Jordan Food & Drinks
Food
Cuisine in Jordan varies, although most restaurants have a mixed menu including both Arabic and European dishes. Authentic Jordanian cuisine can range from grilling (shish kebabs, shish taouks) to stuffing vegetables, to cooking meat and poultry. Jordanian cuisine is similar to many others in the Middle East, however, it is the inclusion of freshly made local yoghurt and cheese that adds a unique element. Also, Jordan is one of the largest producers of olives in the world and as such, olive oil is the main cooking oil used throughout the country.
Popular dishes include:
Mansaf: This is the national dish of Jordan. It includes lamb that has been seasoned with herbs and then cooked in yoghurt and served over a bed of rice.
Meze: These are small starters that include foods like hummus (chickpeas boiled then blended with tahini paste, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice), falafel (balls of fried chickpea flour and spices) and foul maddamis (crushed fava beans served with a variety of toppings like olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and chili peppers). These are only a sampling of the many choices available when eating meze.
Mahshi Waraq 'inab: This dish involves vine leaves stuffed with rice, minced meat and spices.
Musakhan: Chicken is cooked in olive oil and onion sauce and is then roasted on Arab bread.
Baklava: A popular dessert, Baklava is a pastry filled with nuts and honey.
Kanafa: This is a pastry filled with nuts or goat's cheese.
Ataif: This dish is traditionally eaten during Ramadan and consists of small fried pancakes filled with nuts or cheese.
Mohallabiya: This is a milk-based pudding perfumed with rose water or orange.
Drink
Drinking Arabic coffee is a ritual in Jordan. Coffee tends to be very strong and is served in small cups (with plenty of coffee grounds at the bottom). Local beer, wine and other types of alcohol are served in most restaurants and bars, except during the fasting month of Ramadan (non-Arabic nationals can drink alcohol only in hotels during Ramadan). Araq is local liquor similar to Greek Ouzo, usually mixed with water and ice. It is advisable to drink bottled water, which is cheap and widely available, although better hotels have their own water filtering systems.
Things to Know:
A 10-12% service charge is generally added in hotels and restaurants, and extra tips are discretionary (smaller establishments usually expect a tip). Porters and drivers tips are about 8%. It is customary to round up the price of a taxi trip instead of tipping.
Drinking age:
18
Jordan Travel Information
At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy-to-navigate travel information section dedicated to Jordan.
Learn about the history and culture of Jordan, the must-try food and drink, and what to pack in your suitcase. Read about Jordan's nature and wildlife, weather and geography, along with 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts. Our globetrotting tips, as well as our visa and health information, will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering Jordan for yourself. Start exploring… book one of our Jordan tours today!
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