Habibah Sweets is a must if you’re visiting Amman! Kunafa originates from the city of Nablus, which is in Palestine. It then reached other parts of the world like Turkey and they have their own little twists and touches. @habibah_sweets in Amman is world famous and regarded as one of the best to do the Kunafa. In this post we’ll talk a little about the history of Kunafa, how Jordan fits into that history and our experience of Habibah Sweets.
Kunafa is a Palestinian dessert
Kunafa is a warm vermicelli and cheese dessert that is commonly found in Arab and Turkish restaurants, but did you know – it originates from Palestine, in a city called Nablus. And today due to its spread you can get a variety of types of Kunafa: you’ve got the Turkish one, which is very distinctive, you’ve got the Saudi one which is kind of in the middle, but if you can find the Nabulsi one, then this is easily the best Kunafa there is. Admittedly, the Turkish one is pretty good when done right, but the Nabulsi one is truly life changing. If you get it hot, then it’s sure to be something you’ll be wanting again and again.
Where does Jordan fit into this history?
So, where does Jordan fit into this history and how is Habibah Sweets known as one of the best in the world that does the Nabulsi Kunafa? Well, for those unaware, Jordan is basically Palestinian. Speak to anyone and it is 99% certain that they’ll tell you that they’re originally from Palestine, whether it’s them directly or their parents. One shop keeper told us he himself moved from Palestine to Jordan about 50 years ago. Numerous youngsters we met told us their parents had moved from Palestine before they were born. A taxi driver told us 80% of the country is essentially Palestinian (with 10% being foreign and the other 10% being the original bedouin Jordanians). Our tour guide told us his sister still lives in Palestine and he travels there frequently. Despite this, he has never prayed in Masjid al Aqsa! Because if you are below 30 you have to be married to pray there. Sad.
Everyone loves Habibah Sweets
Habibah Sweets is known as one of the best Kunafa spots in the world. If you’re traveling to Jordan, this is good enough to be a good food reason to travel here alone. I think they have two branches in Amman; we visited the one in the old town. They have two entrances to this branch (I think?). I’ll be honest it wasn’t very clear. We went twice and they seemed to be fairly far apart from each other, so maybe there’s two in the old town? One of them has a shop entrance and you can see your Kunafa being cut up in front of you and there are other sweets on offer too. Outside this branch you’ll see taxi drivers waiting outside for customers as well as devouring a slice of Kunafa. That was the first night. We all loved it and loved it so much that we had to visit again before leaving. So, we visited on the last night. This time we used the other entrance (or a different branch?) and this one had a very long queue and no access or entrance to a shop. You just queue up outside and the guy is outside taking your order. Despite the queue being long it goes quickly.
A must visit spot
Locals queuing up outside shows its popularity. And because there’s no seating, you’ll find people out on the streets devouring this. And it’s not just the average local; you’ll find taxi drivers outside the shop with their slices of the kunafa. Surely, that’s a sign of its deliciousness. We even saw shop keepers enjoying it in their shops!! If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for you and I!
If you’re feeling a little rebellious, you can get yourself a unique scoop of Syrian ice cream from Bekdash (which is right next to Habibah) and put this cold ice cream on top of the warm slice of Kunafa. And you got yourself a wonderful hot cold dessert experience. Be wary though this will offend the purist.
How would you describe kunafa? The first time I ever had it, I described it as a warm cheesecake.
If you’re traveling to Jordan, especially for the first time, you’ll need a tour guide and transportation. It will make your life easier and the holiday that much more enjoyable. Visiting places like Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea in a country where English is not spoken much can be challenging. Get in touch to get more details on who we used and would recommend.
Getting there
Google Maps link
