, you can still always eat 40 more bites of food.”

And I believe it’s not nearly as shallow as just eating until you are stuffed, and then eating some more. But it’s rather a clear reflection on the importance of generosity and hospitality and the significance of food in the Jordanian culture (but let’s not get too deep here… it is about eating a lot of food too)!

In this food guide, I’m going to share with you 25 delicious Jordanian foods that you’ve got to try.

what is Jordanian food
What is Jordanian food?

What is Jordanian food?

Jordan, due to its geographical location in the Levant, has culinary influences from North Africa, the Middle East, Persia, and the Mediterranean. So while technically ful medames might be originally from Egypt, it is also extremely common and popular locally in Jordan as well.

So I just want to warn you – this list of Jordanian food, might not be every dish that originates or was discovered in Jordan, but it’s a list of food that you’ll find commonly throughout Jordan.

You might also be interested in my Amman travel guide.

Bread, rice, lamb, olives and olive oil, za’atar, yoghurt, tahini, garlic, onions, pickles, sage and mint, are just a few of the distinct tastes and ingredients you’ll experience eating in Jordan.

If you’re a food lover, this is a list of food you’ve got to try when you’re in Jordan.

Ok, let’s get started.

Jordanian falafel
Fantastic falafel at Hashem Restaurant

1. Falafel

When I was traveling in Egypt a few years ago, some Egyptian friends of mine mentioned that some of the best falafel in the Middle East was in Jordan. And I had no reason not to believe them, but had no idea when I would ever have the chance to eat Jordanian falafel for myself. So I was more than a little thrilled to have my first taste of falafel in Jordan.

Falafel, a combination of ground chickpeas, mixed with a variety of spices, then deep fried into mini patty like shapes, is one of the most common street food snacks or light meals in Jordan. They can be eaten on their own like veggie nuggets, eaten with bread, or stuffed into sandwiches. The falafel in Jordan was indeed the best I’ve ever had, light and fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside, with an aroma of cumin, garlic, and parsley.

Where: Try the amazing falafel sandwich in Amman at Falafel Al-Quds; Address: Al-Rainbow Street, Amman; Open 10 am – 9:30 pm daily. Or get a plate at Hashem Restaurant downtown.

Jordanian food
Amazing moutabel in Amman, Jordan

2. Moutabel

Before going to Jordan I always thought of baba ghanoush when I thought of a Middle Eastern roasted eggplant dip – and I loved it. But when I was in Jordan, I discovered that while baba ghanoush is available, by far the more common roasted eggplant dip available is moutabel, which is similar to baba ghanoush, but quite different. One of the main ingredient differences is that moutabel uses yoghurt in its recipe. You can read more about the differences in this well researched post.

I’ve always loved eggplant in all its forms, especially when it’s roasted over fire, to give it a wonderfully smoky taste and a smooth and creamy consistency. For moutabel, the roasted and peeled eggplant is combined with yoghurt, tahini, garlic and lemon juice.

Where: Hashem Restaurant serves an excellent bowl of moutabel. Address: Complex No 4, Prince Mohammad St 4, Amman; Open hours: 24 hours

Jordanian cuisine - hummus
Hummus is a huge part of Jordanian cuisine

3. Hummus

Hummus is possibly the most well known Levantine and Middle Eastern food around the world. I’ve always enjoyed hummus, but I never grew up eating hummus or eating it on a continual basis until visiting Jordan. And I Jordan I ate hummus at least 2 – 3 times per day. When I left Jordan I had hummus withdrawals. I was almost scared about where my next helping of hummus would come from.

The hummus in Jordan was fantastic, and despite containing just about the same ingredient make-up at every restaurant you order it from, it’s amazing how each version tasted just slightly different – the amount of lemon juice, and ratio of garbanzo beans to tahini, the texture, and also, very importantly, the olive oil.

Where: Just about every Jordan food restaurant

What is Fattet Hummus
Fattet Hummus – a twist on hummus

4. Fattet Hummus

I had eaten plenty of hummus before ever visiting Jordan (granted some of the best hummus I ever tried was in Jordan), but I had never even heard of fattet hummus before going to Jordan. Fattet hummus is the combination of bread, which has been soaked in broth to make it completely dissolvable, mixed with hummus, tahini, and lemon juice. Most of the versions of fattet hummus I had in Jordan included regular white bread in the recipe, but you can also make it with pita type of bread.

Fattet hummus is a complete twist on regular hummus. While it has that similar garbanzo bean taste, with a hint of lemon juice and olive oil, the texture is totally different – it kind of feels like whipped hummus. It’s fluffy and airy like whipped cream, not nearly as dense or thick as regular hummus.

Where: In Amman, try the fattet hummus at Al Osrah Restaurant. Located in the Abdoun neighborhood of Amman; Open hours: about 10 am – 11 pm daily

Shams El Balad Cafe
Excellent herb flavored labneh at Shams El Balad Cafe

5. Labneh

Labneh, which is also known as strained yoghurt, is a very thick, creamy yoghurt, that’s served at just about every breakfast table in Jordan. It’s not typically eaten like a bowl of yoghurt because it’s so rich, but instead it’s used as a spread for bread, or a dip for vegetables. The taste is sour and creamy, but usually not salty, very similar to sour cream.

Labneh can be served in a bowl plain, or drizzled with olive oil, or combined with different herbs or leaves to give it more flavor. I particularly enjoyed some versions of labneh that included local herbs. I’m not sure of the name of the herb, but there was one I tried that had a mild horseradish taste, which went very well with the sour creamy labneh.

Where: If you visit Amman, Shams El Balad Cafe serves delicious labneh with seasonal herbs. Address: 69 Mu’Ath Bin Jabal Street, Amman; Open hours: 8 am – 10 pm daily.

Galayet
Galayet with meat at Wadi Rum

6. Galayet Bandora

One of the other common dishes I ate frequently in Jordan was galayet bandora, also known just as galayet. This dish includes tomatoes which are stewed until soft and pureed, with a few seasonings like garlic, olive oil, and salt. The tartness and sweetness of the tomatoes is what really shines, and it tastes great scooped up with bread ore eaten with rice.

While I was at Wadi Rum I also had a type of galayet with meat, so it was chunky tomato sauce with cubes of beef, eaten with rice. It was really good, like a Jordanian tasting spaghetti sauce with cubes of meat and rice.

Warak Enab
Warak Enab and Kousa Mahshi – stuffed grape leaves and zucchini

7. Warak Enab and Kousa Mahshi

Warak enab, or stuffed grape leaves, and kousa mahshi, which are stuffed zucchini, can sometimes be served together, and they are another fantastic addition to Jordanian cuisine. Versions of this dish are commonly eaten throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean.

Both the grape leaves and the zucchini are stuffed with a combination of rice and ground meat, onions, and light seasonings, then wrapped up, and slow cooked. When I was in Jordan I had warak enab a number of times as a mezze dish, usually served cold and with a sour taste from pickled grape leaves. But the best version I had was a home-made meal, where both the grape leaf rolls and stuffed zucchini were cooked with lamb ribs and fat. The rolls were melt-in-your-mouth soft, and had soaked up all the lamb juices.

Where: I had this dish home-cooked, but you’ll find it at most Jordanian sit down restaurants. Sufra Restaurant might be a good choice. Address: Al Rainbow Street 26, Amman; Open hours: 1 pm – 11:30 pm.

Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh

8. Tabbouleh

Another Levantine dish, often a starter or salad, tabbouleh is a mixture of finely minced parsley, tomatoes, garlic, and bulgar wheat, all dressed in lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. As I learned in Jordan, tabbouleh is not typically scooped up with bread like hummus or moutabel, but it’s typically eaten plain with a spoon.

For myself, tabbouleh is one of my personal mezze favorites. I love the freshness and crispness of the parsley, the garlicky taste, and the contrast of sour lemon juice and saltiness.

Where: You’ll find tabbouleh all over Jordan and at restaurants in Amman, but one of my favorite versions was at Rakwet Arab Cafe, because it was extra garlicky tasting. Address: Al Daraghmeh Commercial Complex, Al Baouniyah St 4, Amman.

best Jordanian dishes
Arabic salad in Jordan

9. Arabic salad

Similar in dressing taste to tabbouleh, but with a different vegetable make-up, Jordanian, or Arabic salad, usually includes finely diced up cucumber, tomatoes, and bell peppers, dressed in lemon juice and lots of olive oil.

