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Sufra

Amman

Bedouin flavours and home-style Jordanian cooking

On the Pass

Hassan Mez'el and Ali Faour

The atmosphere: Sufra is located in an early 20th-century villa in one of Amman’s oldest and most charming neighbourhoods. The vibe is homey, laid-back and welcoming. Enjoy sitting in one of its cosy rooms, on the open-air terrace, or in the charming garden by the Damascene fountain. You can’t miss the vitrine-style bakery, where you can watch freshly baked puffy pittas emerging from the oven.

Unique selling point: Jordanian cuisine offers flavour-packed home-style cooking and is usually served in huge portions, but at Sufra diners will find this traditional food in smaller sizes, which allows them to try even more delicious dishes.

Eat like a local: Sufra specialises in clay-pot cooking, which is said to impart a very distinct flavour. The family-style menu includes a selection of Bedouin dishes such as Mansaf, made with fermented goat yoghurt; and Sajjiyeh, a lamb or chicken dish that is prepared in a wok-shaped pot and cooked over an open flame. The kitchen also offers a special menu in the spring that includes seasonal delicacies prepared with wild local ingredients such as wild mallow, gundelia, hedge mustard and peppercress.

Other ventures: The Romero Group is owned by the Gousouss family, who runs eight restaurants across Jordan including a guest house and restaurant located within Umm Qays, an archaeological site of Ancient Gadara that dates back to the Decapolis period (1st century BC).

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