Hashem

Nestled in the streets of crowded downtown Amman lies this gem of a restaurant. Serving food since the past fifty years, this ancient and legendary restaurant is an important part of Jordan's culinary world. In fact if you haven’t tasted their Falafels while you are there, your trip is incomplete. Hashem is like an open-air eatery with tables on the sidewalk while the food is cooked indoors. This restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike and pictures of film stars, politicians and Royalty who have had food here, adorn their walls.
Finding a table here could pose a challenge and to avoid this, one should go there for an early lunch or an early supper. Their service is quick and the waiting staff are polite and friendly, with a very basic knowledge of English.

This vegetarian heaven serves you a plate of colorful vegetables as soon as you are seated- there are tomatoes, mint, onions etc. They have no printed menu so you just order what you like- among other things there are falafels both plain and stuffed, moutabel and hummus. The flavors of freshly roasted eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice and other ingredients used here linger long after one has left the restaurant.
Apart from the incredibly delicious food a visit to Hashem's also helps tourists gain an understanding of how Jordinians eat food. To observe and learn how to delicately break the food into small pieces using your hands (they do not serve any cutlery) and enjoying the sensory experience thoroughly. Jordanian meals are delightful, right from the colors and variety to the flavors and the taste- everything is exquisite. So if it is traditional Jordanian food that you want to enjoy and you are a vegetarian, this is the first place you need to go to when you are in Amman.