Arabic salad makes an excellent refreshing starter dish, or I also particularly enjoyed it with main dishes like maqluba (rice and meat) and with grilled dishes like shish kebabs – to give the meal a nice balance. Fattoush is another common salad you can eat in Jordan.

Where: Nearly every restaurant in Jordan

Ful Medames
Ful Medames – delicious fava beans

10. Ful Medames

When I visited Egypt, ful medames on the streets of Cairo was my go-to street food – I enjoyed ful immensely. And while ful medames might be originally from Egypt, this dish of mashed fava beans and olive oil, is also widely available and commonly eaten throughout Jordan. You’ll find ful at most restaurants that serve hummus and falafel.

My favorite way to eat ful is sprinkled with some powdered cumin and chili powder, drizzled in olive oil, and scooped up with either bites of bread or with wedges of onion. The fava beans taste very similar to Mexican refried beans. When I was in Jordan I loved eating ful medames for breakfast, along with some hummus and fresh raw vegetables.

WhereAl Osrah Restaurant in the Abdoun neighborhood of Amman; Open hours: about 10 am – 11 pm daily.

chicken liver in Jordan
Chicken lives goes great with hummus

11. Chicken Liver

Commonly served as a mezze dish, along with dishes like hummus and moutabel, chicken livers is another fantastic Jordanian dish to complement your meal. The chicken livers are typically sautéed in olive oil with just a few simple seasonings like garlic, parsley, and salt, and then sprinkled with some lemon juice.

Liver is not everyone’s favorite part of the chicken, but I would say that you’ve got to give them a chance. When I was a kid, I wasn’t a huge fan of chicken liver, but I kept trying them, and today, chicken liver is something I love and crave. The plates of chicken liver I had in Jordan were delicious, light on the seasoning but nice and creamy liver. A piece of bread, with a liver, and some hummus, is an wonderful combination bite.

Where: Along with fattet hummus, I also enjoyed the chicken liver at Al Osrah Restaurant in Abdoun; Open hours: about 10 am – 11 pm daily.

manakish in Jordan
Fantastic manakish in Amman, Jordan

12. Manakish

Sometimes called Arabic pizza, and spelled in all sorts of different letter combinations (manakish, manaeesh), manakish is essentially a round of dough, topped with za’atar (an herb thyme spice mixture), olive oil, and can then optionally include toppings like white cheese (halloumi), eggs, or ground meat. It’s then baked in a brick oven.

When manakish is hot and fresh, right out of the oven, it’s incredibly delicious – the crusty bread with a fluffy inside, and that wonderful herb taste. I liked manakish especially just plain with za’atar, and I also really enjoyed the version with white cheese (halloumi cheese).

Where: The best manakish I had in Amman, was down one of the side streets from Paris Circle, on Niqola Ghanma Street, at a small hole in the wall family run bakery.

Salaheddin Bakery
One of the best kaek bread sandwiches in Amman, at Salaheddin Bakery

13. Kaek Bread Sandwich

One of the most popular Jordanian street food snacks, especially common in the morning, is a kaek bread sandwich. The bread, which is in the shape of a mini personal loaf, is topped in a crust of sesame seeds, and can be filled with Happy Cow like triangles of cheese, hard baked eggs, za’atar, and chili sauce. It’s simple, tasty, and very common.

Kaek sandwiches taste the best when they are piping hot – when the bread is cooked fresh. If you visit Amman, there’s a legendary bakery, known as Salaheddin Bakery (مخبز صلاح الدين), which is not only one of the oldest bakeries in Amman, but it serves one of the best sesame bread sandwiches in the city. Grab a fresh loaf, add all the toppings your self, and take a bite of one of the most incredible loaves of kaek in Jordan.

WhereSalaheddin Bakery is located at the cross road of King Al-Husseim Street and Umayah Bin Abd Shams Street.

Arabic food
Mujadara is a simple everyday Jordanian dish

14. Mujadara

A typical everyday Jordanian food is mujadara, a mixture of rice, lentils, and a seasoning that includes cumin. It’s something that nearly everyone knows the recipe for how to cook it at home, and it’s commonly eaten as a dish that’s quick and easy. It’s also a favorite main dish for vegetarians in Jordan as well, as it’s filling and tastes delicious.

What I really liked about the Jordanian style of mujadara is that the raw rice was cooked with the raw lentils altogether (rather than being cooked separately), so the flavors all melted and blended together. Additionally, deep fried caramelized onions and fried fragrant pine nuts sprinkled on top, are the two ingredients that take mujadara to the next level.

Where: This is often a home-cooked meal because it’s such a simple recipe.

Shawarma in Jordan
Fantastic shawarma in Jordan

15. Shawarma

A meat lovers favorite from Europe to the Middle East, shawarma is common in Jordan and you’ll find restaurants that serve lamb, beef, and chicken versions. The signature method of cooking shawarma – layers of thin meat stacked on a sword like spit and revolving either vertically or horizontally over a source of heat – is part of what gives the meat its unique taste. When the outer layer of meat is cooked, it’s shaved off with a sharp knife, and usually wrapped in bread with either garlic sauce or tahini and a few pickled vegetables.

Being the meat lover I am, shawarma is something I can never pass up. There’s an entire shawarma street in Amman, where you’ll find a number of different types of shawarma.

Where: My two favorite shawarmas were the shawarma from Shawarma Reem (here’s a good article about them in the New York Times) and Shawarma Bashka, for their chicken shawarma cooked on a horizontal spit.

Middle Eastern food
Ara’yes – delicious lamb filled bread

16. Ara’yes

If you didn’t know that ara’yes was grilled, you might actually think it’s deep fried, because it’s so crispy. At least that’s what happened when I tried it for the first time. Ara’yes, which translates directly to the bride, is essentially two layers of pita bread, filled in the middle with minced lamb, onions, parsley, and with a fragrant allspice seasoning.

The quesadilla shaped ara’yes is then brushed with olive oil and grilled over hot charcoal so that it turns golden brown and crispy on the outside. The combination of that roasted olive oil bread and the oil of the minced lamb seeping into the bread, makes it irresistible.

Where: Ara’yes is commonly available at Jordanian food restaurants that serve grilled meat like shish kebabs or as a Jordanian street food.

best restaurants in Jordan
Incredible plate of shish kebabs in Jordan – at a restaurant in As-Salt

17. Shish Kebabs

As much as I love vegetables and seafood, and as much as I loved eating hummus three times a day in Jordan, I’m a huge fan of meat, and the good news is, Jordanian food contains lots of meat, especially lamb. I should also quickly mention that some of the dishes mentioned on this list are vegetarian, but definitely not shish kebabs.

Popular across the Middle East and the Levantine, shish kebabs in Jordan are typically made from minced lamb, which is mixed with parsley and lots of salt, then molded onto big sword like skewers, and grilled over hot charcoal. The saltiness of the meat, and the ratio of meat to fat, ensures the maximum of grilled flavor gets packed into the kebabs.

Where: Tawaheen Al Hawa, along with mansaf, serves Jordanian bbq; Address: Wasfi al-Tal Road, Jubilee Gardens, Amman; Open hours: 6 am – 2 am daily.

Kofta Bi Tahini
Kofta Bi Tahini – kebab meat on the bottom, smothered in tahini sauce

18. Kofta Bi Tahini

Kind of similar to shish kebabs, just in a completely different form, kofta bi tahini is a dish that includes a bottom base layer of minced kebab (or kofta) meat, flattened out into a patty, topped with thin slices of potato, doused in a thick tahini sauce, and then baked.

The meat on the bottom is like a base of sausage, that wonderful parsley flavored minced meat. If I didn’t know the white thick sauce all over kofta bi tahini was tahini, I might think it was some kind of milk based cream white gravy, because it was so rich and creamy. But instead it had a slightly nutty taste, and it wasn’t nearly as heavy as a dairy based sauce.

Where: In Amman, Sufra Restaurant serves an excellent version of Kofta Bi Tahini. Address: Al Rainbow St 26, Amman 11181; Open hours: 1 pm – 11:30 pm daily.

