10 Best Street Food You Must Try In Jordan

street food in jordan
Salim
Salim 
Updated
| 5 min read

The practice of selling and buying street food has been a tradition in the Middle East for a long time. Stories of how people sold food in makeshift set-ups have been passed around for ages, with Ottoman Turkey being the first place where the sale of street food was first regulated in 1502. Since then, street food selling has grown to become a regular practice in the region. And Jordan is no exception. This country, a place of extreme natural beauty, mesmerizing landscapes, and breathtaking scenery, is nothing short of a tourist paradise. The entire area has so much to see, rare formations to admire, as well as quaint villages, and it is blessed with a bright and sunny climate. It is not strange to see barbeques and street food vendors in the city. And to enjoy your time, here is a list of some of the best street food you must try in Jordan.

1. Ful (bean dish)


Ful is one of the famous street food in the region. It is widely accepted and consumed in this region and many other parts of the world. The delicious meal is said to have originated from Egypt and is even served in world-class restaurants too. It is a dish of fava beans that is dried, soaked and mashed, and it is cooked with a pinch of garlic and garnished with onions, tomatoes, and olive oil. One of the popular ways of enjoying this meal is by sprinkling some chili powder on it and using it as a dip for pita bread.

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2. Shawarma

Shawarma (8503517413)
Source: Photo by user cyclonebill used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Now eaten all over the world, shawarma is typical street food in Jordan. Alleged to have originated from the Middle East, this meal is a meat lover’s dream. It is cooked by stacking layers of thin meat on a spike-like spit and rolling it slowly over a source of heat either vertically or horizontally, which is what gives the meat its unique taste. After the meat’s outer layer is cooked, it’s shaved off and wrapped in a special dough/bread with some pickled vegetables and a delicious sauce. It’s a nice meal, and there’s even an entire street dedicated to this delicious food in Jordan.

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3. Knafeh (a dessert)

Knafeh
Source: Photo by Flickr user tsnoni used under CC BY 2.0

A fantastic dessert said to have originated from Palestine, Knafeh is one of the best treats you can eat in Jordan! This simple and yummy dish is easy to make but requires great skill to get it right. It is made by cooking a thin, shredded-wheat pastry topping (like thin noodles) in butter, then dousing it in simple syrup, and adding some crushed pistachios as toppings. Usually eaten fresh from the pan, this meal is served big enough to keep you full. You have to try it!

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4. Ara’yes

Ara-yes Halabi
Source: Photo by user Hungry Dudes used under CC BY 2.0

Golden brown and crispy, this spicy street food is a delight to savor. A bite of Ara’yes will give you a taste bursting with delicious flavors that are simply irresistible. Although most people believe Ara’yes is fried because of its crunchy, crisp look, it is made by grilling two layers of pita bread, filled in the middle with minced lamb, onions, parsley, and with a lot of spicy seasonings, and finally brushed with olive oil. Just the process of seasoning and grilling gives this dish a special, unique, and delicious taste.

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5. Candy floss

Candyfloss (4825597893)
Source: Photo by user cyclonebill used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Locally called “share el banat,” candy floss is one of the most consumed on-the-go snacks in the world, especially if you have kids. Everyone likes to indulge and satisfy their sweet tooth cravings every once in a while, and the best way to do that in Jordan is by snacking on some candy floss. Usually sold by street vendors in plastic bags lined up on long wooden sticks, this snack is made by spinning candy round and round a skewer. So when you are in the city, and you want a quick fix of that sugar craving, look out for the flute-playing candy floss.

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6. Ka’ek (sandwich)

street food in jordan | ka’ek (sandwich)
Source: instagram

Ka’ek is a sandwich commonly taken as breakfast in this region. One of the most popular Jordanian street food, this snack is best enjoyed when eaten fresh and hot. The Ka’ek bread, usually shaped like a small loaf, is topped with a crust of sesame seed and filled with pieces of hard-baked bread, triangles of cheese, chili sauce, za’atar, and one or two other special touches. It is sumptuous, and all its flavors combine to give you the most fantastic bread sandwich you’ll ever taste.

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7. Turmos (lupine beans meal)

Lupini Beans الترمس Lupini are almost the same as soy beans high in protein but without the negative effects of soy "...

Posted by Health and Wellness With Rana on Monday, 9 March 2015

Everyone that tastes turmos falls in love with it. It is a meal of lupine beans and requires some steps for it to be thoroughly enjoyed. Before it’s prepared, the beans are soaked in water for a while, as failure to do so will cause a bitter taste. Its skin is also bitter, so the best way to eat turmos is to put the beans in your mouth and use your teeth to exert some pressure to remove the skin and eat the rest! It is very nutritious, and once you start eating, it’s hard to stop.

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8. Corn on the cob

Corn on the Cob
Source: Photo by Flickr user subherwal used under CC BY 2.0

Everybody knows boiled corn! But imagine it without the cob, and with just its kernels soaked in a cup of yummy butter and salt, that’s “dorayeh, dorayeh,” or “Corn on the cob.” A well-known street dish in this part of the world, this meal is sold by street vendors everywhere in the country. It is made by boiling the corn on their cobs in large metal pots, but the dish is served without the cobs, in a cup, and eaten with a spoon. All you have to do is to point out the corn you want from the pot and savor the delicious snack meal.

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9. Falafel

Falafel small
Source: Photo by user http://www.meatin... used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Jordanian Falafel is undoubtedly the best falafel in the world. And the best thing about it is that it is sold right on the street too. It is a delicious mix of a variety of spices and some ground chickpeas, deep-fried together in mini patty like shapes. This light meal can be enjoyed on its own or eaten with bread. You can’t get enough of this meal; it’s crispy and appealing on the outside, light and fluffy inside, and its flavors are out of this world.

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10. Karabeej Halab (Spanish Churros)

Churros
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Managementboy used under CC BY-SA 3.0

You can’t visit Jordan and leave without trying their version of the Spanish Churros, Karabeej Halab. It is a lot like its Spanish cousin, but it gives you a crispier and crunchier taste to savor. The street snack meal is made from simple ingredients like flour, semolina, aniseed, and fennel. The ingredients are fried together and then dipped in a tasty syrup bath, and voila.

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Enjoy the best of Jordanian street foods

Jordan is a resilient place that has survived a shaky period of unrest and offers beautiful scenery, sunny weather, magical experiences, and yummy cuisines to get a complete Middle Eastern holiday experience. And if you love tasting new things, this list of street foods you must try in Jordan should be your best interest.

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Salim is a lover of adventure and creativity. He is fascinated with the beauty of nature and the great African arts and history. He has visited many of the waterfalls and museums in Nigeria and...Read more

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