Panamanian cuisine: 12 dishes you absolutely must eat

Important — This article is field experience May 2026. The fondas listed are my personal addresses (verified many times) — they may close or change. For the updated version, subscribe to the Inside Panama newsletter.

Why Panamanian cuisine deserves discovery

Forbes Centroamérica named Panama “gastronomic reference” of the region in 2024. Reason: the cuisine is a flavor crossroads:

• Indigenous (yuca, ñame, corn, chili)
• Spanish (sancocho inherited from Andalusian ajiaco)
• African (Caribbean coconut rice)
• Antillean (ropa vieja, callaloo)
• Asian (the Chinese community in Panama is over a century old — 4% of the population)

Here are the 12 dishes to try in your first 72 hours, in the order I recommend to my readers.

1. Sancocho — The national soup

What it is: free-range chicken broth simmered with ñame (yam), corn, culantro (long coriander with a stronger taste than regular cilantro), onion, garlic.

When to eat it: Sunday lunch with family. Considered “the cure for everything” by Panamanians (especially after a boozy night).

Where:

• Fonda Mercado del Mariscos (Mariscos zone): $4-5 per bowl
• Donde José (Casco Viejo): Michelin-chef version, $18
• Café Coca-Cola (Casco Viejo): the city’s most popular version, $4, open since 1875

2. Arroz con Pollo — The family-gathering dish

What it is: rice with saffron or achiote (orange-red) cooked with chicken, vegetables (peppers, carrots, peas), olives, capers. Served with patacones.

When to eat it: Sunday lunch, Panamanian birthdays, family celebrations.

Where:

• Fonda Niko’s Café (chain, 8 locations): $6-8
• El Trapiche (San Francisco): traditional version $9, in a family-restaurant atmosphere

3. Panamanian Ceviche — The seaside snack

What it is: white fish or shrimp marinated in lime juice, red onion, cilantro. The flesh “cooks” chemically by citric acid. Served in a tall glass with cassava crackers.

Variants:

• Corvina ceviche (traditional white fish) — the most common
• Camarón ceviche (shrimp) — more delicate texture
• Mixto ceviche — mix of fish + shrimp + octopus

Where — IMPERATIVE:

• Mercado de Mariscos (Avenida Balboa): THE temple of ceviche. $3-5 the big glass, standing at the counter. Choose a counter with a long Panamanian line — that’s the quality marker. Peak hours: 12pm-2pm.
• Maito (San Francisco): Michelin-chef version, $18-22
• Tantalo (Casco Viejo): cocktail-friendly version, $14

⚠️ Avoid: bottled ceviche in grocery stores (doesn’t keep, listeria risk), and “ceviches” served in touristy bars after 5pm (prepped at start of service, rapid degradation at room temperature).

4. Patacones — The universal side

What it is: slices of GREEN plantain (so not sweet) flattened with a spatula then fried twice. Crispy, salty, addictive.

How to eat them: with about anything. Dipped in sancocho sauce. As a side with chicken. With some fresh cheese (local tortillera) and an avocado. And at breakfast with scrambled eggs.

Where to find them: everywhere. The best are in popular fondas or at Riba Smith (freshly prepared on-site, $3 the bag).

5. Ropa Vieja — The Caribbean heritage

What it is: shredded beef slowly simmered in a tomato sauce with peppers, onions, garlic, white wine, cumin. The name literally means “old clothes” — referring to the shredded fibers.

When to eat it: copious lunch or dinner with family. Served with white rice and patacones.

Where:

• El Patio del Sancocho (Marbella): $8-10
• Maito: premium version $24
• La Posta (Punta Pacífica): 1950s jazz atmosphere, $16

6. Tortilla Panameña — The default breakfast

Important: it’s NOT the Spanish tortilla (omelette). It’s a fried corn cake 2 cm thick, slightly crispy outside, soft inside.

How to eat it: at breakfast, topped with scrambled eggs or salchicha (Panamanian sausage) + fresh fruit juice. $2-4 at any morning fonda.

