Restaurants in Panama City
From fine dining to fast food and lavish buffet spreads to funky beach bars, Panama City is a foodie's delight. Its claim to being the world's seafood capital is no mere boast, as any traveller is bound to discover while exploring the culinary landscape of this city. While the variety of seafood on offer is indeed astonishing, meat lovers won't be disappointed and can savour some superb steaks and mouth-watering barbecues.
Chicken and rice washed down with a chilled beer makes for an enjoyable lunch. And don't forget to try the delicious plantains!
This Panama City Restaurant Guide tells you some restaurants you may wish to visit. Information about the most popular dishes of the country can be found by visiting our Panama Restaurants Guide. And to work yourself up an appetite, why not go on a bit of a shopping splurge beforehand - good places to go shopping can be found in our Panama City Shopping Guide.
Food & Cuisine in Panama City
As far as restaurants go, Panama City is liberally sprinkled with well-known chains and fast food outlets. Bennigan's, Hard Rock Café, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's - they're all here. But travel is not about sticking to the tried and trusted, is it? Discovering local cuisine is as much a part of the trip as taking in the sights and sounds of a new destination. So do give Panama City's local food a shot and treat your palate to many pleasant surprises.
The presence of a sizeable Chinese immigrant community in Panama City translates into the availability of some great Asian cuisine. Apart from the ubiquitous Chinese food, you can also savour sushi, which happens to be a local hit, as well as some authentic Thai cooking.
Then there are Italian and Mediterranean restaurants in all their various avatars - pizza joints, steakhouses, little bistros and cafes as well as all-vegetarian places. In many such eateries, the menu offers a smattering of Panamanian dishes as well. Try the sweet plantains, a type of banana that grows locally, but not like any other banana you've tasted before.
Restaurants are pretty much the same worldwide in the way they function; communicating with local staff, though, is what makes the experience in another country unique. Most of Panama City's restaurants have menus with English translations, but in some outlets it would certainly help if you knew some basic Spanish terms.
If you do end up in a Panama City restaurant where the waiters speak only Spanish (and you don't), do not fret; they are generally helpful and patient. Besides, communicating your order could turn out to be quite a hilarious experience, a memory to cherish when you get back home!
Panama City Drinks
Do try out some of the local beers. Beer enthusiasts have been known to swear that Panamanian brands are Central America's best. Balboa and Atlas are two popular local brands.
Panamanian Food
Panamanian cuisine has much in common with the food of other Latin American countries, but is low on spice. Corn is an ingredient you will find frequently in various forms. Most dishes are cooked in oil. Seafood of all types is the high point of Panamanian cuisine.
Pollo (chicken), ceviche (a raw fish or shrimp preparation with lemon juice and cilantro), corvina (a white fish from the Pacific served with different sauces), camarones (shrimp) and patacones (fried slices of cut and salted green plantain) are items commonly consumed by locals. It's rare to find fresh fruit served in restaurants as is done in most countries worldwide. However, a wide range of fruits is cultivated in Panama. Pick these up in open-air markets and from fruit stands along important thoroughfares.
When ordering from local cuisine in Panama City, try some of these items: Carimanola, a fried roll made from boiled, ground Yucca (a plant native to Central America) and stuffed with mincemeat and boiled eggs; Empanadas, rather like Cornish pastry, filled with meat, chicken or cheese; Tortillas or maize pancakes; and Tamales made of spicy, cooked, ground corn and filled with pork or chicken. Before serving, the Tamale is wrapped in a banana leaf and boiled. Sancocho is a traditional, countryside chicken soup. Yet another popular, plantain-based item to try out is Tajadas - ripe plantains sliced lengthways, flavoured with cinnamon and baked - a delicious, nutritive dessert.