Musakhan
Musakhan – chicken, bread, onions, and spices

19. Musakhan

Musakhan is a Jordanian and Palestinian dish of slices of bread, chicken, heaps of onions, fragrant spices like allspice and cinnamon, and lots of olive oil. The ingredients are stewed together until the onion, chicken, olives, and bread are fall apart tender and the spices have blended and harmonized. While the spices have a sweet tinge to them, the actual dish is not sweet.

What I couldn’t’ get over while trying musakhan for the first time were the onions. They were fall apart tender, they dissolved upon taking a bite, and they were just filled with olive oil and that wonderful sweet dry spice mixture.

Where: I tried this dish for the first time at a hotel, and didn’t have a chance to try a better version at a restaurant – though I would have loved to. Do you have any recommendations?

Kibbeh Bi Laban
Kibbeh Bi Laban

20. Kibbeh Bi Laban

Kibbeh are little deep fried nuggets of minced meat, onions, and spices, wrapped in a crust of bulgar wheat, and deep fried until golden crispy on the outside. The dish is commonly eaten on its own, or as a mezze dish or snack, along with a variety of different dishes like hummus or moutabel.

But for kibbeh bi laban, after the kibbeh are done being prepared, they are then cooked in a yoghurt sauce, which not only transforms their taste and texture, but also turns them more into a main dish as opposed to a snack. I enjoyed kibbeh while I was in Jordan in all its forms, both plain, and cooked with laban yoghurt sauce.

I also loved raw kibbeh, known as kibbeh nayeh.

Where: You’ll find kibbeh bi laban at most sit down, higher end, Jordanian restaurants in Amman. I know you can get it at Sufra Restaurant. Address: Al Rainbow St 26, Amman 11181; Open hours: 1 pm – 11:30 pm.

what is the national dish of Jordan
Mansaf, one of the the most beloved Jordanian foods

21. Mansaf

There’s one Jordanian food that is without question one of the most beloved dishes in the Kingdom – a dish that has known to bring people together in harmony and has even been at the center of resolving conflict. That dish is none other than Jordanian mansaf, widely considered to be the national dish of Jordan. After trying it, I can verify and agree with the Jordanian love for mansaf, it’s absolutely an amazing dish, and something so unique it was unlike any dish I had ever eaten.

There are three main components to mansaf: rice, lamb, and jameed. The jameed, which is a hard dried out and fermented goats milk yoghurt, is re-hydrated into a gravy, and used to pour over the rice and lamb. The rice and lamb are fantastic, but mansaf really shines because of the jameed, which has a sour and salty taste, and an undeniable goat flavor. When you eat a ball of mansaf, you can literally taste the land of Jordan in your bite – it’s amazing.

Where: I enjoyed the mansaf from Tawa Al Hawa Restaurant in Amman. Address: Wasfi al-Tal Road, Jubilee Gardens, Amman; Open hours: 6 am – 2 am daily.

Maqluba مقلوبة
Maqluba (مقلوبة) – Upside down rice

22. Maqluba

Along with mansaf, maqluba was another one of my personal favorite Jordanian dishes I ate during my trip. Literally translated at upside down, maqluba includes meat or chicken on the bottom, rice, and spices, all cooked together in one pot. Once the dish is ready, the pot is flipped over onto a big plate or communal tray, so the rice stays on the bottom, and the meat or chicken is left on the top. Maqluba can be garnished with parsley, fried pine nuts or other types of nuts, and slices of lemon.

The rice, since it’s cooked with meat or chicken, takes on a lovely broth flavor kind of like chicken rice (if you eat chicken maqluba), and the meat or chicken becomes fall apart tender from the long cooking process. In Jordan, I had a home cooked meal of maqluba at the village. I really enjoyed eating it together with Arabic salad, the freshness of the cucumber and tomatoes really complemented the rice and chicken.

Where: I had maqluba as a home-cooked meal, but you’ll find it at many sit down Jordanian restaurants.

Bedouin food
Zarb is the Bedouin version of a barbecue

23. Zarb

Similar to a Polynesian underground meat roast, the Jordanian Bedouin version of an underground oven is known as zarb. A mix of meat like lamb and chicken, rice, onions and carrots, are placed in a square hole in the ground, which is filled with flaming hot coals. The hole is then covered with a few layers of blankets to hold in the heat and finally sand is covered over the oven.

After a few hours, the meat and rice are all smoked, steamed, and grilled, all at the same time. The result is meat that’s fall apart tender. I had zarb for dinner while visiting the incredible Wadi Rum desert. Just like a few other dishes, it was served on a giant communal tray, rice at the bottom, a shoulder of lamb and all the vegetables on top. The lamb was so succulent it was unbelievable.

Where: Zarb is traditionally a Bedouin dish, eaten in the desert of Jordan. One of the popular places to eat zarb is at Wadi Rum, and I had it at Captain’s Desert Camp.

Arabic sweets
Hareeseh is a very popular Arabic sweet in Jordan

24. Hareeseh

While I’m personally not a huge desserts or sweets eater, I tasted quite a few Jordanian sweets. A huge variety of Arabic, Levantine, and Mediterranean desserts are a big part of the cuisine in Jordan, and there are huge shops dedicated to just serving desserts.

One of the many common and widely available Arabic desserts in Jordan is hareeseh, a sweet made with semolina, coconut, cream, sugar, yoghurt, and almonds, all baked until golden brown. Hareeseh is prepared in bar form, kind of like the size and density of a brownie (although nothing like it in taste). It’s a very sweet dessert, and has a slight floral taste to go with the grainy texture of the semolina.

WhereSalaheddin Bakery has a sweets shop where you’ll find hareeseh. Located at the cross road of King Al-Husseim Street and Umayah Bin Abd Shams Street. If you visit As-Salt, check out the famous Anabtawi Sweets.

Jordanian sweets
Kanafeh is one of the favorites desserts in Jordan

25. Kanafeh

Of all the Jordanian sweets I tried, kanafeh was one of my favorites because it was so unique and included an interesting combination of ingredients and textures. This dessert is popular throughout the Levant, especially known in Palestine and Jordan.

Cheese is the most noticeable of ingredients in kanafeh, which is paired with either noodles or semolina, drenched in a sticky rose scented syrup, and topped with a pinch of ground pistachios. The cheese on the bottom tastes similar to mozzarella, while the top crust is crunchy and gooey.

Where: When you’re in Amman, visiting Habibah Sweets for their kanafeh is nearly a right of passage. Address: Marwan Madi Complex, Al Hazar St 2, Amman; Open hours: major business hours.

Jordanian coffee and tea
Amazing coffee and mint tea in Jordan

Coffee / Mint tea

Finally, this is not part of the 25 Jordanian food guide list, but I couldn’t end this list without mentioning Turkish coffee and mint tea. These two beverages, which I enjoyed countless cups of each during my trip to Jordan, made my visit even more enjoyable.

Turkish coffee, which is served thick and muddy, is spiced with cardamom and you’ll find it at restaurants, street food stalls, and gas stations. There’s also Arabic coffee, but Turkish style coffee seems more common, and I liked it better because it’s stronger. Mint tea, which is often just black tea poured into a cup with a few fresh mint leaves in the bottom, is a typical after meal drink.

When you’re leaning back in your chair, massaging your stomach full of rice, lamb, and jameed, sipping on a cup of mint tea is hard to beat.

amazing olives in Jordan
Jordan is a top producer of olives

A few more things I loved:

Lastly, here are a few more of the things I really loved about eating in Jordan:

Jordanian culture
Fresh bread is never far away in Jordan

Importance of bread

Bread is very important in Jordanian cuisine and you’ll be served bread with just about anything you eat or order in Jordan. It’s commonly used to scoop up the different dips, and eaten as one of the main filler carbohydrates in the Jordanian diet. The fresh bread in Jordan is delicious, especially right out of the oven.

What I also liked though, is that in addition to bread you’ll be served lots of raw vegetables, which you can also use to scoop up dips, in place of eating so much bread.

traveling to Amman
The joys of visiting Amman – fresh baked bread topped with za’atar

Conclusion

Jordanian food is as diverse and varied as its culture, history, and landscapes.

