Panama City Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Panama City - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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1. La Posta
$$$ | | Latin AmericanElegant ambience and an innovative mix of Latin American and European flavors have kept La Posta one of Panama City's most popular restaurants...
Elegant ambience and an innovative mix of Latin American and European flavors have kept La Posta one of Panama City's most popular restaurants. Located in a refurbished house just off Calle Uruguay, it has a classic Caribbean feel, with ceiling fans, cane chairs, colorful tile floors, and potted palms. There is usually Latin music playing, and the shiny hardwood bar stretching down one end of the dining room is the perfect place to sip a mojito. The menu changes regularly, but it always includes fresh seafood, USDA beef, and organic pork and chicken prepared in inventive ways, plus a few risottos and pastas. You can check current offerings on the restaurant's website. Reserve a table in the back, overlooking the small, tropical garden, and try your best to save room for dessert.
Calle 47 and Calle Uruguay, next to Waldorf Astoria, , Panama507-269–1076Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed 2:30–7; closed Sun. -
2. Manolo Caracol
$$$$ | | MediterraneanOwned by Spanish chef Manolo Madueño, this restaurant-cum-art gallery in a restored colonial building is dedicated to the joy of dining, with...
Owned by Spanish chef Manolo Madueño, this restaurant-cum-art gallery in a restored colonial building is dedicated to the joy of dining, with a different prix-fixe menu consisting of 8 to 10 items offered each night. All you need to do is choose your beverage—perhaps a beer or a Spanish wine—and wait for the succession of succulent surprises that the waiters will deliver shortly after you scrape each plate clean. Meals tend to be strong on seafood, but there are always a couple of meat dishes. Manolo's is for people who like to eat big, so if you're a light eater, or are on a budget, you should head elsewhere. With its eclectic shrine to the Virgin Mary, and ancient, whitewashed walls hung with modern art, it's a charming spot to spend a few hours, which is how long dinner will take, especially when Manolo is there working the crowd. It gets noisy on weekend nights, when it can be hard to carry on a conversation, and it can get awfully hot at the tables near the cooking area, which is in the central back part of the dining area.
Av. Central and Calle 3 Este, , Panama507-228–4640Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential -
3. Market
$$$ | | SteakhouseThis trendy steak house a block off busy Calle Uruguay is the best option for a meat lover, whether you're in the mood for filet mignon or a...
This trendy steak house a block off busy Calle Uruguay is the best option for a meat lover, whether you're in the mood for filet mignon or a cheeseburger. You can get USDA Omaha beef here, but it costs considerably more than the Panamanian beef. The chicken and pork are organic and free-range from the restaurant's own farm. You can also get such American classics as a Cobb salad or a side of macaroni and cheese, which are no doubt novelties for the predominantly Panamanian clientele. The steaks are excellent, but so is the Moroccan-style chicken with couscous, and the salmon grille beurre maitre d'hôtel. There's an extensive wine list, and the service is excellent. You may want to reserve a table on weekends, when this place gets packed and noisy. They also serve brunch from 11:30 to 2:30 on weekends.
Calle 48 between Calle Uruguay and Aquino de La Guardia, , Panama507-226–9401Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. 2:30–6:30; closed Thurs. and Fri. 3:30–6:30 -
4. The Dining Room at American Trade Hotel
$$$$ | Panama City | InternationalSet in the high-ceilinged lobby of the American Trade Hotel, The Dining Room is an elegant venue that pays great attention to detail. The stylish...
Set in the high-ceilinged lobby of the American Trade Hotel, The Dining Room is an elegant venue that pays great attention to detail. The stylish decor blends antique and contemporary touches, and the cuisine is largely the work of chef Clara Icaza, a well-regarded culinary expert who was named one of the top 20 young chefs by the Spanish-language Gato Pardo magazine. Top dinner choices feature an array of meat and seafood creations, including corn-dusted filet of cobia served with spicy piccata sauce, and beef tenderloin served with a sweet potato tamale and guava sauce. The wine list is equally impressive, with varietals from regions including Argentina, Australia, Chile, Italy, and Spain.
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5. 1985
$$$ | | FrenchNamed for the year it opened, this restaurant serves traditional French and Swiss cuisine in an eclectic mix of dining rooms. It holds the strange...
Named for the year it opened, this restaurant serves traditional French and Swiss cuisine in an eclectic mix of dining rooms. It holds the strange distinction of occupying the only building in Panama City that resembles a Swiss chalet. The owner, chef Willy Dingelman, trained in Lausanne then moved to Panama three decades ago, and has since developed a small restaurant and wine-importing empire. They consequently have an excellent wine cellar. When President Ricardo Martinelli was on the campaign trail, Dingelman promised he'd share a $15,000 bottle if he won the election; there's a photo of the post-election moment on the wall at the entrance. Dingelman's original Swiss restaurant, called the Rincón Suizo, is now a rustic dining room in the back of 1985—two menus under one roof. The decor is a bit of this and a bit of that, with a cluttered collection of chairs and couches in the long entrance, but people come here for the food, such as chicken cordon bleu, tenderloin in green peppercorn sauce, raclette, bratwurst, or Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (veal chunks in a mushroom cream sauce).
