Jadal

Jadal is a cultural space and café set in a house dating from 1933 on the Al-Kalha staircase, the long flight of steps that links Downtown with Jabal al-Weibdeh. It combines a simple café with a programme of community and cultural events. For visitors it is a calm, characterful place to rest between the bustle of the souks and the climb to Weibdeh.

The café centres on a small private courtyard, with rustic, unfussy furnishings and a serene atmosphere during the day. The drinks list centres on tea and other hot and cold drinks rather than elaborate coffee, and it is a pleasant place to sit with a book or a notebook. As evening falls the courtyard becomes livelier, often with live music, and the venue hosts regular cultural events such as talks and workshops.

Jadal suits solo travellers, students, creatives and anyone curious about Amman's grassroots cultural life. It attracts a varied crowd of locals and visitors. Prices are low, and it is a good alternative to the louder cafés on the main streets.

Opening times and the events programme change, so check Jadal's own channels before making a special trip, especially if you want to catch a talk or a concert. Bring cash for small purchases. Wear comfortable shoes, as reaching it involves the staircase.

The house is a short walk from Hashem Restaurant, Jafra and the centre of Downtown, and continuing up the stairs brings you to Jabal al-Weibdeh, Darat al Funun and the cafés around Paris Circle. Combine a stop here with a walking route that starts at the Roman Theatre, passes through the souks and ends with an evening in Weibdeh. Climbing the Al-Kalha stairs from Downtown, with a pause for tea at Jadal halfway, is one of the most enjoyable ways to move between the two neighbourhoods on foot, and it gives you a close look at the hillside houses along the way.

Jordan's tourism board lists Jadal among the cultural spaces worth visiting in Amman, alongside Darat al Funun and the city's galleries, which gives a sense of its place in the local arts scene.