Due to its central geographical location, within the Levant, but surrounded by North Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, the food you’ll enjoy is a fascinating mix of cultures and civilizations.

When you’re in Jordan you can enjoy platters of fresh bread, spiced rice, and hunks of fall apart tender lamb, but at the same time you can enjoy deliciously refreshing dishes like Arabic salad, tabbouleh, and restaurants that will serve you all you can eat raw vegetables, and creamy plates of hummus.

Food is such an integral part of Jordanian culture, and when you start eating, you’re almost certain to meet and mingle with some of the most hospitable and friendly people you’ve ever met.

RELATED: You might be interested in my Amman travel guide – Get information on where I stayed, things I did, and safety information.

What is your favorite Jordanian food?

Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!

Disclosure: I was invited to visit Jordan by the Jordan Tourism Board. However, I chose to write this article about the food I ate, and all thoughts and opinions in this food guide are my own.

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  • sewa alphard jogja

    2 months ago

    my trip to Jordan, made my visit even more enjoyable.

  • sewa alphard jogja

    2 months ago

    I enjoyed countless cups of each during my trip to Jordan

  • Leroy Alex Moore

    5 months ago

    Every time I read one of your posts, I come away with something new and interesting to think about. Thanks for consistently putting out such great content!

  • Letizia

    1 year ago

    Felt in love with Kanafeh, za’tar with everything and Mansaf 😍

  • Svend Holm

    1 year ago

    Looking forward to test the food pallet in Jordan. I wonder if you are doing any food-walking in Aman ??
    All the best wishes

  • no

    2 years ago

    cool beans

  • Max

    2 years ago

    The herb used with laban with mustardy radishy taste is called “Hedge mustard” or as locally known “hwerneh” , it’s chopped finely and salted then the water is squeezed out to dampen the spiceness and remove bitterness then mixed with plain natural yogurt and left to ferment (it can be eaten immediately though taste much better with time) usually 1-2 days on the counter then can be kept in the fridge for weeks after with some olive oil on the surface to keep it fresh

  • vishal kaushik

    3 years ago

    Awesome food blog and neat writing.

    • Chris Jones

      3 years ago

      All I have eaten BBQ in my all life, I think I should try Jordanian food sometimes. Great food list right there.

  • Dave

    3 years ago

    Never tried Jordanian food ever, some of the recipes look easy to make. Will try at my kitchen 🙂

  • Dan Robinson

    3 years ago

    I have eaten Hummus in the past or even made it for my family, looking forward to try Fattet Hummus.

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  • Man

    3 years ago

    Just a small note to add. Mujadarh is traditionally made with bulgur not rice, with off course the lentils. That’s how my parents grew up eating it everyday.

  • Joe

    3 years ago

    I’m Jordanian and this is a really accurate representation of our food. Good work

  • Global.Subway

    3 years ago

    Such an interesting article. I loved to read it. Thanks for such amazing recipes.

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    3 years ago

    All in one article. Nicely Shared Content.

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  • Subway Listens

    3 years ago

    The “25 of the Best Dishes You Should Eat” is quite an interesting article. Basically, I am foody, and I make my children taste a variety of food items. I haven’t tried any of the things which you have given me. It is a great chance for me to prepare all those. Recently, I ate food at the subway restaurant, and everything is super in quality and taste. I suggest you visit and have breakfast or a meal once. Also, do take the survey after your meal; you can win a Free Reward.

  • Ameera Al-hussein

    5 years ago

    If you are getting sick, clearly you’re staying with someone who cannot COOK! My family lives in Jordan, I am from the states. I can honestly say the food in Jordan is one of the best in the WORLD!!!!!!!! The Pizza, the ice cream, the Jordanian dishes, OOHH YUMMY I can’t wait to go back!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • aime sami

    5 years ago

    I love cooking these dishes plus many others. I was in jordan for half a year teaching ESL in Amman. And I was also in Hatim, and Irbid.. I was always getting food poising and going to the hospital with dehydration to to the food poising. I wasn’t really given tasty food like how they prepare it in the states. In jordan it always was to oily or just tasted old and stale. (this was in the homes of my in-laws and in the restaurants). Even one resturant after me and my little ones were done eating we were sick for an entire month, to the point we were sent back to the states for treatments.

  • Hilary

    5 years ago

    Informative read, thank you however there were no fish dishes included. Are they not popular in Jordan?

    • cindy megdad

      5 years ago

      they are.. but some Jordanians find it hard to have fish in their diets.. i know the area i was in we were not given the option of fish.. mostly just chicken was in our area. Sometimes you get lucky and they have a lamb or beef available. We would need to travel for a good hour in order to find red meats and fish

  • annie

    5 years ago

    Heading to Jordan in January, I lived there in my early twenties, now im heading back in my late 40s 🙂 with my husband and toddler. Cant wait to introduce all the great foods to my family! definitely will having a sandwich at the Salahedding bakery after seeing your video ! thank you

  • Gerald Levy

    5 years ago

    There is a saying “the host is the prisoner of the guest” this basically means that nothing the guest wants or needs is too much trouble for the host. Jordanian food is equalled only by Jordanians. They enjoy talking as much as eating and if comments or questions are made with proper respect, nothing is taboo. Enjoy the food, enjoy the company, i miss my time wprking in Jordan and the “brothers” i made so much! Touch down in Amman, check into your hotel and go down town to eat Kanafa and drink coffee. Paradise on earth!

  • Jana

    6 years ago

    Hello, great article! Does anybody know where I can buy the dishes from the Moutabel picture?

  • Tristin

    6 years ago

    going to Jordan in September and i love food. Thankyou for the good advice.

    • Mark Wiens

      6 years ago

      Awesome to hear that Tristin, hope you have an amazing trip!

  • Brandon Robinson

    6 years ago

    Enlightening info!

  • James and Robbi Faycurry

    6 years ago

    My husband’s grandparents were from Jordan and grew up on all the foods you named. It’s been a long time since he had the foods he loves so much. I want to surprise him with some of the dishes he talks about. Your article has inspired me to find the best recipes and attempt to duplicate the flavors of Jordanian dishes. Thank you for sharing your favorite foods with us. We enjoyed it very much.

  • MLyle

    6 years ago

    Hi, is anybody here interested in online working?

    It’s simple survey filling. Even 10 bucks per survey (10 minutes of
    work). If you are interested, send me e-mail to hansorloski[at]gmail.com

  • sibi

    6 years ago

    thanks Mark, i was looking for all arabic food with photo. it was very nice and the photos made me crazy… i love Ara’yes & Kunafa …

  • Aura Hijleh

    6 years ago

    Love them all!!

  • samia Baramki Qubein

    6 years ago

    Great post & display your advertisement is superb recommend to anyone. Good well done.

  • Cat

    6 years ago

    This helped Sooooo much for my Jordanian food speech!!! Thanks!

  • ahmad kipacha

    7 years ago

    I just loved it. I still remember Humus and a Bedouin served me with mint tea at Petra.

  • Birgit

    7 years ago

    We had Mansaf on our recent trip. Whenever we mentioned that the event was going to happen, all Jordanians Started explaining how full you’d feel afterwards . This should have made us suspicious but being omnivores it just intrigued us. Two out of the three of us loved it but literally couldn’t manage more than two bites before we were full, after all the starters we’d already eaten. The third person couldn’t get it past his nose without feeling nauseous. So try it but beware!

  • Amica

    7 years ago

    Loves the passion in your writing, but I have to correct one thing you said: msakhan han no all spice at all. It has a spice called sumak سماق which gives it its distinguished maroon/purple like color.

  • Barbara

    7 years ago

    Fantastic photos and ideas for what to try while I’m here now. We had a coconut topped yellow sponge cake near Wadi Rum that was to die for. I would love to find a recipe for it but don’t know the name. The baker just called it cake. It tasted like it had orange juice in it.

  • Robert Haddan

    7 years ago

    A wonderful article! My wife and I are headed for Amman today and are looking forward to trying the local cuisine. I should have read this post AFTER breakfast! ????

