All over Panama you can find restaurants, café’s and ‘fondas’ offering both local and international flavors. In Panama you can find many American chain restaurants, but the best cuisine can be found in the local eateries. Being in the middle of two oceans, Panama delivers well when it comes to seafood. So don’t miss out on the fresh taste of fish, seafood and ceviche.
Typical dishes: The most well know national dish of Panama is Sancocho. This is a chicken broth soup with large pieces of tender chicken, yam and a variety of herbs and other vegetables. This soup comes highly recommended as a hangover remedy or in-fact a prevention method. Although Panama is a hot climate, they say that this hot soup has a cooling effect. Another famous Panamanian dish is Arroz con Pollo, which literally translates as ‘rice with chicken’. Although the name of the dish is simple, the flavor of the dish is not. The rice is cooked in the chicken and tomato broth and mixed with chicken, onions, sweet peppers, olives and garlic.Casco Viejo
Casco Viejo, the old quarter, is a beautiful area of Panama with a rustic feel. Home to many national landmarks and important buildings it is definitely worth your while visiting. But this area of the city is not only well known for the tourist spots, here there are many well established restaurants and bars, with many more opening up. Walking around the area you will come across a variety of different cuisines. But if local cuisine is what you’re after you should definitely make your way to Diablicos. Simply walking into this restaurant will surround you with the local culture, the waiters dressed in their folkloric clothing and the ‘tipico’ music filling the air. They offer all local cuisines here and have a ’Tipico’ music and dancing show in the evenings.
• Diablicos, Avenida Central y Calle 3ra, Casco Antiguo, Panama. The Causeway
The Causeway is a long stretch of road, which connects Panama to four small islands. Popular for jogging, cycling and walking the Causeway offers a breeze and a view. Along the Causeway you can find over 20 different restaurants all within walking distance from one another. There you can find Beirut, a Lebanese restaurant, Mi Ranchito, a famous Panamanian grill and Alberto’s, a popular Italian choice, to name but a few. El Chiriguito is a small, family owned restaurant near the center of the Causeway, close to La Playita. It is well known for its delicious Venezuelan cuisine, and the ‘Pepito Mix’ Sandwich comes highly recommended.
• Beirut, Isla Flamenco, Amador Causeway, Panama. Calle Uruguay
Calle Uruguay is a popular area of the city for nightlife, not only is it home to a wide range of restaurants, but Calle Uruguay is the place to go for bars and clubs too. Walking around the area you will be overwhelmed by the choices of restaurants, so here are a few recommendations. For European cuisine, try La Posta. A large, yet quaint restaurant with a refined lunch and dinner menu. Rosa Mexicano is a gourmet Mexican restaurant, where they make the guacamole at your table and serenade you with mariachi music while you eat. For a great atmosphere and tapas type food, check out La Terraza de Alta Bar. You can also head downstairs to their popular nightclub after you’ve enjoyed your meal. Hooters is a popular option if what you are looking for is to watch sports and eat chicken wings.
• La Posta, Calle 49, Panama. Tel +507 269-1076• Rosa Mexicano, Calle 47 y Aquilino de la Guardia, Marbella, Panama.
