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Best Food in Panama City (2026)
Begin your culinary tour in the historic Casco Viejo district, where cobblestone streets are lined with top-rated restaurants. For a memorable first meal, book a table at Donde J… 🍽️ Where to Start
Begin your culinary tour in the historic Casco Viejo district, where cobblestone streets are lined with top-rated restaurants. For a memorable first meal, book a table at Donde Jose, located at Calle 9 Este, offering a modern tasting menu that highlights local ingredients for around $60 per person. Reservations are essential, as the intimate space fills up quickly.
🌮 Street Food Staples
Don't miss the bustling Mercado de Mariscos at Avenida Balboa, where you can sample fresh ceviche for just $5 to $8 per cup. For a quick and authentic snack, try the carimañolas (yuca fritters stuffed with meat) from street vendors near the Cinta Costera. These fried treats typically cost less than $2 and are best enjoyed with a squeeze of lime.
🍤 Seafood Specialties
Head to the neighborhood of San Francisco and dine at El Trapiche, a local favorite known for its hearty Panamanian dishes, including the famous seafood rice. The restaurant, located at Vía Argentina, serves generous portions for around $15 to $20 per main course. For a more upscale option, visit Intimo at Calle 51, where the chef's tasting menu features the day's freshest catch at $45 per person.
🍜 International Flavors
Panama City's food scene is wonderfully diverse, with excellent options for Asian and Latin fusion. Try the ramen at Kome, located in the Obarrio neighborhood, where a bowl costs about $12 and the broth is simmered for hours. For Peruvian-Japanese fusion, book a table at Segundo Muelle in Punta Paitilla, where the ceviche and sushi rolls are crowd-pleasers, with mains averaging $20.
🍰 Sweet Endings
Satisfy your sweet tooth at Granclement, a beloved ice cream shop with locations in Casco Viejo and Obarrio, offering unique flavors like coconut and passion fruit for around $4 a scoop. For traditional Panamanian desserts, visit Café Unido at Calle 50, where you can pair a slice of tres leches cake with their renowned single-origin coffee. The café is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
🍺 Local Brews and Bars
After dinner, explore the craft beer scene at La Rana Dorada, a popular brewpub with locations in Casco Viejo and El Cangrejo. Their rotating taps feature local IPAs and stouts, with pints priced around $5. For a rooftop bar with a view, head to CasaCasco in Casco Viejo, where cocktails cost $10 to $15 and the sunset panorama is unbeatable.
💰 Budget Bites
If you're traveling on a budget, head to the food court at Multicentro in Punta Paitilla, where you'll find local dishes like arroz con pollo and patacones for under $8. Another great option is the fondas (small family-run eateries) in the El Cangrejo neighborhood, where a full plate of comida corriente (daily special) costs around $5. These spots offer authentic home-style cooking and are perfect for lunch.
📍 Neighborhood Gems
Venture beyond the tourist areas to the neighborhood of El Cangrejo, where you'll find a mix of casual eateries and hidden gems. Try the grilled meats at El Trapiche's sister restaurant, La Casa del Marisco, located on Vía Argentina, with mains from $12 to $18. For a unique dining experience, visit the Causeway (Calzada de Amador), where you can enjoy seafood with a view of the city skyline at restaurants like Mi Ranchito, where a whole fried fish costs about $20.
solid list, but you're missing the whole pollera congrillada scene up in the altos de panama area. not fancy, just a bunch of roadside grills off the via centenario where they char whole chickens and serve them with yuca frita and a spicy pickled onion slaw. my go-to is the one near the super 99, yellow awning, no name on the sign. half chicken with extra chimichurri runs like $7 and it feeds two if you get the patacones on the side.
also for the sweet tooth thing, granclement is good but the real move is the raspado carts in parque urraca on weekends. shaved ice with condensed milk and your choice of fruit syrups, the tamarindo one is dangerously good, like $1.50 and you'll see families there all afternoon. it's a totally different vibe than the casco spots and way more local.
the mercado de mariscos tip is solid but go early like 7am if u want the really good ceviche, they sell out of the octopus and conch by 9. also dont sleep on the patacones from the ladies with the carts right outside, theyll stuff them with whatever fish they got that morning for like $3. one thing the guide missed is the chicheme at the mercado, it's a sweet corn drink thats cold and weirdly perfect after walking around casco in the heat, grab it from the juice stall in the back corner. if ur doing don jose, try to get the late seating, the kitchen gets more playful after the first round of guests leaves.
honestly skip el trapiche on a friday night, it gets packed with tour groups and the service slows way down. go for lunch instead, the seafood rice is still fire and you'll actually get a seat without waiting an hour.
also if you're into the street food thing, check out the night stalls near the Iglesia del Carmen after 8pm, they do these grilled chorizo sandwiches with pickled onions that slap way harder than they should, like $4 and the guy's been there for years.
for coffee, cafe unido is great but the one in casco has a much better vibe than the calle 50 branch, plus you can grab a cortado and walk over to the plaza for people watching. just don't bother with the tres leches there, it's dry, get the alfajores instead.
