Panama City isn’t often known for its food, but there are a ton of great restaurants that we would recommend you check out! Here are some of our favorites must-eat in Panama City places from our time living there:
8 Best Panama City Restaurants
Mercado de Mariscos (Seafood Market)
As you would expect of a Central American coastal city, it has a bustling seafood market, where freshly caught fish and shellfish are sold every day by merchants working with fishermen. But in addition to the market itself, the Mercado also has a fervent restaurant scene in the same area, where the fresh seafood is cooked and served to you directly, at your convenience.
Our favorite is to order ceviche, a whole fried fish, some patacones on the side, and a cold local beer to end it on. It’s a nice meal that way!
Fonda Lo Que Hay
Affordable, classic-but-with-a-twist Panamanian fare in a relaxed environment. Fonda Lo Que Hay offers delicious seafood for a very reasonable price. Check it out while you’re in town, but only for lunch and dinner.
Tantalo
A busy hotel restaurant and bar, Tantalo is located near Panama City’s Casco Viejo, offering a lovely view of the area from their rooftop bar.
Tantalo offers food options inspired by worldwide cuisine, not just Panama’s, but there is no shortage of Panama-inspired dishes. Ceviche, tamale, jumbo shrimp, and even tuna sashimi. One of our favorite dishes there was the elote, which is a traditional Mexican dish. They also have a sizable collection of vegetarian dishes, too.
Mahalo
Mahalo is located in the Casco Viejo and their food is designed to be lovely but not leave you feeling heavier when you leave. With vegan and vegetarian options, this place is perfect for everyone to join for lunch.
For breakfast, try the eggs Benedict, avocado tostada, Apple, and cinnamon oatmeal, or huevos rancheros. And for lunch and dinner, you have the options of tuna tartar, chicken tacos, lobster risotto, hamburgers, and even Indian Murgh Makhani (better known to Americans as Butter Chicken) among others. Mahalo is Canadian-owned so if you are Canadian like us and missing Caesars, this is a great place to get a traditional Canadain Caesar! #ifyouknowyouknow
Tacos La Neta
Also located in Casco Viejo, Tacos La Neta is a rooftop restaurant specializing in, you guessed it, tacos. You’ll find other hispanic fare here, like burritos, esquites, sopa de tortillas, and for dessert, items like tres leches and flan.
This restaurant also offers vegetarian options, drinks, and, in non-Corona times, live music and dancing. This was one of our favorite places to grab dinner in Casco Viejo after taking Spanish lessons at Casco Antiguo Spanish School.
Maagoo’s Fish Tacos
For an excellent fish taco using fresh ingredients in an air-conditioned and relaxed environment, you can’t do better than Maagoo’s. They offer other staples, too, like ceviche and burritos. But the option unique to them is their fish chili.
It’s just another great spot with good food and it’s right near the Panama Canal visitors center!
Pizzi Gluten-Free Pizza
If it seems odd to recommend a pizza place in Panama City, you’re not alone. But for those who have seafood allergies or simply dislike it, it can be nice to break away from the fish-filled atmosphere of most other restaurants in town. And doubly so for anyone with celiac disease or an allergy to gluten.
We did not expect to find gluten-free pizza while we were in Panama City, and this was such a pleasant surprise, especially because it is so delicious!
Cafe Unido
Cafe Unido is the best option for a quick coffee stop that will blow your mind with how good their coffee is. They offer standard Starbucks-like bites to eat, such as breakfast sandwiches and wraps, but also omelettes, scrambles, and pancakes. One of our favorites is the burger, and if you’re keto or gluten-free, they can make it on a lettuce wrap!
And to top it all off, you can buy their coffee through their website and have it delivered to you long after you’ve packed your bags and headed home.
Find these Restaurants on a Map:
We hope this list gives you some options to choose from when looking for a place to eat in Panama City!
If you want to learn more about Panama, you can listen to this episode on Panama City or this episode on Boquete.
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