Abdali and Shmeisani form the modern commercial and business heart of central Amman, north of the old city hills. Abdali has been heavily redeveloped since 2005 around the Abdali Boulevard project — a pedestrianised shopping and restaurant strip built through a previously run-down area, now lined with cafes, international restaurant chains, and Jordanian upscale dining. The architecture is generic but the boulevard itself is pleasant enough in the evenings.
Shmeisani to the north contains the more workaday commercial district — office towers, banks, mid-range hotels, and the embassies not housed in west Amman. Less interesting to visitors than the old city, but useful as a base and for its concentration of decent mid-range restaurants.