Panama City is an extremely multicultural city, which explains why its food scene is so impressive. Here, you can find food from all over the world, including Peru, Mexico, China, Spain, Japan, Italy and Panama, of course. From dim sum to tacos and fine dining to street food, foodies will find an abundance of diverse Panama City restaurants.
In addition to the gastronomy, Panama City has a vibrant nightlife. Enticing cocktails are enjoyed from elegant rooftop bars sprinkled across Casco Viejo, the city’s old town, and beyond.
My family is currently living in Panama City, and together, we scoured the city for our favorite restaurants. Here is the list we compiled of the best restaurants and bars in this amazing Central American city. This list includes restaurants I visited personally, ones I was recommended, and top-rated restaurants I wish I had dined at.
Best restaurants
1. El Trapiche
Ask any local for the best Panama City restaurant and there’s a good chance they’ll direct you to El Trapiche. Open since 1983, this restaurant serves traditional Panamanian food, including platters loaded with seafood, chicharrón, yucca, patacones, rice, beans and tortillas. Two especially popular platters include arroz con pollo, a chicken and rice platter and sancocho, a Latin American soup with chicken and vegetables. From a hearty brunch to a satiating dinner, the restaurant is popular all day.
The restaurant has a couple different locations, including one in the San Francisco area and the El Cangrejo neighborhood. Both locations have indoor and patio seating.
2. Azahar Panama
To sample elevated Mediterranean dishes, make a reservation at Azahar Panama. This restaurant blends European and Asian flavors to create unique and flavorful dishes. The menu features risotto, ceviche, sushi, tuna tartar, dumplings and more. The restaurant’s interior is chic and dimly lit, meant to emulate the ambience of a 1920s speakeasy. This is a fine dining experience, so you may want to dress the part.
3. Makoto
Makoto is a Japanese restaurant located in the Obarrio neighborhood of Panama City. If you’re craving sushi, fish filet, a steak, rice or noodle dishes, or a variety of hot or cold appetizers, you’ll satiate your craving here. Sushi-lovers can select between sashimi, nigiri and maki rolls.
Order a Makoto signature cocktail to accompany the meal. Cocktails include espresso martinis and a Makoto gin tonic, which is made of sake as well as gin, and shisho, a Japenese herb. Two pages on the Makoto are dedicated to sake alone. The restaurant is located on the top floor of a high rise building, where guests can enjoy beautiful city views with their dinner.
4. Nazca 21
There are a lot of Peruvian restaurants in Panama City, but Nazca 21 is my favorite. This restaurant serves elaborate seafood platters. Dishes include sea bass ceviche, octopus, fried shrimp, calamari rings, squid, mussels and more. I ordered a platter with a mix of seafood and meat that came served in shells with pineapple as garnish. It was an artwork in itself.
There is a Nazca 21 in Casco Viejo and one on Costa del Este. I visited the Casco Viejo location, which was decorated with ornate mirrors, colorful tapestries and framed art.
5. Kwang Chow
Panama City has a large Chinese population, which means it has some amazing Chinese food. If you’re craving some dim sum, head to Kwang Chow in Chinatown. This authentic Chinese restaurant serves dim sum classics in large portions for low costs.
6. Diablicos
This lively restaurant in Casco Viejo is the perfect place to sample Panamanian cuisine. The restaurant serves tasty traditional foods, but Diablicos is just as much about the decor as it is about the food. The interior is decorated with colorful masks, and the restaurant frequently hosts live musicians and dancers, dressed in elaborate costumes.
7. Lima Nikkei
For high-end seafood, make a reservation at Lima Nikkei. This Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurant encapsulates the flavors that emerged more than 100 years ago when several thousand Japanese people moved to Peru. This restaurant also serves a variety of specialty cocktails. Lima Nikkei can be found inside the JW Marriott.
8. Madre Pizza
I had some of the most authentic Italian pizza at Madre Pizza in Casco Viejo. It was a thin crust, white sauce mushroom pizza, garnished with basil and parmesan. I enjoyed the meal in an outdoor plaza where I sat at a table illuminated by a small tabletop lamp. There is also indoor seating available.
The menu also boasts pasta, pizza with red sauce and white sauce, risottos, and appetizers. There is a well-priced cocktail menu and a wine card.