  • Sandie

    7 years ago

    I stayed with my sister and her family twice. We had Mansaf, Maqluba and Kousa Mahshi. All homemade. We had flatbread, cucumber and tomato salad in lemon juice and natural yogurt with each meal. It was THE most amazing food I’ve ever tasted.

  • Jordyn

    7 years ago

    Love your food!

  • Donna

    8 years ago

    Ty for sharing.. I almost felt like I was there. Wonderful dishes and foods I would love to try. Some I have had and still enjoy. Loved your article.

  • Augusto Jachetti

    8 years ago

    -Se não for muito, poderia ter todas tuas viagens em PDF!
    Forte abraço.

  • Yara

    8 years ago

    Mark,

    Never missed one video of your Jordanian journey. To be honest, so glad you came and saw this amazing country. I am Jordanian as well and as I scrolled down all these pics, they were all my favourites. Hope you had a great time!

  • Ali Abbady

    8 years ago

    Welcome to Jordanians, I am really really so glad that you enjoyed our food .
    I am now living in Saudi Arabia as a single and I miss those dishes .
    Any one who wants to know anything about Jordan ,I’ll be happy to give him help .
    And you are all welcome to Jordan.

  • Abeer Aladaileh

    8 years ago

    Thank you so much for the detailed explanation about Jordanian food, really you were very precise in describing the dishes and you gave a very clear description .
    For me I love waraq Enab and kusa mehshi
    I advise you to add molokheya to the list and sabanekh in addition to some other dishes in your next visit like makmora , kbab , madgoga , , seneyyet bata wjaj ….hehe alot of dishes …etc
    Many thanks dear for your interest in our food hope you can visit our country again .
    Wish you all the best inshallah
    Eng. Abeer Aladaileh
    NEPCO – Jordan

  • deena

    8 years ago

    I love the most of Jordan’s food dishes

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Great to hear that Deena, thank you for sharing.

  • Ted

    8 years ago

    Correction; 25 Arab/levantine food you should try in Jordan.

  • Samir Atalla

    8 years ago

    Loved the blog Mark, but you must come back for more. A few more dishes to mention are Mloukhyeh, Sabanekh ( a spinach stew), Maftool, in addition to the various pastries stuffed with zaatar, cheese and spinach.

  • Lisa Curtis

    8 years ago

    I’ve been to Jordan once and what I liked the most is the Maqluba. I’ve even tried to made it back home, but the taste was just not the same. Anyways, great post! Cheers!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Lisa, awesome to hear you’ve been to Jordan, maqluba was one of the highlight dishes for me as well!

  • Beit Sitti

    8 years ago

    Great article! You can learn how to make almost all these dishes at BeitSitti our cook&dine located in an old house in Jabal al weibdeh. It’s a social business where an older arabic woman (hajeh) can teach you how to make mujadara, maaloubeh or Musakhan, falafel foul gallayeh Fattet humus and many more. But make sure you book in advance by calling 0777557744 or emailing us [email protected] 🙂

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you Beit, I was hoping to take part at Beit Sitti when I was in Amman, but I think out schedule couldn’t coordinate. But next time I’d love to. Thank you!

  • Ola Al-Batayneh

    8 years ago

    One of the best, most comprehensive reviews I’ve ever read on Jordanian cuisine…I’m happy how you realized the difference betwen home cooked meals and the ones you have at restaurants….thanks for giving it your best!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Ola, thank you very much, really appreciate your support. Eating in Jordan was an amazing experience!

  • Viv Braznell

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark! Your feature should come with a travel warning ….. I want to jump on a plane right now and head for Jordan. Food looks and sounds delicious, great photography as always. Will be trying some of these recipes myself if I can find the ingredients here in Thailand … Thanks!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Viv, haha, thank you for your kind words and support. I think you can probably get most of these ingredients in Bangkok, somewhere around the Nana area for sure. Enjoy!

  • abdullah

    8 years ago

    It’s truly an honour to have you cover and represent my country’s cuisine in such an enthusiastic way. I can tell your passion for food is very real. I enjoyed all your videos. I can taste the foods along with you because you’re so expressive. Because I live abroad, you made me salivate while following along. Minor correction: you mention that Koussa is eggplant in one instance, but it’s actually zuchinni. Not too far off, however. There’s a home-cooked dish we call Mahashi (which literally translates to ‘stuffed stuff/things’) that’s a combination of anything from zuchinni, squash/pumpkin, eggplant, bell peppers stuffed with the same rice and meat combo and served with tomato sauce. There’s another dish we call Malfouf that’s stuffed, or rather, rolled cabbage with the same filling, that turns out with a unique sour taste. I wish you had the chance to have that as well. But, overall, you’ve done a great job and provided an awesome and quite comprehensive representation of Jordanian cuisine. I’m thankful for people like you that put the effort to expose world cultures, particularly, the middle east. thank you

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Abdullah, thank you very much for the kind comment, and for the correction, my mistake. I would to try malfouf as well, that sounds amazing. Thank you again for your support!

  • Stacey Phillips

    8 years ago

    Beautiful travelogue about Jordanian food. Thank you for sharing your impressions of the land and the food. I am inspired to try to recreate many of these dishes. And the photography is mouth-watering. Great job.

  • Andrew Stirrat

    8 years ago

    Mark, I am thrilled with your “Jordan Food Tour.” As I mentioned before I’ll be in Jordan Nov 2016 and can’t wait taste the multitude of dishes you have shared in this post. I have also forwarded this post to friends who live in Amman who are equally thrilled to have this “encyclopedia” at their disposal. My mouth is savoring what delicious cuisine awaits me. Will keep you posted. Andrew

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Andrew, thank you very much, and that’s great you’ll be visiting Jordan soon. Have a great trip upcoming trip and thank you for sharing!

  • Faith Diamante

    8 years ago

    Great places, great food.. Wish someday we could try doing what you do with your wife Ying. I and my fiance are here now in Bangkok since April 21 and we’ll stay until May 7th. We are just having some adventures in trying the food. We went to some places I saw in your vlogs. It is an adventure everyday.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Faith, great to hear from you, glad you enjoy food and travel as well. Hope you’re having an amazing trip in Thailand!

  • Dina Doany Azzam

    8 years ago

    VERY nicely done Mark. YOU really did a great job! Thank you for sharing. I miss these foods!

  • Eric Ng

    8 years ago

    Eyyy Mark how is it going buddy 🙂 I hope you are doing well, man after reading your blog about Jordanian food my mouth was watering. I’m Starving!!! Just the food alone shows the culture of the people, for me eating is what comes last. Whenever I visit a country for example, Scotland I always tend to meet the people,meet the ones that cook the food, and see how a great dish like Haggis gets turned out, or go to India and see how they make their tender butter chicken. For me Maqluba looks really great and it looks big enough for friends and family to enjoy too. Anyways keep up the excellent work Mark, I love how you put the time and effort into these blogs, it means alot to me, catch ya later Mark and remember “Food is Essential to Life, Therefore Make it Good”.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Eric, great to hear from you, I love your approach to food as well – learn about the people. Thank you very much for your support. Hope you’re doing well.

  • Aria

    8 years ago

    I woke up every morning excited to watch one of your Jordan videos! I must admit I was late to class a couple times, but it was definitely worth it. The Jordan series is probably your best and easily my favorite. I will be going back to rewatch the adventure. Everything about Jordan was so intriguing: the food, the culture, the people; I enjoyed every second of it. Thank you for all the hard work and time that you put into making this series (and amazing blog post!).

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Aria, thank you very much, haha, that means a lot to me, really appreciate your watching!

  • Fatima

    8 years ago

    Love it, Love it and Love it!!!!

  • MYO MYINT MIN

    8 years ago

    I M interesting to visit S.E.ASIA countries. Especially I love THAI FOOD. I Like all ASIAN Foods. I like EUROPEAN food too. But I cannot eat more than 1 month… TKS NOW I KNOW the places of THAI FOOD…. I eat the THAI food at after mid night also…. somewhere at KLONG_THOY & BANG_KA_LAK… CHING_MAI food market (NIGHT BAZZAR) at night time is also very good place for eating …….
    M M M

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Myo, great to hear from you, thank you for reading my blog. Glad you got some food ideas!

