Restaurants in Amman

Housed in a charming old renovated house in a swanky section of Amman, this is one of the finest restaurants in the capital and popular with diplomats and business people. The food is Lebanese and as good as it gets in Amman: a great variety of mezzas, meat and chicken grills, as well as fish imported freshly from the Arabian Gulf, and delicious Lebanese desserts. It's pricey, but worth the money. Reservations are essential.

This place may be a hike from the city centre, but if you’re after a Jordanian buffet with classy morsels, it’s certainly worth making the trip. Kan Zaman, located 15km (9 miles) south of 8th Circle, is predominantly pitched at tour groups, though anyone can join in with the feasting. Set in a traditional inn with rugs and wall tapestries, its musicians serenade the crowd with time-honoured songs as patrons tuck into lamb and spinach stew, chicken with sumac and onions, and other local dishes.

Enjoy steaks and grilled meats in a fine dining establishment, with the freshest ingredients from prime aged beef to roasts, all of which are cooked in a signature Josper wood fired oven. It is a good option if you want to enjoy truly authentic dishes with excellent service.

Ordering can be a bit of an adventure in this traditional restaurant as the menu is written in Arabic. Whatever you choose though, the food will be first class and reasonably priced, and the service quick and efficient. All meals are freshly made and the mansaf (a traditional, yoghurt-based Jordanian dish) is particularly good. Desserts are a draw here too, so finish off with the layaly libnan (semolina pudding with caramel syrup and a pistachio nut topping).

Although expensive for Amman, the superb Lebanese food, extensive menu and first-class service mean Tannoureen Restaurant is great value for money. Delectable dishes such as cheese with thyme, muhammara (hot pepper dip), fried halloumi cheese, fish kibbeh (fried croquette stuffed with fish), and maqluba (layered vegetable, chicken and rice torte) ensure repeat patronage. This is one of the city's best dining experiences, so booking is advisable, especially if you want to eat on the lovely outdoor terrace.

If you've got a hankering for the tastes of home, Wild Jordan plates up healthy choices like soup, wraps and salads. Vegetarians should plump for the freshly prepared Ajloun spinach and mushroom salad, while meat eaters will be spoilt for choice. If you've worked up a thirst, Tchaba tea, Arabic coffee and smoothies all go well with the café's devilish desserts. Its outdoor terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows make this a wonderful interlude at any time of the day, especially as the views over downtown Amman are so clear and crisp.

Dishing out hot, hearty fare to locals and travellers alike, what you get here is great value food, no fuss and simple surroundings. Plain, clean and busy, the restaurant is great for budget travellers as it allows diners to try a variety of local dishes such as chicken and lamb shwarma (slow-grilled meat), mutton stew and stewed fava beans, all at very reasonable prices.

Join the crowds at this legendary dessert joint where sweet treats satisfy even the most honeyed tooth. Specialising in Middle Eastern puddings, the creative variations on the region’s most famous confections await the judgement of your palate. Its most famed offering is kenafeh (a cheese pastry soaked in gooey syrup) but there are other pastries and variants of baklava on offer. The long queues, especially on weekends, are a testament to the quality of its fare. There are a number of outlets in the city.

This long-established, cheap and cheerful diner has very limited choice, but everything it does serve up, it excels at. An Amman institution, Hashem is always packed, mainly because it makes the best falafels in the city, though its hummus and fuul (fava bean paste) are equally as good. A contender for the cheapest place to eat in Amman, Hashem counts the Royal Family amongst its patrons, so it's certainly doing something right.