Calle Eusebio A. Morales, in front of Sevilla Suites hotel, , Panama507-263–8541 -
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6. Alberto's
$$$ | | ItalianThe best tables here are across the drive from the main restaurant, overlooking the Flamenco Marina and the city skyline beyond, but they are...
The best tables here are across the drive from the main restaurant, overlooking the Flamenco Marina and the city skyline beyond, but they are also the first ones to fill up. The other options are to sit on the large covered terrace, cooled by ceiling fans, or in the air-conditioned dining room. The food here is good, but the service can be leisurely. The menu has something for everyone, including a good selection of pizzas and pastas, but seafood is usually the best choice. You can start with duo de mar (corvina and lobster in béchamel sauce) or mero (grouper) carpaccio, and move on to pizza, salmon ravioli in a creamy tomato sauce, corvina al cartucho (sea bass and julienne vegetables broiled in foil), or langostinos provençal (prawns sautéed with fine herbs and tomatoes). You may want to walk around the island a few times before visiting their Italian ice cream shop.
Edificio Fuerte Amador, Isla Flamenco, , Panama507-314–1134 -
7. Beirut
$$ | | LebaneseThe interior of this Lebanese restaurant goes a bit overboard, with faux-stone columns and arches, but the food is consistently good, and the...
The interior of this Lebanese restaurant goes a bit overboard, with faux-stone columns and arches, but the food is consistently good, and the waitstaff is attentive. The extensive menu goes beyond the Middle East to include dishes such as grilled salmon and pizzas, but the best bets are the Lebanese dishes, which include an array of starters such as falafel, baba ghanoush, and nearly a dozen salads that can make for an inexpensive, light meal. It's a good choice for vegetarians. Be sure to order some fresh flat bread to go with your meal. Belly dancers perform on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 9 pm. There is a collection of hookahs for smoking on the patio, which is a nice place to eat at night, as long as it isn't full of hookah smokers. The owner also has a restaurant on the Amador Causeway.
Calles 52 and Ricardo Arias, across from Panama Marriott Hotel, , Panama507-214–3815 -
8. Caffé Pomodoro
$$ | | ItalianDecent Italian food at reasonable prices served amidst tropical foliage make this restaurant in the Hotel Las Vegas a local favorite. Though...
Decent Italian food at reasonable prices served amidst tropical foliage make this restaurant in the Hotel Las Vegas a local favorite. Though there is a small air-conditioned dining room, the nicest tables are on the hotel's large interior patio, with its tropical trees, potted plants, and palms decorated with swirling Christmas lights. At lunch, it feels like a jungle oasis in the heart of the city, with birds singing in the branches above. The food is standard Italian, with eight varieties of homemade pastas served with any of a dozen different sauces, a variety of broiled meat and seafood dishes, personal pizzas, and focaccia sandwiches. For dessert, choose from chocolate cheesecake, tiramisu, and other treats. There is usually a guitarist playing at dinnertime Monday through Saturday, and the Wine Bar next door has acoustic Latin music until late.
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9. Costa Azul
$$$ | | Latin AmericanA bit of an institution, this large, 24-hour restaurant half a block south of Vía España is where locals head for a good meal at a reasonable...
A bit of an institution, this large, 24-hour restaurant half a block south of Vía España is where locals head for a good meal at a reasonable price. The decor in the large, bright restaurant is functional, and the service can be slow when it's busy, but the terrace in front is a good place for people watching. The menu ranges from Panamanian classics such as bistec a la criolla (steak in a tomato sauce) to Spanish dishes such as corvina a la vasca (sea bass in a shrimp and clam sauce). An extensive list of daily specials printed on a piece of paper inserted into the menu is usually the best option, both in terms of price and freshness. They also make about 40 different emparedados (sandwiches), including the classic Cubano with salami, ham, roast beef, cheese, and toppings.
Calle Ricardo Arias, between Hotel Continental and Panama Marriott, , Panama507-269–0409 -
10. Ego y Narciso
$$$ | | ItalianThis small restaurant has tables on Plaza Bolívar, overlooking the Iglesia de San Francisco, making it one of Panama City's more charming dinner...