  • Hanaâ

    8 years ago

    This post have created a desire to visit Jordan for me, because diverse food comes from diverse history, and diverse history is what makes a country worth the visit 🙂 Thank you Mark.

    I’d be happy to see some posts about Morocco too in your blog, i wish u’d consider visiting it someday ^^

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Hanaâ, great to hear from you, thank you very much. I would love to visit Morocco!

  • Kathy sullivan

    8 years ago

    Well done.. you covered most great dishes. I suggest two to add: freekeh the smoked dried green wheat berries that are usually cooked like pilaf with roasted or boiled chicken, and makmoura a kind of slow baked whole wheat crusted meat or chicken pie with onions which is from the houran north of jordan. Have lived here a long time and written about food. You did a great service summarising jordan s offerings. Come back and try more, especially home cooking.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Kathy, thank you very much. Both of those dishes sound delicious, I’d love to try them on my next visit to Jordan, and home cooking is definitely the best. Thanks for your support!

  • Rhea McCutcheon

    8 years ago

    I loved this and your journey through Jordan!! I almost felt like I was there! Just the best!

  • Aqilah

    8 years ago

    I love all the food in Jordon but not all I have try. INSYA ALLAH I wish to travel to Jordon again. Yes the bread is special. I went to the bakery to see how they made it. The food are very tasty and delicious with many different spices but its not hot spicy. We Asian love hot spicy food.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Aqilah, great to hear from you, hope you can visit Jordan in the future!

  • Lydia Abernathy

    8 years ago

    Hello Mark..I couldn’t wait till you posted your videos every day while in Jordan..Everything looked so delicious especially that Hummus.. You do an Awesome job Thumbs up to you???? not to mention all the Amazing sights that most of us haven’t seen before..Have an Awesome day from your Greatest Fan..and Hello to Ying as well..Stay Blessed My Friend..

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Lydia, thank you very much for watching our videos. Hope you’re having an amazing day as well!

  • Naisan

    8 years ago

    A traditional Jordanian dish called ((rashoof)) رشوف it is a dish made with Jameed yoghurt ((sundried yoghurt )) same used for mansef it is made as a soup with sautéed onions and lentils and bugular

  • Zain

    8 years ago

    You can have Excellent Musakhan, but only by order from ( Abu Yanes Musakhan)
    Address: Al Jandaweel Area, before Al Bayader
    Phone: 06 5864648
    For Warak Enab and Kousa Mahshi, a must try at Al Quds Rest. ( Al Bayader or downtown)
    Labneh: try the one from ( al Hares) the original shop is locatedin Jerash, but Lebanon Supermarket in Gardens Street opposite to Arab Bank sells it.

    Try the Kofta Bi Tihini from a butchery at sweifieh called Enabeh phone: 06 5857979

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Zain, this is great information, thank you for all your suggestions. On my next visit to Amman, will be sure to check out all your recommendations. Thanks!

  • Ivan

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark. Great and interesting stuff from u as usual. I enjoy ur show very much! Hope u will visit my home land Russia some day. We got exiting multicultural cuisine and a lot to see!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Ivan, thank you very much. I’d love to visit Russia in the future!

  • Hassib Khatib

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark

    Although all Middle Eastern countries shares almost the same food, with a small twist in the ingredients, but it is important to mention the origin of the dishes. I can find in your list about 5 or 6 dishes only with a Jordanian/Palestinian origin, like Mansaf, Musakhan, Magluba, Zereb… But other dishes are originally from other countries Like Tabuleh is purely Lebanese; Kussa and Watk Inab Mahshi is Turkish, Hummus and Mutabal too.
    Regular Falafel is Lebanese, but stuffed Falafel is Jordanian; same for Kunafa it is Lebanese but Kunafa Nabulsiya is Palestinian/Jordanian.
    Shawarma and Mujadara are Lebsnese too. Shish Kabab is Turkish.
    The beauty of this article that it promote the Mediterranean Food, and thank you for that; but i had to mention its origins and i hope you can help you with your future articles.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Hassib, thank you very much for your input and for sharing. Appreciate your support!

  • Ian

    8 years ago

    Jordanian food just seems so down to earth … can’t wait to dig in when I make it to the Middle East!

  • Kahlil gibran

    8 years ago

    Waw.. i saw all of your Jordanian journey, and can’t wait to saw Indonesian food episode, its my country BTW..you’re really inspiring, because i love food too, and i like to shared my food experience with my friend..your video qualty its so clear and steady..Keep it up mark!!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Kahlil, thank you very much. I’m a huge fan of Indonesian food as well, many more videos and posts coming. Appreciate your support.

  • Marwan Zayadeen

    8 years ago

    This is a very rich and valuable experience which gives a very positive and clear image about my home land.
    You are always welcome to Jordan.

  • Azizeh soof

    8 years ago

    I lived in jordan zarka for 21 years i love the food its similer to our palistenian food soecially the falafel mansaf and Hareseh kenafeh

  • Eduard

    8 years ago

    Very appetizing pics.
    Hope to try them out some day. Cheers!

  • silvato

    8 years ago

    Hello to both of you, Mark and Ying,

    I have watched the Jordanian hospitality and food dishes. Enjoyed the colors of landscapes as well. Yes I agree that food is culture! Some future perspective for you on visual shops and restaurants I think can enhance the travel diaries. Why not?
    Best regards

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Silvato, thank you very much, appreciate your support and suggestions!

  • Arijit

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark, loved all your videos on Jordan, the pictures are just amazing. Great Job! Hope to see you cover more places in Europe and Asia.

  • Alma Lou Annab

    8 years ago

    I’ve lived in Jordan for over 50 years—and learned to cook Arabic food as well. It is well balanced, and healthy. Fruits and vegetables are used in season. The influences are Turkish, Palestinian, and Syrian, with a little Lebanese thrown in. The one traditonal dish that is missing comes from Aqaba, and that is Sayadieh–a delicious baked fish on rice, with an accompanying “baqdounsiyeh” sauce–parsley, tahina and lemon juice. My favorite dish is “Waraq dawali bi Zayt” or by the Turkish name, Yalunji. Vine leaves in oil. The filling is finely chopped parsley, mint, onions, tomatoes and rice or cracked wheat, laced with olive oil and lemon juice and usually eaten cold.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Alma, great to hear from you, thank you very much. I tried sayadieh during my trip to Jordan – delicious – but I wasn’t sure if it should be included on this list as I wasn’t sure how popular it was in comparison to the other dishes. Thanks for sharing waraq dawali bi zayt, that sounds delicious!

  • Brian

    8 years ago

    Wow, as an olive lover i think i would love this country! Great post, made me real hungry..

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Good to hear that Brian, Jordan has some unbelievable olives!

  • Cindy

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark,

    Always looking forward to seeing your new food adventures and drooling over the beautiful pictures. Ahh, to live vicariously through you makes my day. Thanks for the wonderful post!

  • nisim elkabets

    8 years ago

    hi mark , love your films and your passion for food
    I have learn a lot about food from you
    I’m from Israel and it was surprise to see you In Jordan .
    you are welcome to Israel and taste the food here
    pleas don’t stop travel

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Nisim, thank you very much, appreciate your support. I’d love to visit Israel in the future as well!

  • Raquel

    8 years ago

    Thanks for sharing. I can taste and savor the food because you really captured them in photos and descriptions. I could only imagined that you were rolling your eyes with delight. Are you doing a food tour of the Arabian countries? Sincerely, Raquel

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Raquel, thank you very much, the food was fantastic. At the moment I don’t have more plans, but I’d love to visit other Arabian countries in the future.

  • Linda McNally

    8 years ago

    I am a 68 year old mother, and grandmother, and I am sure you are surprised that I love your YouTube videos. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada, and just spent the month of February in Mesa, Arizona, celebrating my 50th wedding anniversary. That is how I discovered you. I have spent many hours watching your videos, and enjoy them immensely. I come from a white Anglo Saxon protestant background, but have a French background daughter in law, and a Portugese daughter in law, so am familiar with lots of world cuisines. I LOVE Asian food, and that is my specialty when we have company, and pay close attention to everything you say, and recommend. wow, for someone so young, you are doing a great job informing us all, about Asia, and South East Asia. I am embarrassed at how backward North America is with transportation, and forget the food deficits. Thanks for your blog and your videos. From, Linda McNally, Lake Echo, Nova Scotia.
    PS Look up Donairs, in Halifax, our local best loved food, even over LOBSTER!!!!
    Sort of like Shamarma, but out East Coast take on that, we LOVE it
    Keep up the good work and say Hi to Ying

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Linda, thank you very much for the kind comment and for sharing a little bit about yourself, great to get to know you. Thank you for your support watching our videos and reading the blog. Glad you and your family enjoy food so much as well. I’d love to visit Nova Scotia someday, and I’ll definitely look for Donairs!

