As of 2026, this Petra food guide covers 14 restaurants by category — including Al Wadi Restaurant, Al Saraya Restaurant, My Mom's Recipe. See prices, locations and must-try dishes below.
Petra is Petra and Wadi Rum sit in one of the most relaxed Middle Eastern food scenes — Jordanian cuisine is Levantine at its core (mezze + hummus + mansaf the national dish) plus Bedouin desert traditions (zarb sand-pit cooked lamb at Wadi Rum camps). Eat mansaf (lamb in fermented yogurt + rice — eat with right hand at Al Wadi), Adjarian-equivalent for Jordan is khachapuri's cousin manakeesh, falafel sandwiches at the Wadi Musa main-street stands (JD 1-2), knafeh sweet cheese pastry at Habibah Sweets, and pair with Jordanian wine (Mount Nebo + Latroun + St. George wineries) or Petra Beer local lager. Cave Bar (built inside a 2,000-year-old Nabataean tomb) is the canonical post-Petra drink venue. Inside Petra, the Crowne-Plaza-run Basin Restaurant buffet is the only proper sit-down — lunch only 11:30-15:30. Bedouin tea + flatbread stalls at the Monastery viewpoint serve the most-photographed meal in Jordan. We've organized 14 restaurants across 7 categories. Each entry includes prices, hours, local tips, and a Google Maps link so you can plan straight from the page.
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Al Wadi Restaurant
Wadi Musa (Tourism Street, near Petra Gate) · jordanian-classics
The canonical Wadi Musa Jordanian taverna — family-run since the 1990s, the place where guides bring their groups for an honest mansaf without tourist-trap markups. The mansaf comes served on a large communal platter with bread underneath — eat with your right hand (or a spoon), bedouin-style. Side mezze plates included.
$10-25 per person
(JOD 7-18)
11:00-23:00 daily
Local tip: Walk-in friendly. Mansaf needs 30-45 min preparation — call ahead if in a hurry. Cash or card both accepted. JD 7-12 for mansaf serving 1; JD 15-25 for the full feast with sides.
Mansaf platter for 2, Maqluba, lamb mansaf with kibbeh starters
Larger Wadi Musa restaurant with a sit-down dining room and a buffet option that's popular with tour groups. The mansaf here is on the more conservative side (lighter on the fermented yogurt sauce) — easier on first-time palates. The full feast with kibbeh + warak enab + mansaf is the canonical first-night order.
$12-30 per person
(JOD 9-21)
12:00-23:00 daily
Local tip: Buffet JD 18-22 ($25-31) per person — good value if hungry. À la carte JD 9-21. Walking distance from most Wadi Musa hotels.
Home-style Jordanian cooking in a converted villa with a roof terrace overlooking Wadi Musa. The chef-owner cooks every mansaf herself — slow-simmered for hours, served with fresh taboon bread baked in a wood-fired clay oven outside. Best for travelers wanting a quieter, more refined Jordanian dinner.
$15-35 per person
(JOD 11-25)
18:00-23:00 (closed Mondays)
Local tip: Reservation recommended for the roof terrace at sunset. Wood-fired clay oven bread is freshly baked to order — wait 15 min. Bring a layer; the terrace gets cool after sundown.
A casual mezze house that locals + Bedouin guides use as a daily breakfast spot. The hummus is hand-pounded each morning — denser and earthier than the typical machine-blended version. The mezze sampler is the right order for first-time mezze travelers: hummus, mutabbal, baba ghanoush, tabbouleh, fattoush, labneh, warak enab, kibbeh.
$8-20 per person
(JOD 6-14)
07:00-23:00 daily
Local tip: Breakfast 07:00-11:00 is the strength — go before Petra entry. Cash gets a 5% discount.