This small restaurant has tables on Plaza Bolívar, overlooking the Iglesia de San Francisco, making it one of Panama City's more charming dinner spots. If you can't handle the heat, though, you can always move into the air-conditioned dining room in the historic building across the street. The menu is a mix of Latin American and Italian cuisines, an example being chicken ravioli with a spicy Peruvian cream sauce called ají de gallina. They offer several other fresh pastas, as well as seafood and meat dishes. Popular starters include seafood carpaccio, Peruvian ceviche, and mini brochetas: try the breaded pork option with sesame seeds and tamarind sauce. Those tapas and the gorgeous setting make this a good spot for cocktails and appetizers even if you dine elsewhere.
Calle 3 Este y Av. Sucre, on Plaza Bolívar, , Panama507-262–2045 -
11. El Trapiche
$ | | Latin AmericanEl Trapiche is a popular spot for traditional Panamanian food, thanks to its convenient location and reasonable prices. The menu includes all...
El Trapiche is a popular spot for traditional Panamanian food, thanks to its convenient location and reasonable prices. The menu includes all the local favorites, from ropa vieja (stewed beef) to cazuelo de mariscos (seafood stew) and sancocho (chicken soup). They serve inexpensive set lunches, and typical Panamanian breakfasts, which include bistec encebollado (skirt steak smothered in onions), tortillas (thick deep-fried corn patties), and carimañolas (cassava croquets stuffed with ground beef). The decor is appropriately folksy, with drums, Carnaval masks, and other handicrafts hanging on the walls, and a barrel-tile awning over the front terrace, at the end of which is the old trapiche (traditional sugarcane press) for which the place is named. The owners also have a branch location at Albrook Mall.
Vía Argentina, 2 blocks off Vía España, , Panama507-269–4353 -
12. Fusion Restaurant
$$$ | | EclecticThis restaurant combines wild decor with an inventive menu that melds the cuisines of three continents. The central dining area looks like something...
This restaurant combines wild decor with an inventive menu that melds the cuisines of three continents. The central dining area looks like something out of a Hollywood adventure movie, dominated by a 20-foot bust reminiscent of the statues on Easter Island. By day, sunlight glistens down through portholes in the bottom of the pool on the roof. If the statue is a bit too much for you, look for a table in the other dining area, where the artistic decor includes giant vases and a wall of TVs broadcasting fire images. The menu matches the atmosphere with an inventive mix of Continental, Asian, and Latin American cuisines that is true to the restaurant's name. You can start your dinner with Peruvian ceviche or turkey ginger spring rolls, then dive into some shrimp and vegetables in a coconut curry, lamb ribs with a sweet and spicy sauce, or creamy lobster risotto with palm fruit.
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13. Gauchos
$$$ | | ArgentineThis Argentine restaurant in a Spanish-style house on Calle Uruguay is for serious carnivores who like their steaks big, tender, and juicy....
This Argentine restaurant in a Spanish-style house on Calle Uruguay is for serious carnivores who like their steaks big, tender, and juicy. The meat is USDA, but the cuts are mostly Argentine, such as the bife de chorizo, a thick sirloin cut, or the filete en trozo, a 16-ounce slice of filet mignon. They are served with chimichuri, whereas salads and sides, such as a baked potato, are à la carte. The restaurant also serves corvina, langostinos, and a dozen salads, but the real attraction here is the beef. Big windows surround the kitchen, so you can watch cooks slap slabs of meat onto the grill, or you can admire the cowhides, black-and-white photos, and paintings of gauchos (Argentine cowboys) that adorn the walls.
Calle Uruguay and Calle 48, , Panama507-263–4469 -
14. Golden Unicorn
$$ | | ChineseHidden on the fourth floor of the Evergreen Building, down the street from the Sheraton Panama, the Golden Unicorn is one of Panama's best Chinese...
Hidden on the fourth floor of the Evergreen Building, down the street from the Sheraton Panama, the Golden Unicorn is one of Panama's best Chinese restaurants. A Cantonese restaurant that serves some Mandarin and Szechuan dishes, its a popular weekend spot with families who gather around its large round tables and order enough dishes to fill the lazy Susan. The menu is as long as a novella, and is written in Chinese, Spanish, and English. You can't go wrong with dishes such as pollo salteado con setas (sautéed chicken and seta mushrooms), pato salteado con piña y jengibre (sautéed duck with pineapple and ginger), langostinos Yau Pau (prawns with mini vegetables), or the spicy Szechuan shrimp. They also serve dim sum, the traditional Chinese breakfast, starting at 7:30 am. The spacious dining room has walls of windows that afford ocean views, beyond the roof of the ATLAPA Convention Center.
Edificio Evergreen, 4th floor, , Panama507-226–3838 -
15. Kayuco
$$ | | Latin AmericanThis collection of simple tables shaded by umbrellas at the edge of the Flamenco Marina is the place to go for an inexpensive dinner or a cold...