  • George khoury

    8 years ago

    Dear friend
    I enjoy your food stories but please you shoyld credit all those meals to their original owners !!! Jordan has no known narional dishes that we know!!!
    Most of the foods u have sited are from lebanon syria and
    Egypt
    Best regards

  • Fernando

    8 years ago

    Thank you so much but would love to receive where I can find the récipes.
    I am spanish but born at Marrocco and I live at momento at Lima Peru.

    Hope to keep in touch and if you need anything do not hesitate to ask me

    Kind regards

    Fernando

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Fernando, good to hear from you, I’ve found some of the best Jordanian food recipes on this blog: https://chefindisguise.com/ Thank you very much!

    • Viv Braznell

      8 years ago

      I’ve just been looking through the same blog Mark .. great recipes … I’ve made a list .. 8 so far .. lol!!!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Viv, awesome to hear that, enjoy!

  • Kim Vu

    8 years ago

    Those food look good ! Yummy ! I will try when have change to get there. Thank you for the introduction, I’m appreciate and wish you best .

  • Rami H

    8 years ago

    As a Jordanian, I must say this is very accurate.
    Well done! I’m glad you enjoyed your time here.

  • Sher Shah Khan

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark, never missed a single episode of your journey to India, Thailand, Jordan, Japan, Malaysia & I hope you can visit Dubai soon. Love to meet you & Yen….

    Keep up the good work !!!!!

    We love you…

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Sher, would be great to meet you in the future as well!

  • Derek davis

    8 years ago

    Mark,
    I too am a hummus lover it looks like the holy land of this great food is in Jordan……what a cool trio for you and Ying.
    Thanks so much for sharing.
    Derek

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Derek, awesome to hear you love hummus as well. The hummus in Jordan is incredible. Thank you for your support!

  • Laura Young

    8 years ago

    Follow Pi Mark many years laew ka, both on youtube and your email list. This post has by far really beautiful beautiful photos. Very informative and delicious looking. Love this format the most!!! Awesome job ka!!!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Laura, good to hear from you, thank you very much. Appreciate your support!

  • Maggie

    8 years ago

    Hello Mark, Amazing list of dishes all your dishes looks soo yummy….. So delicious article thanks for sharing….

  • Jennifer Kyomen

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark, I love your food blog a lot I think I watch all your food blog on youtbube. Especially the food blog from your visit to Jordan.I watch all of them. Will continue watch your food blog.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Jennifer, thank you for watching our videos!

  • Vikas Saxena

    8 years ago

    Need to visit Jordan soon and try all these delicacies … keep up the good work Mark …

  • Victoria@ The British Berliner

    8 years ago

    ‘Love Middle-Eastern food as it’s always very delicious and enticing. I do have to keep an eye on the peanut factor though as I’m allergic to nuts! Outside of that, it’s pretty brilliant. Especially lamb – my favourite meat source!

    Lovely, lovely photographs. Thanks for sharing!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hey Victoria, thank you very much, glad you enjoy Middle Eastern food as well. Oh yah, the lamb in Jordan was amazing!

  • Richard

    8 years ago

    Mark, thank you for sharing your experiences with us while in Jordan, especially their local food. I must say the photos and explanations you provided were very concised. I may be wrong, but I find the food there are very rich compare with asian dishes. Maybe healthier than asians, as they often use olive. So, where and when will be your next trip? Best regards!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Richard, thank you very much. Yes, definitely for me the food was richer and heavier than food I normally eat in Thailand – with big portions, and meat, dairy, and beans. But at the same time I ate lots of raw vegetables when I was there, which was really nice as well. I’m in Korea now, but will post Indonesia videos, then Korea.

  • VT. Collaco

    8 years ago

    I love all but 18/Kafta BinTahini & 22/Magluba the best of your top 25 list.

  • Haneen Yaseen Kattawi

    8 years ago

    Hey Mark , I have been watching you for years .. And enjoying each and every episode , but this Jordanian trip topped all your videos for me .. Not only that i never missed an episode , but I also watched each and every episode more than three times .. Seeing you with jordanian/palestinian food infront of you and Fayrouz (a famouse singer) singing in the bakround just brought tears to my eyes .. Many of the dished i always wished to see you try , you tried indeed and that was like a dream coming true for me.,. Now all I can wish for is for you guys to come to my beloved Palestine and try some of our goodies .. I will be your guide in your palestinian journey 🙂

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Haneen, very cool to hear from you, thank you for the kind message and for watching our videos. We had an amazing trip to Jordan, and I absolutely loved the food. I’d love to visit Palestine in the future, I will let you know, thank you!

  • Keka

    8 years ago

    We watched all your Jordan travel videos on Youtube every night and we just had to eat hummus, grilled onion & tomatoes, and kebabs at a local resto near our place because your videos really made us hungry haha! Awesome blog and vlogs as always! I hope to visit Petra, Jordan in the future. More power to your blog! 🙂

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Keka, and that’s awesome to hear. Glad you enjoyed a delicious Middle Eastern meal. Hope you can visit Jordan in the future!

  • Ananda Ratsaphong

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark, our family is a big fan of Lebanese food which is somewhat similar. When we lived in Sydney we would have it at least once a week. We now live in Bangkok and have not been able to find any nice restaurants. Do you know of any that you can recommend? Thanks for sharing.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Ananda, good to hear from you. The two famous ones are Beirut and Nadimos. Have you been to either of them? I haven’t been to either one in a while. Another one I’ve been to is Bamboo at Nana.

  • George Woo

    8 years ago

    As you can tell I’m Chinese, and love all your asian cuisines you have eaten but I have friends
    who are lebanese , arabic and have been invited to eat their foods, and with your videos
    I hope someday to go to the middle east and dine on all of these dishes

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi George, great to hear from you, glad that you enjoy eating cuisines from around the world. Hope you can visit the Middle East in the future.

  • Alice Lew

    8 years ago

    It is just fascinating looking at all the food and it makes me wanna fly there immediately for the lamb and hummus! Thank You for opening my eyes to other country’s cuisine and great food. And sometimes I wonder (or rather I envy), how come you and Ying never gain weight will all the good food? =) Look forward for more delicious videos from you!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Alice, great to hear from you, the food is worth the flight over. Thank you!

  • Cathy or ashier

    8 years ago

    Sorry I have not been to you page of late. but the food in Jordan looks real good. I have travel to Saudi Arabia and have eaten food similar to Jordanian
    meal Like the swarmer and etc. Will try and keep up with you. Thanks for sharing.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Cathy, no problem, thank you for reading this post. Good to hear you’ve visited Saudi Arabia!

  • nui acain

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark, you sure make me excited to see all of your presentation Jordanian foods even though I don’t know
    much all of them only a few I’ve tried. I like Galayet Bandora, Tabbouleh, Arabic Salad and Zarb.
    Keep doing what you do. Great job.
    Thank you so much.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Nui, thank you very much, appreciate your support!

  • G Andrew

    8 years ago

    Sawasdeekrup!

    Another masterpiece Mark (& Khun Ying!).

    I gotta say the Seasame Sammy Finale stole the show for me! However, reading this blogspot (and re-living watching each new vlog as they debuted) was a fantastic “second course”!

    Yet have set a standard of excellence in a genre all to your lonesome! (Thx for sharing with us now some 330,000 fans!)

    Good on ‘ya both!

    G

  • Kenneth

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark….I marvel at your adventures with wonders of the worlds great cuisines…..I only wonder how you remain so slim? Thanks so much for sharing–regards, Kenenth

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Kenneth, appreciate your support. Overall, I try to really avoid sweets (despite tasting quite a few in Jordan), and I love to exercise as much as possible.

