- Experience
- Andy
Experience Dining: One for the veggies…
Are you vegan or vegetarian traveler interested in visiting the Middle East? Although meat is a rather substantial part of the Jordanian diet there are food options a plenty for you here in Jordan.
Pre the era of imported food, people made meals with whatever they had on hand. This means that vegetables are featured heavily in well-known and loved Jordanian dishes. The Jordanian culture of hospitality ensures that at every meal there will be more than enough food and variety of food on the table. This means you will never be limited to the choice of only one dish whether you are in a home, or a restaurant/café.
The cuisine here boasts a whole range of mezzes (small plates), so many that there seems to be absolutely no limit to them! Salads, dips, breads, potatoes, stuffed grape leaves, mini vegetable fritters, pickles… All of these and more are easily found on the menus of all restaurants serving traditional cuisine.
Of course, the basis of these restaurants is founded on the traditional Jordanian kitchen. Thus, fear not if you are invited to a home to dine- the mezze dishes on offer to you there will be even more plentiful and even more delicious than at the restaurant!
Traditional flatbread is a constant accompaniment to meals, so any mezze selection can be easily made more substantial. It is worth noting that this bread deserves it’s own names place on the menu, it is so delicious and fresh here.
There are many main dishes that are vegetarian friendly too: a selection of vegetable stews and rice dishes grace the menus of the restaurants.
Okra and tomato stew is particularly common, not to mention delicious, as are plates containing eggplant, like Fatteh el Makdoos (a bread, tomato, and eggplant casserole).
In Amman there are several restaurants that are purely vegetarian, Shams El Balad (Rainbow Street) being our top recommendation for flavour, freshness, and authentic experience.
Of course, it is extremely easy for veggies to grab a quick, cheap bite to eat: falafels are everywhere! Falafel sandwiches can be stuffed with sauces and veggies, and purchased from every corner of the city. These are infamous for good reason: they are divine.
As for sweets and snacks, these tend to be vegetarian and that sure is lucky for you because Jordan boasts an amazing selection of nibbles.
Roasteries full of nuts, chocolates and dried fruits can be found in every commercial area, as can sweet shops such as Habibah. “Sweets” is the word used to refer to all sweet things; it’s not limited to candy but covers cakes, cookies, chocolate and knafeh (for non-vegans) alike!
Remember when you visit Jordan we have excellent food options for you. Enjoy experiencing this amazing country full of culture, history, adventure, and food!
For more information on some specific veggie friendly places check out this site:
