Five of the best Syrian restaurants to try in Amman

Syrian cuisine has spread like wildfire across the Jordanian capital

The Naranj restaurant in Amman, Jordan. Salah Malkawi for The National

With the war in Syria preventing tourists and food lovers travelling there, Amman has become the closest hub for sampling Syria’s cuisine, with popular restaurants cropping up in the Jordanian capital. Here is our top five.

Naranj in Abdoun, just down the street from Blue Fig, is a huge villa decorated with Syrian marble and Arabesque wooden shutters. Its sour cherry kebab is mouthwatering.

Areej El Sham in Umm Al Summaq is also housed in a Syrian-style building. The ambience is a big draw, thanks to the live music that will serenade you with your meal.

The small Sarawat restaurant in Tla' Al Ali is the place to grab a meal on the go. Their shawarma is known as the best in Amman.

Bekdash ice cream opened a number of branches across Amman, and is perhaps the most famous Syrian export. The original branch in the Hamidiyyeh Souk in old Damascus used to have lines around the block; now there are lines in Amman as well. Made from mastic and sahlep, this renowned ice cream is then pounded to airy, stretchy perfection and topped with pistachio.

Nafeeseh Sweets also have at least six branches across Amman. This is the place to go for a variety of Syrian sweets, pastries and baked goods.

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