This collection of simple tables shaded by umbrellas at the edge of the Flamenco Marina is the place to go for an inexpensive dinner or a cold drink with a view. The food is basic but good—the Panamanian version of bar food—with dishes such as ceviche, sea bass fingers, hamburgers, and whole fried snapper, all served with yuca (fried cassava root) or patacones (plantain slices that have been fried and smashed). The relaxed atmosphere and low prices are a winning combination, and the place is packed on weekend nights.
Isla Flamenco, , Panama507-314–1998 -
16. L'Ostería
$$$ | | ItalianQuality Italian cuisine served amid ancient walls make L'Ostería a popular dinner option. The restaurant is located under the Casa del Horno...
Quality Italian cuisine served amid ancient walls make L'Ostería a popular dinner option. The restaurant is located under the Casa del Horno boutique hotel, in a restored colonial building, and the back patio, with its stone walls and small garden, is a lovely spot to spend a couple hours. The menu includes a small selection of pizzas, pastas, meat, and seafood dishes. Try the pennette with a zucchini and almond pesto sauce, corvina alla piastra (sautéed sea bass served with grilled vegetables), or one of the excellent pizzas.
Av. B between Calle 7 and Calle 8, , Panama507-212–0809Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch -
17. La Mexicanita
$ | | MexicanThis unassuming Mexican eatery on the corner of Parque Urracá serves a small selection of homemade Tex-Mex standards at very reasonable prices...
This unassuming Mexican eatery on the corner of Parque Urracá serves a small selection of homemade Tex-Mex standards at very reasonable prices. Tortillas and chips are house-made, and the guacamole is whipped up to order. There's a fairly predictable lineup that includes soft tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tostadas, and a combo platter called the "Especial La Mexicanita." Wash it down with a Mexican beer, margarita, or horchata (a sweet, cinnamony drink). The ambience is "nothin' fancy," limited to a few, time-faded Mexican tourism posters, but this place is all about the food.
Calle 45, Edificio La Exitosa, , Panama507-203–1464Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
18. Las Clementinas Café & Bar
$$$ | | EclecticAn eclectic blend of Panamanian, European, and Asian cuisines and the choice of dining in an old-world café or a distinctly tropical patio make...
An eclectic blend of Panamanian, European, and Asian cuisines and the choice of dining in an old-world café or a distinctly tropical patio make a meal at Las Clementinas a memorable experience. The bright dining room evokes a Parisian bistro, with its large, arched windows, tile floors, and long, marble-topped bar, and the lush garden patio is a lovely spot for an intimate dinner. The menu ranges from sea bass with jasmine rice and roasted eggplant to three-chili-braised goat tacos with homemade corn tortillas. They offer several cuts of beef and a selection of sandwiches, soups, and salads, and a popular Sunday brunch. It can get quite lively on weekend nights, when reservations are recommended, but as soon as things calm down, the manager usually sits down at the piano and plays a song.
Av. B and Calle 11, , Panama507-228–7613Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
19. Masala Indian Cuisine
$$$$ | | IndianPanama City's best Indian restaurant is also one of your surest bets for going vegetarian in a town short on options for herbivores. The shrine...
Panama City's best Indian restaurant is also one of your surest bets for going vegetarian in a town short on options for herbivores. The shrine behind the bar shows a traditionally dressed Indian woman making the gesture meaning "welcome," and owners Koreena Bajwa and César Marín certainly make guests feel that way. Their authentic north Indian cuisine is served in cozy, colorfully decorated dining rooms, which include an area for shoeless dining on the floor on plush cushions. Just about any of the dozens of vegetarian, chicken, and lamb options on the menu are guaranteed to make your taste buds smile. A great nonmeat option is the thali, a plate that includes four hefty samplers including beans or lentils and a yogurt-based dish. This popular restaurant is small, so reservations are essential.
Justo Arosemena, between Calles 44 and 45, , Panama507-225–0105Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential -
20. Mi Ranchito
$$ | | Latin AmericanTopped by a giant thatch roof that has become an Amador Causeway landmark, Mi Ranchito has a great view of the city across the bay and is one...
Topped by a giant thatch roof that has become an Amador Causeway landmark, Mi Ranchito has a great view of the city across the bay and is one of the best places in town to sample Panamanian cuisine. The food isn't gourmet, but it's authentic and inexpensive. House specialties include various ceviches, corvina entera frita (a whole fried sea bass), crema de mariscos (seafood chowder), camarones a la criolla (shrimp in a tomato and onion sauce), corvina al ajillo (sea bass in a garlic sauce), and a rib-eye steak encebollado (smothered in onions). They serve tasy batidos (frozen fruit drinks) made from papaya, piña (pineapple), and other tropical fruits; this is an excellent spot for a drink at sunset, when the skyline glows. At night, you can enjoy the live Latin music, often traditional Panamanian.
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