3 Days in Panama City: Itinerary 2026
Start your trip in the historic neighborhood of Casco Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Begin at Plaza de la Independencia, then wander the colorful streets to see the Met… 🗺️ Day 1: Casco Viejo
Start your trip in the historic neighborhood of Casco Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Begin at Plaza de la Independencia, then wander the colorful streets to see the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Presidential Palace. Stop for lunch at Mercado de Mariscos, where you can try fresh ceviche for around $5. In the evening, enjoy the sunset from the Cinta Costera, a waterfront promenade that connects Casco Viejo to the city center.
🏙️ Day 2: Modern City
Spend your second day exploring the modern side of Panama City. Visit the Biomuseo, designed by Frank Gehry, located at the Amador Causeway (open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission $15). Then head to the Panama Canal Miraflores Locks, where you can watch ships pass through from the viewing platform (open daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., admission $17). In the afternoon, shop or stroll along Calle 50 in the financial district, and have dinner at a rooftop restaurant in the area.
🌿 Day 3: Nature and Islands
Take a day trip to the nearby islands or rainforest for a nature escape. You can catch a ferry from the Amador Causeway to Taboga Island, just a 30-minute ride, and spend the day on its beaches (round-trip ferry costs about $20). Alternatively, visit the Soberania National Park, a 20-minute drive from the city, where you can hike the Pipeline Road to spot tropical birds and monkeys. Return to the city in the evening and enjoy a relaxed dinner in the El Cangrejo neighborhood.
🚌 Getting Around
Panama City has a modern metro system with two lines, plus buses and taxis. The metro is cheap and efficient, with fares starting at $0.35, and it connects the main areas like the financial district and the bus terminal. For Casco Viejo and the Amador Causeway, taxis or ride-sharing apps like Uber are convenient, with typical fares between $5 and $15 depending on distance. Traffic can be heavy during rush hours (7 to 9 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.), so plan extra time for transfers.
💰 Money Saving Tips
Panama uses the US dollar, so no currency exchange is needed for American visitors. Eat at local fondas or street stalls for meals under $10, and take advantage of happy hour specials in bars and restaurants. Many attractions offer discounts for students or seniors, so carry a valid ID. Avoid tourist-trap restaurants near major sights; walk a few blocks for better prices and authentic food.
🌆 Best Evening Spots
For a memorable evening, head to the rooftop bar at the American Trade Hotel in Casco Viejo, which offers great views of the old town and the bay. Another option is the Causeway's seafood restaurants, where you can dine with the skyline in the background. If you want a lively nightlife scene, visit the bars and clubs in the Calle Uruguay area, which is popular with locals and tourists alike. Always check opening hours, as some venues close early on weekdays.
🍽️ Where to Eat
Don't miss trying Panama's national dish, sancocho, a hearty chicken soup, at local eateries like El Trapiche in the Via Argentina area. For a fine dining experience, book a table at Donde Jose in Casco Viejo, which serves modern Panamanian cuisine (dinner around $50 per person). For a quick and delicious snack, grab a raspado (shaved ice) from a street vendor. Remember to drink only bottled water, as tap water is not always safe for visitors.
fwiw the sancocho rec is legit, el trapiche is a solid intro but if you want the real deal head to fonda lo que hay on av justo arosemena, it's a hole in the wall where cab drivers eat, bowl runs like $4 and they'll top off your plate with rice and plantains without asking. also for the causeway, skip the bike rental if it's a weekend, that path gets packed with joggers and families, instead walk the first kilometer past the biomuseo and you'll hit the quiet stretch where the pelicans hang out, better for photos tbh. one thing nobody mentioned is the weather, december through april is the dry season so you're likely fine, but if a rain shower rolls in around 3pm like they do in the wet months, duck into the canal museum cafe, it's got a killer view of the locks and the coffee is actually decent for a tourist spot.
The itinerary is solid, especially the Taboga day trip, but I'd swap the Biomuseo for a walk along the Amador Causeway itself if you're short on time. The building is cool, but the real payoff is renting a bike and riding the whole 6 km stretch with the bridge and skyline views, costs about $8 an hour. Also, don't skip the Miraflores Locks early, get there right at 8 a.m. to beat the tour buses, and grab a spot on the upper deck where you can actually feel the ships rumble through. For dinner in El Cangrejo, skip the tourist spots on Via Argentina and try a local fonda on Calle 46, the sancocho there is better than what you'll find in most sit-down places. One thing the guide missed: the metro doesn't reach Casco Viejo directly, so plan to walk from the Santo Tomas station or just take a $3 Uber instead of dealing with the hills.
honestly the miraflores locks tip is spot on, getting there early is the move. one thing i'd add is the canal museum inside, it's like $5 extra but worth it to see the old control room stuff. also for casco viejo, skip the fancy rooftop bars and just grab a beer at a corner kiosk near plazuela, watch the sunset with the locals for like $2. way better vibe than the overpriced spots.