  • Frank

    8 years ago

    Your high definition photos of foodstuff are stunning, but drooling over them doesn’t stop my stomach from not growling. Grrrrrreat!

    My daughters have become fans also.

    Frank

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Frank. Greetings to your family!

  • H G Robby Robinson

    8 years ago

    Sorry, only Jordanian food that interests me is the bread dipped in olive oil and the olives. My taste in food is primarily seafood and distinctly Southeast Asian. Of course Korean and Japanese runs a close second. Keep up the good work. Your video production’s are aways welcome in this house. /Robby……..

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Robby, much more Asian food coming up, will be posting Indonesian and Korean food soon. Appreciate your support!

  • zorida shah

    8 years ago

    hey mark grate job all of your Jordan videos is my favorite never miss episode of your Jordan Journey you are the best always looking forward watching your video what ever country you in thank you very much

  • Marion

    8 years ago

    Loved all of Jordan and it’s food, too. The country is so ancient and interesting, Besides learning history and culture, I learned about spices and herbs to use in cooking. My favorite new food was Fattoush with the sumac which made it so delicious. This article is mouthwatering!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Marion, fully agree with you, the sumac was amazing!

  • Dina Evans

    8 years ago

    Wow Mark… this is totally for me new. I do not know the most of the dishes…. but it looks awesome and plain and easy to make.
    And the Chicken livers… my favorite. Also the falafel.
    Thank you for this nice addition.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Dina, glad to hear you love chicken livers also!

  • Burhan Gharaibeh

    8 years ago

    Fantastic pictures. Great foods. Congrats. I will share with many on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr.

  • Mitil

    8 years ago

    As always ur videos and ur writings on the blog has been amazing…after watching ur videos i was so hungry i cooked some hummus and moutabel instantly….cheers to you and ying….keep up 🙂

  • Anna & Peter

    8 years ago

    Great adventure! Thanks for sharing along with all the videos. Looking forward to the next exciting trips. P.S. Cooking already some of the dishes at home :-))

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Anna and Peter, enjoy the dishes!

  • Mansoor Ladha

    8 years ago

    I am a Canadian travel writer. I really enjoyed your post on Jordan. Made me feel hungry. I believe that one can always learn from others’ experiences so I was wondering if you could help me in the following areas. 1. Your pictures are excellent. Can you tell me what camera you use? Any other details about your photographs skills would be useful. 2. Was the Jordan trip was press trip offered by the tourism dept.? If so, can you share the address email of the sponsoring body? I greatly appreciate your help.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Mansoor, good to hear from you, thank you very much for your support. Right now I’m using a Lumix gx8 (more about it on my resources page: http://migrationology.com/travel-resources/). As for photography tips, what has actually really improved my photography is learning to edit the photos – mostly color correction and cropping. I use Lightroom, and it’s very much improved my photography post. Yes, it was a press trip offered by the Jordan Tourism Board. I will get back to you by e-mail. Thanks.

  • len

    8 years ago

    Hello Mark, Very nice article! Baklava is also very delicious. My friends Mom from Armenia made it. Flaky dough, layers of butter and crushed pistachios, and honey and lemon after it is baked. Take care and happy eating!!! Best, Len

  • Harold Beatty

    8 years ago

    Great blog and info on great food in Jordan. If I ever go there this is invaluable infor. My wife and I have traveled to many absolutely great places (recently returned from Thailand & Cambodia). Unfortunately, what is usually missing indepth info about food. There is tons of info on restaurants and good dishes, but no where have I found as much great info you have provided. I’ve never seen a more thorough and helpful blog. Someone could spend months on the web and not found what you have outlined. I will definitely keep this info handy.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Harold, thank you very much, happy to hear these posts are helpful. Glad you had a nice trip recently to Thailand and Cambodia!

  • John laiberg

    8 years ago

    Manskap is the best but you shoelduld have tried Home version not in restaurant . Then sell James in a powe form all overklig the world

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you John, I really would have loved to have more opportunities to eat at local homes, that’s truly where the best food comes from.

  • Dixie

    8 years ago

    Hey Mark, your food photography has improved by leaps and bounds. Now I’m starving! Cheers

  • Varuna

    8 years ago

    Mark and Ying, I’ve been looking at you guys for quite a while and I absolutely love your vlogs but I must say that you’ve outdone yourself with the Jordanian series!! It was perfect and I really like that you took the time to showcase not only the food but the culture and traditions as well. Also Fadi was amazing! Best of luck to you in the future and hopefully one day you will visit the Caribbean. Lots of love from Trinidad and Tobago. V.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Varuna. Fadi was amazing, he was so helpful during our trip. Would love to visit the Caribbean in the future!

  • erlina abaring

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark, I really enjoyed you Vlogs, Looking forward to it every day after work. I used to travel before when i was young. Knowledge and experience really makes a difference. The Jordan vlogs really keeps me going. I went to a mediterrean resto the other night with family, ordered food seen in your vlogs, enjoyed it very much. Went to Jordan also a couple of years ago, hoping to come back and experience it once again.. Keep up the good work and regards to Ying.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Erlina, thank you very much, I fully agree about the experience, and travel has such a special way of teaching us so many things. Glad you enjoyed your recent Mediterranean meal!

  • erlina abaring

    8 years ago

    Hi mark,i really enjoyed your vlogs! I travelled a lot also when i was young and really enjoyed learning different cultures , especially food!!. I am really excited following your travels, lots of interesting information. Went to a mediterrean restaurant with family the other night. Ordered lots of food I’ve seen in your vlogs. Enjoyed it very much. Keep up the good work. Regards to Ying. Now watching your Indonesian adventure!!!

  • stefan

    8 years ago

    great report, great pcitures and now the receipies, that would be great, stefan from germany

  • Verman Olano

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark! Thanks for another great food blog! I’ve just seen your youtube video last week. Awesome food and heavenly looking places! Keep up the good work.Cheers!

  • Srijan Bharati Das

    8 years ago

    Such a detailed account is pure bliss 🙂 . Hope you cover other places over the globe soon.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you Srijan, hope to cover more places soon.

  • Alice

    8 years ago

    Thank you Mark! I just save this link to my Evernote App so I will have access to it when I’m Jordan. The photographs are so detailed and clear. Best regards.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      You’re welcome Alice, hope you have a great upcoming trip to Jordan!

  • Raymond Leong

    8 years ago

    Mark I would be just honest to say as much as I have travelled quite a bit in my life time (yes ppl still cannot believe I turned 58 next month on Mothers Day) I would have to say I know next to nothing about the Middle East much less about the cuisine but after watching all your videos over the last 2 weeks and reading through this blog I have already changed my transit stopover to Amman on my way to Zurich for my birthday vacation.
    I agree fully when you always say food is one of the ways of knowing people from around our beautiful world and learning their cultures. But more than that your videos inspire people not only to travel for food and cultures but at least for me to stop and realise how we all should whatever we do – do so with that passion and zess for life. I speak for all those that have come to know you – thank you for brining us joy thru your videos. There are celebrities and personalities in pur world that inspire us and we admire them. But it is even more special and privileged to be inspired by someone that thru your humility I believe makes us all a little more special to each other. Awesome is all I can say and may you continue your good work with the same passion and zess for life. Thank you.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Hi Raymond, thank you for your very kind comment, this is hugely inspirational and encouraging for me. That’s awesome to hear you’ll be stopping over in Amman. Hope you have an amazing trip and enjoy the food!

  • Han Nami

    8 years ago

    Hello Mark, this is amazing~ Looking so yummy. Thank you for sharing 🙂

  • Kevin Ho

    8 years ago

    Hi Mark, never missed a single episode of your Jordanian journey. Gonna compile into a PDF guide in future? Keep it up!

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Thank you very much Kevin. Wasn’t sure if I was going to make this one into a PDF, but I will definitely consider it if enough people are interested. Thanks!

    • Mike

      8 years ago

      Growing up in a Jordanian household these are some of my favorite foods. You have done an excellent job in describing all the dishes. The PDF is a great idea, i would appreciate it.

    • Mark Wiens

      8 years ago

      Awesome, thanks Mike!