Where:

• Café Coca-Cola (Casco Viejo): $3 tortilla + eggs + coffee combo
• Café Athen’s (Casco Viejo): brunch version $8, daily newspapers atmosphere

7. Carimañola — The yuca croquette

What it is: torpedo-shaped croquette, made of pounded yuca (cooked cassava) stuffed with minced beef or cheese. Fried until golden.

Ideal snack: $1-2 at fondas, perfect for a 5pm hunger.

Where: markets (Mercado del Marisco, Mercado de Abastos) or street stalls in Casco Viejo and Bella Vista.

8. Tamales — The Sunday gift

What it is: corn dough stuffed with meat (most often chicken, sometimes pork), wrapped in banana leaves and steamed 2-3 hours. Every family has its secret recipe.

When to eat them: very popular at Christmas (the December tamaladas gather 20-30 people to roll 200 tamales) and at Carnival. $3-5 per tamal.

Where:

• Mercado de Abastos: daily tamales at $3, fresh and hearty
• Donde José: Michelin-chef version, $12 for 2 mini-tamales of art

9. Arroz con Coco — The Caribbean flavor

What it is: rice cooked in coconut milk with black or red beans. Specialty of the Caribbean coast (Bocas, Portobelo, Colón).

Why to try it: perfect palate shift after several days of “Pacific” Panama City cuisine.

Where:

• Mareas Coffee Shop (Casco Viejo): urban version, $6
• In Bocas del Toro: everywhere, it’s the regional specialty, $4-7

10. Concolón — The well-kept secret

What it is: not a dish strictly speaking, but the thin golden crispy layer that forms at the bottom of the rice pot. Considered the most flavorful part by Panamanians — who fight over it at family meals.

How to get it: ask at fondas “¿hay concolón?” — if yes, they’ll serve you a piece with your arroz con pollo. Not all chefs make it (more delicate cooking). The good fondas have it.

11. Geisha Coffee from Boquete — Liquid gold

What it is: an Arabica coffee variety grown in Boquete (Chiriquí Highlands). Floral notes of jasmine, red fruits, citrus.

Why world-famous: Geisha Hacienda La Esmeralda sold for over $6,000/kg at auction in 2024. It’s statistically the most expensive coffee in the world.

Where to drink it:

• Bajareque Coffee (Casco Viejo): expert barista, comparative tasting $8
• Café Unido (Multiplaza): modern cafeteria version, $4-6 per shot
• In Boquete: guided Hacienda La Esmeralda tour $50-80/person, 4h

12. Local beers — Balboa, Atlas, Soberana, Panama

What they are: 4 light blonde beers (4-5% alcohol), pilsner-style. Heavily consumed daily.

Subjective verdict:

• Balboa: the Panamanian “Heineken”, balanced
• Panama: softer, popular
• Atlas: drier, connoisseurs’ favorite
• Soberana: economical, in every fonda

Where: $1-$1.50 per can in supermarket. $2-4 in a neighborhood bar. $5-8 in Casco Viejo rooftops. Panamanians often drink with lime in the can — not snobby, that’s the local standard.

Bonus — Drinks to try

• Chicha: water + fresh fruits (pineapple, watermelon, tamarind) sweetened. Served cold. $1-2 the tall glass. Tropical thirst quencher.
• Chicheme: corn version, creamier, sweetened. Like a liquid porridge.
• Seco Herrerano: sugarcane brandy, national drink. $1 the shot. To test with moderation.
• Raspao: shaved ice + colored syrup + condensed milk, street snack. $1.
• Batidos de frutas tropicales: fresh smoothies (mango, papaya, passion fruit). $2-4.

Tipping system (propina) — quick guide

Not automatic but expected in certain contexts:

⚠️ Always check the bill: “¿El servicio está incluido?” — some restaurants already include 10% servicio.

My 5 favorite addresses by budget

Going further

• 60 days of life in Panama City — detailed monthly budget
• Panama climate month by month — when to come
• Panama SIM card guide — your phone setup

— Inside Panama editorial team, from Bella Vista, Panama City