By Muath FreijM JORDAN TIMES

AMMAN – When Mahmoud Habibah decided to learn the basics of the confectionery profession at the age of 12, he never imagined that his skills would one day lead him to open a sweets store in downtown Amman, which has become the main stop for knafeh lovers from around the world.

For more than six decades, the Habibah sweets store has been one of downtown Amman’s well-known landmarks and its knafeh is a must-buy for both Amman residents and visitors, according to the owner’s son Hani.

Less known, however, is the story behind its owner.

Mahmoud set off on his culinary journey during the 1940s, when he was searching for a job to earn a living and provide his family with a decent life in the Palestinian town of Nablus, according to his son.

“He worked for a while in his hometown, where he learned how to prepare knafeh, and then moved to Jerusalem in 1945,” Hani said. READ MORE ON JORDAN TIMES

Customers enjoy knafeh at Habibah store in downtown Amman’s King Faisal Street (Photo by Muath Freij)