Shams El Balad

Amman


A busy cafe-restaurant that just keeps the right side of hipster-dom with a popular Jordanian meat-free menu. The flatbreads piled high with herb, cheese and vegetable toppings are fabulous, along with thick labneh (thick yoghurt flavoured with garlic and sometimes with mint), eggs cooked every which way and of course plenty of hummus, zaatar (a blend of spices that includes hyssop, sumac and sesame) and halloumi.

The place is packed out for weekend brunch, when the low staffing levels can be a problem, as neither the waiters nor kitchen cope well with demand. Come at other times if you can to avoid an hour-long wait for your food.