Chef's mezze platter for 2, grilled halloumi with za'atar, fattoush salad, mixed grill
Refined mezze and grill restaurant attached to a small boutique hotel near the Mövenpick. The mezze platter for 2 covers 12 small dishes — the most efficient way to sample the Levantine appetizer spectrum. Mixed grill follows: shish taouk, kafta, lamb kebab over coals. Strong Jordanian wine list (local Mount Nebo + Latroun bottles).
$15-35 per person
(JOD 11-25)
18:00-23:00 daily
Local tip: Reservation recommended for dinner peak 19:00-21:00. The Jordanian Pinot Noir from Mount Nebo Winery is the local wine to try — JD 30-45 / $42-63 per bottle.
Wadi Musa's busiest morning falafel stand — locals queue from 07:00. Each falafel ball is hand-rolled, fried to order in fresh oil, stuffed with pickles + tahini + tomato into khubz pocket bread. The canonical Jordanian breakfast for under $3. Cash only. No English signage but pointing works.
$2-5 per person
(JOD 1-3)
07:00-21:00 daily
Local tip: Best 07:00-10:00 (peak freshness). After 14:00 the oil gets tired. JD 1 per falafel sandwich; JD 0.50 for a single falafel ball. Bring exact change.
Late-night shawarma counter where Wadi Musa hotel staff and tour drivers eat after shifts. The shawarma cone rotates from 11:00 to 24:00 — chicken on one side, lamb on the other. The lamb side gets tastier the longer it cooks (best after 20:00). Wraps come with garlic toum sauce, pickles, and crisp fries inside.
$3-7 per person
(JOD 2-5)
11:00-24:00 daily
Local tip: Best 20:00-23:00 (lamb at its prime). Cash strongly preferred. The garlic sauce (toum) is potent — order half-sauce if sensitive.
The canonical Wadi Rum Bedouin overnight experience — zarb is a sand pit dug 1m deep, lined with stones, filled with lamb + chicken + onions + potatoes + carrots, covered with palm fronds, then buried in sand and embers for 3-4 hours. The unveiling at sunset is the moment. Eat communal-style at low tables with flatbread + rice + mezze sides.
$35-70 per person (full-board overnight)
(JOD 25-50)
Dinner 19:30 sunset
Local tip: Only available with overnight stay at the camp (1-night minimum from JD 70 / $99 traditional tent, JD 200-400 / $282-564 bubble glamping). Vegetarian zarb option must be arranged in advance.
Wadi Rum Camp · Wadi Rum desert (multiple Bedouin camps)
9
#2
MUST TRY
Zarb lamb + vegetables, Bedouin tea ceremony, fire-side rebab music
Traditional Bedouin family-run camps offer the more rustic zarb experience compared to Sun City — goat-hair tents, no Wi-Fi, gas lanterns, and a single zarb pit cooking dinner for 30+ guests. The Bedouin family hosts gather around the fire after dinner for traditional music (rebab + tabla drums) and storytelling.
$50-150 per person (overnight with meals)
(JOD 35-105)
Dinner 19:30 sunset; music 21:00-23:00
Local tip: Book directly with Bedouin family camps (Rahayeb Desert Camp, Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp, Memories Aicha) for the more authentic experience. Cheaper than Sun City but fewer amenities. Bring a layer; desert nights drop to 5-10°C in shoulder seasons.
The Basin Restaurant + Crowne Plaza Cafe — the only sit-down dining options inside the archaeological park
The Basin Restaurant (inside Petra)
The Basin · Inside Petra (between Qasr al-Bint and Monastery trail)
10
#1
MUST TRY
Crowne Plaza buffet (mezze + grills + Jordanian classics), mint tea on the terrace
The only proper sit-down restaurant inside the Petra archaeological park — run by Crowne Plaza, located between Qasr al-Bint and the Monastery trail base. The buffet (JD 25-30 / $35-42) covers mezze + cold salads + grilled meats + Jordanian rice dishes + desserts. Refuel here before the 800-step Monastery climb.
