Bocas del Toro Archipelago Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Bocas del Toro Archipelago - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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12 Recommendations
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1. El Ultimo Refugio
$$$ | | EclecticFor a break from plantains and battered fish, this darling tin-roof restaurant with live music and a menu based on the freshest-of-the-fresh...
For a break from plantains and battered fish, this darling tin-roof restaurant with live music and a menu based on the freshest-of-the-fresh, is truly the “ultimate refuge” from the typical Bocas culinary scene. Strings of bulbs dangle above wooden tables on wide-plank floors perched over the water. Vegetables are refreshing and vibrant, and salsas are sweet and tangy atop mahimahi and tuna tartare served with homemade chips. The beetroot salad with blue cheese is excellent, as are mains like octopus on white bean puree or creamy shrimp risotto with sun-dried tomatoes and fried pumpkin seeds. The chef caters to vegans with flavorful yellow curry on coconut jasmine rice. The peanut butter Snickers pie has been known to make repeat customers out of those only in town for a week.
Calle 6a, Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6726–9851Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends. No lunch. Usually closed Sept. or Oct. -
2. Guari-Guari
$$$$ | | MediterraneanWooden tables, plastic chairs, and a tin roof hardly do justice to the spectacular six-course, prix-fixe dinner served here. A great deal of...
Wooden tables, plastic chairs, and a tin roof hardly do justice to the spectacular six-course, prix-fixe dinner served here. A great deal of effort (and love) goes into each dish, prepared by Spanish chef Monica, who abandoned her law profession to be with German engineer "Ossi" (who serves as the restaurant's charming waiter). Together they have managed to break the barriers of Bocas's typical fare with a tasting menu that includes tuna carpaccio, spinach salad, and pork tenderloin with roasted potatoes and blue cheese sauce. Adding to the experience is the sound of crashing waves near the open-air restaurant. The menu changes daily, and special vegetarian courses can be provided upon request. Since the restaurant is surrounded by lush vegetation, mosquito coils are lit beside each table to keep the bugs away.
Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6627–1825Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed., Reservations essential -
3. Blue Coconut
$$ | | CaribbeanOnly in Bocas del Toro would you find the area’s best bar built on stilts over the water in the middle of nowhere. Ten minutes outside of Bocas...
Only in Bocas del Toro would you find the area’s best bar built on stilts over the water in the middle of nowhere. Ten minutes outside of Bocas Town on Isla Solarte, this palapa bar-restaurant lures travelers who show up even before it opens at noon. Blue Coconut is known for its cold beers, fruity cocktails, reggae music, and crystal waters so clear you can see the bottom. Soak up the powerful drinks with a plate of yucca fries, fish tacos, coconut chicken, and blackened fish sandwiches. There are complimentary lounge chairs, hammocks, and snorkel gear, as well as stand-up paddleboards ($7/hour). This ultimate chill spot has excellent snorkeling, especially beneath the dock where neon fish nibble at pylons and coral. A boat taxi from Bocas runs about $10.
Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6762–2058Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner -
4. Buena Vista Bar & Grill
$$ | | AmericanAs one of Boca’s first restaurants catering to tourists, this waterfront bar and grill has been offering fresh ingredients with a view since...
As one of Boca’s first restaurants catering to tourists, this waterfront bar and grill has been offering fresh ingredients with a view since 1997. Perched over the water, the back deck is one of the most pleasant places in town to have a meal since it overlooks the sea and nearby Isla Carenero. Start with the bean dip blended with cream, and move on to tasty dishes like the Greek wrap dribbled in homemade tzatziki or the fresh catch of the day. The menu ranges from filet mignon to the more daring jambalaya, enchiladas, and ginger-orange shrimp. Salads, burgers, and sandwiches made with imported meats and cheeses makes it a popular lunch spot. Save room for the Bocas Brownie made with organic Cerutti chocolate. Breakfast is served daily and there’s Happy Hour from 5 to 7.
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5. Gringo's
$$ | | MexicanDive," "hole in the wall," "joint,". . . Bocas's expat community has various terms of endearment for this Mexican restaurant a block west of...
"Dive," "hole in the wall," "joint,". . . Bocas's expat community has various terms of endearment for this Mexican restaurant a block west of the central park. All agree that the fresh margaritas and Mexican food here are top-notch. The homemade salsas crafted with roasted onion, tomato, and pepper dress up the enchiladas, burritos, and taco salads. Dine inside the small restaurant itself—Mexican music videos are usually playing—or outdoors on the more spacious covered patio.
Av. E at Calle 4, Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6902–4759Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
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6. La Casbah
$$ | | EclecticIt would be an understatement to say that this tiny roadside eatery doesn't look like much. With digs like these, you have to stay on top of...
It would be an understatement to say that this tiny roadside eatery doesn't look like much. With digs like these, you have to stay on top of your kitchen to compete with restaurants on the water, and the Belgian chef does just that. His global menu hops from trout with slivered almonds to shrimp in a Sambuca cream sauce. Daily specials are a good bet, or you can stick with such local favorites as pork loin in a Marsala wine sauce or fish of the day in a coconut sauce. The tapas and gazpacho are perfect for a lighter meal. From 8 am to 2 pm, this restaurant operates as Funfetti Bakery selling smoothies, pancakes, brownies, and other sweet treats.
