Khashoka, a Jordanian restaurant in Richardson, Texas, has attracted international attention after Jordan’s King Abdullah II was spotted dining there on Sunday.
The monarch was in North Texas to support Jordan during its debut at this year’s Fifa World Cup. The national team also visited the restaurant following its final match of the tournament on Saturday, a 3-1 defeat to Argentina at Dallas Stadium.
Founded by Dr Osama Sanwar, Khashoka has grown into a popular Jordanian restaurant chain with locations in Amman and Aqaba, as well as Dubai, Doha, Iraq and Egypt. The brand operates through a franchise model. Its Richardson branch, which opened in 2025, is the company’s first US location and is owned and operated by Mohammad Albakr.
While each branch tailors parts of its menu to local tastes, the restaurants retain a focus on traditional Jordanian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
The Richardson restaurant imports about 90 per cent of its ingredients directly from Jordan, including many of the spices and pantry staples used to prepare traditional dishes such as mansaf, manakeesh and shawarma.
These are also served at the Dubai outpost of the restaurant, which opened in Motor City last March.
The Jordanian national team, too, stopped by the restaurant after their match at Dallas Stadium.
“It was an absolute honour to welcome the Jordanian national team to Khashoka before their historic World Cup journey,” reads a post on the restaurant’s Instagram account.
“Seeing the team that has inspired millions walk through our doors was a proud moment for all of us. Thank you for allowing us to share a taste of home and Jordanian hospitality with you.
“To our players: thank you for making history, for making Jordan proud, and for inspiring the next generation. The entire Khashoka family is behind you every step of the way.”
Jordan was eliminated in the group stage. Marking his country’s first-ever appearance in a World Cup, Ali Olwan made history by recording the country’s first goal in the tournament when he scored against Austria in the opening match.