$30-60 per person
(JOD 21-42)
11:30-15:30 daily (Petra hours)
Local tip: Lunch 12:00-15:30 only; closed for dinner (Petra closes 18:00). Buffet is the right order — à la carte is overpriced. The terrace seating overlooks the Monastery trail base.
Built inside a 2,000-year-old Nabataean tomb beside the Petra Visitor Center — claims the title of 'oldest bar in the world' (Guinness Records-verified). Stone walls, low candle lighting, occasional live oud music. The right post-Petra drink before dinner or post-Petra-by-Night nightcap.
$10-25 per person
(JOD 7-18)
17:00-23:00 daily
Local tip: Casual walk-in. Mezze plates JD 7-12, beers JD 4-6, cocktails JD 8-12. Wine flight (4 Jordanian wines) JD 15 — the best way to taste Mount Nebo + Latroun + St. George wines.
Petra Kitchen (cooking class + sit-down), Petra Marriott + Mövenpick restaurants — refined takes on Levantine cuisine
Petra Kitchen (cooking class + sit-down)
Petra Kitchen · Wadi Musa (Tourism Street, walking distance from Petra)
12
#1
MUST TRY
Cooking class (4-course meal you prepare yourself), galayet bandora, sayadieh
Half-cooking-class half-restaurant — a 4-hour experience where chef Tamara teaches you to make 4 Jordanian dishes (mezze + main + dessert + bread), then you sit down and eat them with wine pairing. The right pick for foodie travelers who want more than passive dining. Operates nightly.
$50-75 per person (cooking class + dinner)
(JOD 35-53)
19:00-23:00 (cooking session begins 19:00)
Local tip: Reserve 2-3 days ahead — small group (max 12). Each session JD 35 / $50 cooking + meal. Vegetarian options available. Recipe card to take home included.
Mövenpick Resort Petra's signature dining — refined Levantine cuisine in a colonnaded dining room 50m from the Petra entrance. The chef's tasting menu walks through mezze + soup + main + dessert with each course paired to a Jordanian wine. The most polished Petra dinner option for honeymoon travelers.
$40-90 per person
(JOD 28-63)
19:00-23:00 daily
Local tip: Reservation recommended for hotel guests + walk-ins. Dress smart casual (no shorts or sandals). Mövenpick guests get 20% off — ask at hotel front desk for stamped voucher.
The Wadi Musa branch of Jordan's most famous knafeh chain (Amman original from 1932). Knafeh is the canonical Jordanian dessert — pulled cheese baked into a crispy semolina or kataifi pastry, drenched in rose-scented sugar syrup, topped with crushed pistachios. Served warm in a slab on a paper tray.
$2-6 per person
(JOD 1-4)
10:00-23:00 daily
Local tip: Best 17:00-21:00 (fresh batches come out hourly). JD 1-2 per portion. Cash preferred. Eat immediately — knafeh doesn't travel well even 5 minutes.
Wadi Musa falafel stand breakfast + Three Steps hummus lunch + Bedouin tea cafe snack + budget mansaf dinner. Cash JD 1-5 per dish.
Mid-Range
$30-60/day (JOD 21-42)
Sit-down restaurants — Al Wadi mansaf + Three Steps mezze + Petra Kitchen cooking class. Basin Restaurant inside Petra for lunch. Cave Bar evening drink.
Luxury
$80+/day (JOD 56+)
Mövenpick Petra Al Iwan signature dining + Sandstone Restaurant Jordanian wine + Bedouin Zarb dinner at Sun City Camp + Petra Kitchen cooking class. Honeymoon dining at half Western European prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about food and restaurants in Petra.
What must I eat in Petra?
The Jordanian big five: Mansaf (lamb in fermented yogurt + rice — Jordan's national dish, eat with right hand at Al Wadi or Al Saraya), Maqluba ('upside-down' rice with meat + vegetables flipped over), Falafel (JD 1-2 per sandwich at the Wadi Musa stands), Knafeh (sweet cheese pastry — Habibah is canonical), and Bedouin Zarb (sand-pit-cooked lamb + chicken + vegetables — only experienceable at a Wadi Rum overnight camp). Pair with Jordanian wine (Mount Nebo + Latroun) or Petra Beer (local lager).