Av. Norte, between Calles 3 and 4, Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6477–4727Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch -
7. Om Café
$$ | | IndianYou can get authentic Indian cuisine in Bocas del Toro at this cozy café atop a gift shop. Owner Sunanda Mehra is a Canadian of Punjabi descent...
You can get authentic Indian cuisine in Bocas del Toro at this cozy café atop a gift shop. Owner Sunanda Mehra is a Canadian of Punjabi descent who raided her aunt's cookbook before running off to Panama. You can savor such improbable delicacies as her butter chicken, shrimp masala, mattar paneer, or any of a half-dozen vegetable dishes. Choose your level of heat on the curry dishes, slowly cooked with a blend of colorful spices. You can also request to have any dish wrapped in a flour tortilla. Be sure to try a refreshing fruit lassi, prepared the traditional way with homemade yogurt, rosewater, sugar, and cardamom.
Calle 3, near Av. A, Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6127–0671Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed weekends and May–June 15. No lunch -
8. Raw Fusion
$$ | | JapaneseIs there any better name than "Raw" for a sushi restaurant? The Canadian owner prefers to refer to her restaurant's cuisine as Japanese fusion...
Is there any better name than "Raw" for a sushi restaurant? The Canadian owner prefers to refer to her restaurant's cuisine as Japanese fusion, and the menu here expands beyond classic sushi to include shrimp tempura and salad rolls. This lively place has become a favorite among Bocas's large expat community, but all are welcome, resident and visitor alike. Dine inside if your group counts more than two. The tables overlook the water. Smaller tables line a long pier jutting out into the bay. Raw does a brisk business each evening during its 4–6 pm happy hour.
Calle 3 at Av. C, Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6938–8473Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch -
9. Roots
$$ | | CaribbeanPerched over the sea near the center of Old Bank, this rustic, open-air restaurant is known for serving authentic bocatoreña food. House...
Perched over the sea near the center of Old Bank, this rustic, open-air restaurant is known for serving authentic bocatoreña food. House specialties include Caribbean chicken (in a mildly spicy sauce), fresh lobster, shrimp, and conch, listed as "snail" on the menu. They are served with a hearty mix of coconut rice, red beans, and a simple cabbage salad. The ambience—a thatch roof with tables and chairs made from tree trunks—is equally authentic.
On the water east of police post, , PanamaRestaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. -
10. Taco Surf Bocas
$ | | MexicanOn the edge of Parque Central, this exalted taco stand is the go-to spot for surfers and travelers addicted to the Baja California cuisine prepared...
On the edge of Parque Central, this exalted taco stand is the go-to spot for surfers and travelers addicted to the Baja California cuisine prepared by San Diego natives Jeff and Justine Catalano. Fish burritos, carne asado nachos, and chicken tacos are piled high with organic goodness like guacamole, cilantro, cabbage, and salsas with a kick. Mains come with yummy sides of rice, beans, and chips, perfect to wash down with a ginger mint margarita or fruit smoothie mixed with green apple, banana, and spinach. Late risers can order breakfast burritos all day long, or cure hangovers with acai bowls made with maca powder, cacao nibs, and homemade granola. Broken short-boards line the walls of this cool garden setting, proving that even surfers have bad days.
Mono Loco Surf School, 2nd St., Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6951–5739Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed., Thurs., and Sept. -
11. El Pecado Da Sabor
$ | | EclecticClosed PermanentlyNestled under a garden palapa, this eatery—whose name translates as "The Sin Adds Flavor"—is one of Bocas's best. The "sin" might refer to gluttony...
Nestled under a garden palapa, this eatery—whose name translates as "The Sin Adds Flavor"—is one of Bocas's best. The "sin" might refer to gluttony—a temptation when faced with puff pastries filled with almond chicken or beef tenderloin with a creamy blue cheese sauce. Certainly, the food is sinfully good, and the colorful decor includes candles and giant devil masks left over from Carnival celebrations. The wait staff is friendly and attentive, and the food presentation makes the meal equally delightful. Avoid Sundays when music from neighboring bars drowns out the pleasantness of the open-air setting.
At the entrance of Cabana, behind Pizza Libre, Isla Colón, Bocas del Toro, Bocas del Toro, Panama507-6597–0296Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and May–June. No lunch -
12. 9°
$$$ | | MediterraneanClosed PermanentlyNamed for Boca's geographical coordinates on the globe, this waterfront eatery is considered Boca's most upscale restaurant with its white linens...
Named for Boca's geographical coordinates on the globe, this waterfront eatery is considered Boca's most upscale restaurant with its white linens and candlelight reflecting off polished wood floors. A blend of Caribbean and French cuisine, the menu features such dishes as filet mignon stuffed with blue cheese and Caribbean vol au vent (pastry filled with octopus and lobster). Try one of the innovative appetizers like a ceviche martini or mushroom cigar. Presentation and service are priorities here, and everything is made in-house including the breads and pastas. The restaurant can be accessed from the water or from the entrance at the end of the Tropical Markets.
North end of Calle 1, Bocas del Toro, Bocas del Toro, Panama-757–9400Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun
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