The 10 Best Restaurants In Weibdeh Amman

The winding streets, old buildings, and leafy surrounds of Jabal al-Weibdeh district in Amman provide a natural setting for the city’s artsy, foodie crowd. In recent years, trendy cafés and art galleries have popped up all over one of Amman’s oldest neighbourhoods. Here we review ten of the best places to eat in the capital’s emerging hub of cultural and artistic activity.

Rakwet Arab

This traditional café-restaurant is a popular, cosy venue for eating, drinking, and smoking shisha in Jabal al-Weibdeh district. The leafy courtyard is the ideal venue to sample the restaurant’s reasonably pried, traditional local fare, the manakish (a sort of Levantine pizza) is particularly irresistible. Don’t forget to try their shisha too, reportedly the some of the best in town.
Address: 4 Al Baouniyah Street, Amman, +962 6461 1559.

Oliva Pizza

At Oliva Pizza, the chefs take pride in their work; given their pizzas’ thin crusts, generous toppings, and fine cheeses, it’s easy to see why. Fresh toppings, simple furnishings, and indoor and outdoor seating, dining in Oliva feels more Mediterranean than Middle East. Situated just off the Paris Circle, this place is regarded by many as having the best pizza in Amman, but boasts an excellent range of salads and pastas too. A quiet street, reasonable prices, and friendly staff: what’s not to love about Oliva Pizza?
Address: Al Baouneyya Street, Jabal al-Weibdeh, Amman. +962 6 462 2021 Italian style pizza | © Yuichi Sakuraba/Flickr

Joz Hind

Restaurant, Vegetarian, Mediterranean

The colourful, eclectic tile work plastering the walls of Joz Hind is emblematic of the cultural fusion to be found on the restaurant’s menu. Run by an Italian chef and his Jordanian wife, this popular eatery promises healthy, locally sourced, socially responsible food at reasonable prices. Light, airy, and with a varied range of dishes, the tagliatelle is a crowd favourite. Excellent for vegetarians.

Beit Sitti

Restaurant, Middle Eastern

What better way to refine your appreciation for Arabic cuisine than learning to cook a few dishes yourself? This is the unique experience offered by the friendly staff at Beit Sitti, where they walk you and your friends through the preparation of a four-course Arabic meal of your choosing, after which you can enjoy the fruits of your labour along with the restaurant’s fantastic views of the city. Whether you try your hand at mouttabal (roasted aubergine dip) or a baba ghanouj, you will leave Beit Sitti with a sated stomach, a smile on your face, and an experience you won’t forget. Best to make reservations.

Yaghnam Burgers and Snacks

One of Amman’s best-loved burger joints, Yaghnam Burgers and Snacks offers customers the full range of greasy, meaty delights. Not far from the Paris Circle, Yaghnam is open seven days a week until 1am, making it ideal for a quick dinner or a post-night out indulgence. Choose from an expansive menu of classic beef burgers, cheese burgers, chicken burgers, and hot dogs, served with fries and soft drinks. Good value and good quality, Yaghnam enjoys a well-deserved reputation among Jordan’s fast food connoisseurs.

Café de Paris

Café de Paris is a great place to sample some local Jordanian beer, relax with friends, and mingle with an international crowd. Simple and unpretentious, the café is atmospheric and never empty, a testament to the quality of its produce. In the heart of Weibdeh, Café de Paris is conveniently located, and you can’t go wrong with its simple but tasty menu.
Address: Paris Circle, Jabal al-Weibdeh, Amman. +962 7 7535 3530

Café Kepi

Cafe, Restaurant, Coffee, Vegetarian

The elegant, simple furnishings of Café Kepi combine with the low lighting to generate a welcoming atmosphere tinged with nostalgia. The café-restaurant’s speciality is, surprisingly, Mexican food and they do it extremely well. The chicken enchiladas are a regular favourite. Good value, and a fine spot for smoking shisha or drinking coffee, Café Kepi never fails to delight.

Abu Mahjoob

The humble exterior of Abu Mahjub’s belies the extraordinary flavours of its much-loved falafel sandwiches. Known citywide as the best place to get your falafel in the whole of Amman, its delicious sandwiches come with hummus and a range of sauces, all at a bargain price. Be sure to check out this veritable Ammani institution when you’re in the neighbourhood.

Café Graffiti

Comfy sofas and rotating artworks make Café Graffiti one of the more inviting and memorable establishments in the heart of Jabal al-Weibdeh. Work by local graffiti artists, often imbued with political undertones, features particularly prominently on the café’s walls. Whilst the range of coffees and cakes are second to none (the cupcakes are delicious), you can also pick up a number of light meals here. Their wraps and salads come especially recommended – the grilled halloumi sandwich is to die for.

Price: Budget

Opening hours: 10am-12am

Watch out for: The incredible décor

Address: Al Baouniyah Street, Jabal al-Weibdeh, Amman. +962 7 9708 1366

Volks Burger

Another revered burger joint, with meaty sandwiches of all shapes and varieties. Located just off the Paris Circle, the folks at Volks are masters of their craft, cooking up some of the best tasting fast food in the city, and all at a very reasonable price. The Wonderland Burger is a crowd favourite, a classic burger topped with Emmental Swiss cheese, smoked beef bacon, fresh rocca, and Volk’s special sauce. They also deliver.

About the author

Shaahin Pishbin

Shaahin was born in southeast England, and has mixed British and Iranian heritage. Spending many childhood summers in Tehran visiting family, he developed the outlook (and neuroses) of cultural comparatist from a young age - traits that have informed the trajectory of his adult life. Reading European and Middle Eastern Languages and Literature at the University of Oxford, and subsequently completing a Masters in modern Persian literature and Arabic, he has nurtured these interests which he hopes to advance with further graduate study. He has also taught English in Spain, travelled around much of South America, and studied in Tehran for a year, where he hopes to return in the coming months.