Dara Dining by Sara Aqel

Dara Dining is a Mediterranean restaurant and wine shop in a carefully restored 1958 villa in central Amman. It is led by the Palestinian-Jordanian chef Sara Aqel, who co-founded it with Lana Alamat and Maher Mouasher, and its name means home in Arabic, which reflects the community-minded spirit the founders set out to create. It has quickly earned regional recognition, placing 18th in the Middle East and North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2025 and 30th in 2026.

The interior is bright and light-filled, and an outdoor terrace in a leafy garden makes it one of the most pleasant places in the city for a long lunch. The menu moves between small plates, pasta and larger dishes. Small plates include baked feta, veal meatballs and beef tartare; the pasta list runs from cacio e pepe to pappardelle al ragù and paccheri alla norma. Among the larger plates are pizza, fish of the day, lamb shank, slow-cooked octopus and a Gaza-inspired moussaka that brings the chef's heritage onto the menu. The wine list focuses on producers from the region, and the shop means you can take a bottle home.

On Fridays and Saturdays there is a weekend brunch with Jordanian touches, such as eggs cooked with Nabulsieh cheese and za'atar. This is a good time to visit if you want a relaxed meal in the garden. The restaurant suits couples, groups of friends and visitors who want a break from mezze without losing the local connection.

Dara Dining opens for lunch and dinner seven days a week, with average spending of around 50 US dollars a person. Book ahead for dinner and for weekend brunch, and request the garden terrace in good weather. Dress is relaxed but neat. The sharing format works well for groups: order a few small plates and a pasta or two for the table before choosing a main.

The restaurant is on Al-Mutanabbi Street in central Amman and is easy to reach by taxi from any of the main hotel districts. Because the villa also houses the wine shop, it is worth arriving a little early to browse the bottles from regional producers before you sit down, or to pick one up afterwards.