Restaurants List
The Wine Bar
Highly regarded amongst residents and tourists, the Wine bar is definitely one of the busiest restaurants in town. The pizzas are excellent and the selection of wines by the glass is impressive and will give you the opportunity to taste quality wines from South America, Europe and USA at your leisure. The relaxing ambiance, the live music, the food, the service and the good value for money will have you coming back for more. If you want to have an outdoor dinner experience, take a step next door: the Cafe Pomodoro
Italian
El Cangrejo, Calle 55 and Av Eusebio A. Morales
507-265-4701
12:00
Barandas Restaurant ( Bristol Hotel)
Latin Cuisine
Area Bancaria - Aquilino De La Guardia St. Banking Area
265-7844
Market Steakhouse & Bar
The Market Steakhouse & Bar offers fine dining in a modern, comfortable, USA-style space. The atmosphere is welcoming, the food is good and the wine selection is great! You will find a broad selection of high-quality imported and local meat selections. Be sure to try the Chiricano Steak. The Market Steakhouse is one of the few restaurants offering Sunday brunch- highly acclaimed (served until 4pm)
A la carte
Bella Vista (Calle 47 and Uruguay)
507 264-9401
reserv@marketpanama.com
11:30 to to 23:00
Gran Clement
Gelateria
Casco Viejo - Central Avenue
507 223 6277
contact@granclement.com
12:00 to to 20:00
Platea
For an evening of ambiance and entertainment take a step inside Scenea, a live music bar located in Casco Antiguo. Thursdays are famous for their Jazz Evenings while Friday evenings are popular amongst the Salsa dancers. You can dine either at Scenea or Platea - the upstairs restaurant - if you want to have a more relaxing ambience. The food has a definite Spanish flair - excellent seafood.
Spanish
Casco Antiguo - Calle primera
228-4011
scenaplatea@cwpanama.net
18:00 to to 23:00
Manolo Caracol Restaurant
Ecclectic
Casco Viejo - Central Avenue and Calle Tercera
228-4640
manolo@manolocaracol.net
10:00 to to 21:00
Restaurant Mercado de Mariscos
Panama's fish market (Mercado de Mariscos) is a must see! You will find the freshest seafood in Panama - tuna, sea bass, squids, prawns and enjoy the ambience of one of the few markets in Panama. The small upstairs eatery is highly recommended!
Fish and seafood
Calidonia (Via Balboa, end of the cinta costera), entrance of casco antiguo
06:00 to to 17:00
Ten Bistro
Located at the elegant Hotel Deville, this fine restaurant is one of Panamá City's culinary treasures. French Chef Fabien Migny's signature is clearly on display in both the haute cuisine served by an attentive and well-trained staff and the sleek, elegantly understated decor of the dining room.Tea time and biscuits are also served at Ten Bistro. Do not hesitate to make a stop there while visiting the banking area.
French
Hotel Deville Calle Beatriz Miranda Cabal Hotel Deville Frente a Towerbank
507 213 8250
La Mar Cebicheria
Have you ever tasted the Latin American specialty, Ceviche? Astrid&Gaston delights us with its newly opened restaurant La Cebicheria Mar in Cangrejo. Several types of ceviche and fresh fish dishes are served with the Peruvian toque. The restaurant has a modern chic touch and the bar offers a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy some pisco sours.
Upscale Cebicheria
El Cangrejo (The cevicheria is close to the sport club - power club ) close by Via Argentina
+(507) 2093323
Info@lamarcebicheriapanama.com
http://www.lamarcebicheriapanama.com
Gaucho's Steak House
Argentinian Steak House
Bella Vista - Calle 48 and Calle Uruguay
(507) 263-4469
12:00 to to 22:00
El Trapiche Restaurant
Typical Panamanian Food
El Cangrejo - Argentina Avenue
269-4353
12:00 to to 22:00
Las Tinajas
If you are looking for flavour and folklore, Las Tinajas is the best place for you. This restaurant offer very good Panamenian food like Carimanolas, Tamales, Sancocho, etc. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays you can enjoy Panamenian traditional dances.
An electrifying combination, you will be able to appreciate the folk show where you will find the different types of traditional dances with its customs and beautiful dresses such as La Pollera, the magnificent national dress
Panamenian/International Food
Calle 51 #22, Panama City, Panama.
269-38 40
264-4858
info@tinajaspanama.com
11:30 to to 12:30
Mi Ranchito
Panamanian
Amador
228-0116 / 228-4909
Eurasia
Eurasia is worth a visit if only for its decor. Located on the second floor of a colonial residence, it preserves the gracious style of Bella Vista before the real estate boom. The restaurant is chic, the menu is a mix of European and Asian flavours, and the service is excellent. A little bit overpriced but the colonial feel is still there.
Asian
Bella Vista - 48th Street between Urraca Park and Federico Boyd Ave
507 264-7859
eurasia_restaurant@hotmail.com
http://www.eurasiarestaurant.com
12:00 to to 22:00
Istmo Brew Pub (El Cangrejo)
Pub
El Cangrejo - Calle Eusebio Morales
18:00
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