Food · Panama City · Panama
What to eat in Panama City
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Panama City, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Start with Sancocho, Ceviche and Patacones. Order cups of ceviche from the stalls at the Mercado de Mariscos and eat them by the water with a cold beer. Restaurant bills may include a service charge; if not, tip around 10%.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Sancocho
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Tip about 10% in restaurants if service is not included.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Dish
1.Sancocho
Panama's national dish is a chicken soup with ñame (yam), corn and culantro, a broad-leaf herb related to coriander, usually served with white rice on the side. It is eaten as a comfort food and a hangover cure.
Where: Fondas and traditional restaurants throughout the city, especially at lunchtime and on weekends.
Dish
2.Ceviche
Panamanian ceviche is usually made with corvina (sea bass), cured in lime juice with onion, celery and ají chombo chile, and served in a cup with crackers.
Where: The Mercado de Mariscos stalls and seafood restaurants around Casco Viejo.
Snack · Vegetarian
3.Patacones
Green plantain slices fried, flattened and fried again until crisp, served salted as a side dish or snack with almost every meal.
Where: Almost every restaurant and fonda; they come with fish, ceviche and meats.
Snack
4.Carimañolas
Torpedo-shaped fritters of mashed yuca stuffed with seasoned ground beef, cheese or chicken, eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
Where: Bakeries, breakfast counters and fondas, especially in the mornings.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
5.Hojaldras
Fried dough that puffs up as it cooks, eaten for breakfast with eggs, cheese or sausage and a cup of coffee.
Where: Fondas and breakfast cafés throughout the city.
Dish
6.Arroz con pollo
Rice cooked with chicken, vegetables, achiote and spices, a staple at family gatherings and lunch counters.
Where: Fondas and family restaurants at lunchtime.
Dish · Vegetarian
7.Arroz con guandú y coco
Rice cooked with pigeon peas and coconut milk, a Caribbean-influenced dish traditionally served at Christmas and New Year.
Where: Traditional restaurants and fondas, especially in December.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Geisha coffee
The highlands of Boquete in western Panama grow the Geisha variety, famous for its floral, tea-like flavour, which has reached some of the highest prices at specialty coffee auctions.
Where: Specialty coffee shops in Casco Viejo and El Cangrejo serve Geisha and other Panamanian single origins.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Seco Herrerano
A clear sugar-cane spirit from the province of Herrera, Panama's national liquor, drunk with soda, in cocktails or mixed with milk.
Where: Bars throughout the city; ask for a seco with soda and lime.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Raspao
Shaved ice topped with fruit syrup and sweetened condensed milk, sold from carts on hot afternoons.
Where: Street carts along the Cinta Costera, in parks and around Casco Viejo.
Drink · Vegetarian
11.Chicheme
A thick, sweet drink of cooked corn, milk, cinnamon and vanilla, served cold.
Where: Fondas, markets and traditional restaurants.
Food experiences
Ceviche at the fish market
Order cups of ceviche from the stalls at the Mercado de Mariscos and eat them by the water with a cold beer.
Casco Viejo rooftop dinner
Several restaurants and hotels in the old town have rooftop terraces with views of the skyline across the bay, best at sunset.
Fonda lunch
Fondas serve inexpensive set lunches of rice, beans, meat or fish, salad and patacones; look for the daily menu on a board outside.
Specialty coffee tasting
Coffee shops in Casco Viejo and El Cangrejo offer tastings of Panamanian single-origin beans, including Geisha.
Quick bites and street food
- Patacones — Almost every restaurant and fonda; they come with fish, ceviche and meats.
- Carimañolas — Bakeries, breakfast counters and fondas, especially in the mornings.
- Hojaldras — Fondas and breakfast cafés throughout the city.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Patacones, Hojaldras, Arroz con guandú y coco, Geisha coffee, Seco Herrerano, Raspao and Chicheme. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Restaurant bills may include a service charge; if not, tip around 10%.
- Prices are in US dollars, and small change comes in Panamanian balboa coins, which are the same size and value as US coins.
- Lunch is the main meal for many locals, and fondas serve good-value set menus.
- Book rooftop restaurants in Casco Viejo for sunset at weekends.
- Tap water in Panama City is generally safe to drink.
Tipping
Tip about 10% in restaurants if service is not included. Taxi drivers do not expect tips; tip guides and drivers on tours a few dollars per person.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días | Good morning |
| ¿Qué xopá? | What's up? (local slang) |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much is it? |
| Chévere | Cool / great |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Panama City famous for?
Sancocho, Ceviche, Patacones and Carimañolas. Panama's national dish is a chicken soup with ñame (yam), corn and culantro, a broad-leaf herb related to coriander, usually served with white rice on the side.
+Is Panama City good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Patacones, Hojaldras and Arroz con guandú y coco.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Panama City?
Tip about 10% in restaurants if service is not included. Taxi drivers do not expect tips; tip guides and drivers on tours a few dollars per person.