How does mansaf work? Should I eat with my hand?
Mansaf is served on a large communal platter — flatbread (shrak) underneath, rice on top, lamb pieces on top of rice, then jameed (fermented dried yogurt) sauce poured over everything. Traditional Bedouin etiquette is to eat with your right hand only (left hand is unclean by custom) — squeeze a small ball of rice + lamb + bread together and pop it into your mouth. Most tourist restaurants accept that travelers will use a spoon — Al Wadi gives both options without judgment. Try the hand method at least once for the cultural experience.
Where do I eat inside Petra archaeological park?
The Basin Restaurant (Crowne Plaza-run buffet JD 25-30 / $35-42, lunch only 11:30-15:30, the only proper sit-down inside) is the canonical option. Bedouin tea + flatbread stalls run by Bedouin families dot the trails — JD 3-5 for tea + flatbread + Bedouin hummus, the canonical Monastery hike refuel. The Bedouin women at the Monastery viewpoint tea shacks make the freshest. Bring extra water — Petra is a long, hot walk.
Can I drink alcohol in Petra?
Yes — Jordan is one of the more relaxed Middle Eastern countries about alcohol. Cave Bar (built inside a 2,000-year-old Nabataean tomb at the Petra Visitor Center, Guinness 'oldest bar in the world') is the canonical post-Petra drink. Petra Beer JD 4-6 / $6-8 (local lager), Jordanian wine flight JD 15 / $21 (Mount Nebo + Latroun + St. George). Most Wadi Musa restaurants serve alcohol; Bedouin camps in Wadi Rum often don't (cultural respect for hosts). Drinking in public outside designated venues is frowned on.
What does food cost in Petra?
Street food (falafel stands, shawarma) JD 1-5 / $1-7 per meal. Sit-down Wadi Musa restaurants (Al Wadi, Al Saraya, Three Steps) JD 7-25 / $10-35 per person. Hotel restaurants (Mövenpick Al Iwan, Petra Marriott) JD 28-63 / $40-90 per person. Bedouin camp full-board (overnight including zarb dinner + breakfast) JD 25-50 / $35-70 per person. Inside Petra Basin Restaurant buffet JD 25-30 / $35-42. Cooking class at Petra Kitchen JD 35 / $50 with meal.
Where do I drink Jordanian wine + Arabic coffee?
Cave Bar (Petra Guesthouse) has the best Jordanian wine flight — 4 wines from Mount Nebo, Latroun, and St. George wineries JD 15 / $21. Sandstone Restaurant (Mövenpick area) has the most extensive Jordanian wine list with bottles JD 30-45 / $42-63. For Arabic coffee with cardamom (qahwa), any Bedouin tea + coffee tent in Wadi Rum serves it ceremonially — small cups, JD 1-3, often free at Bedouin home invitations. The host pours, you accept one cup, then signal 'kifaya' (enough) by gently shaking the cup.
Any food scams or safety issues?
Tap water is not safe to drink in Wadi Musa — buy bottled water (JD 0.50-1 per 1.5L bottle, sold everywhere). Halal everywhere — pork is rare/absent. Tipping 10% at sit-down restaurants is standard; Bedouin tea + tent invitations don't take tips (a small gift like chocolate or a postcard works). Watch for restaurants near the Visitor Center that pad bills — Al Wadi and Three Steps have honest prices. Bedouin guides at Petra often offer tea at their tent — accept once for the cultural experience, but politely decline if they pressure you to buy souvenirs after. Ramadan (dates shift annually) — daytime restaurants close in Wadi Musa; eat at hotel restaurants during the day.
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Jimmy Kong
TripPick founder · Travel content creator
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.
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