9. Maito
Maito is dedicated to capturing Panama’s multicultural identity with its food. Just as Panamanian culture is a mix of Spanish, African, Asian and indigenous cultures, the food at Maito is a blend of flavors from all over the world. Menu items include shrimp dumplings, kanpachi tartar, cuck chow mein and black rice. The restaurant is located in the Coco del Mar neighborhood.
10. Enkai Peruvian Japanese Cuisine
There are actually several Peruvian-Japanese fusion restaurants in Panama City but this one was my personal favorite. Located in Casco Viejo, this restaurant serves sushi, poke bowls, tuna tartar, several types of ceviche and more.
During my stay in Panama, I had lunch here one afternoon, and just thinking about the food now makes me salivate. I ordered the ceviche nikkei, the seaweed salad and the teriyaki salmon. All of it was flavorful and perfectly cooked.
11. Mercado de Mariscos
The Mercado de Mariscos is the best place to sample local seafood. Located on Avenida Balboa, walking distance from Casco Viejo, this is an authentic fish market that draws locals and visitors alike. There are vendors selling raw fish, but there are also restaurants and food carts selling ceviche, patacones, corvina, fried sea bass, clams, calamari, crab, shrimp cocktail and just about anything else. This is a great place to save some money and fill up on street food.
Visiting the Mercado de Mariscos is also a great way to immerse yourself in Panamanian culture, as the market is packed with locals. Reggaeton music plays from speakers and the market is open every day.
12. Fonda Lo Que Hay
Fondo Lo Que Hay is known for its drinks as well as its food. This restaurant serves traditional Panamanian food, including a lot of seafood. Some particularly enticing menu items include the Caribbean prawns in coconut sauce, served alongside slices of plantain, and the pork tamal.
13. La Fishería Seafood
I was drawn to this seafood restaurant one evening while exploring Casco Viejo. It sits at a corner, with outdoor seating in a large plaza. The beautiful ambience drew me in, but La Fisheria’s food made the restaurant memorable. The restaurant offers all kind of seafood, including lobster, octopus, salmon, tuna and shrimp.
Here, I ordered the double tartar, with tuna and salmon served over a bed of avocado. I also ordered a side of patacones, with paired nicely with the seafood. I didn’t order any ceviche here, but there are a variety of ceviches, all of which sound delicious.
Best bars
1. Selina
The Selina is my favorite rooftop bar in Casco Viejo. There is lots of seating and the city views are breathtaking. The cocktails are affordable and unique. I highly recommend trying the Jamaican Tonic or the Mexican Margarita.
If you’re hungry, there’s also a food menu serving primarily Mexican food. The menu also includes tacos from Tacos La Neta, a company that sells tacos in Panama and Colombia. These tacos combine Mexican and Panamanian flavors, resulting in exotic and unique taco flavors. I recommend trying the birria de res tacos and the vegetarian tacos.
The Selina is particularly enticing on Wednesdays, when a band plays live music and there’s salsa dancing on the roof. When I went, the whole bar came alive and the dance floor filled up with dancers of all levels. It was a wonderful experience.
2. Tantalo
Twice my night ended at Tantalo, and it’s no surprise why. Open seven days a week, Tantalo is the most lively rooftop bar. While the other rooftops start winding down, Tantalo comes alive, with pulsating music and flowing drinks. This is a great place to dance and meet people. There’s also a deck above the bar with a panoramic view over the city.
3. CasaCasco
CasaCasco is a quieter, more romantic rooftop option. Here, I enjoyed a delicious aperol spritz and some late afternoon sun. There is a tranquil ambiance and chairs are plush are comfortable. There are different levels and guests can choose to face the water or the city skyline.
But there’s more to this restaurant than the rooftop. In fact, CasaCasco is divided into five floors, and includes three different restaurants and a club. Enjoy local cuisine, mouth-watering seafood, sushi and more, at any of the on-site locations.
4. Panaviera Sky Bar
If you aren’t afraid of heights, visit the Panaviera Sky Bar. Located on the 66th floor of the Ocean Sun Casino, part of the JW Marriott Hotel, this is the highest bar in all of Latin America. The bar opens at 4pm and is an amazing place to see the sunset.
The Panaviera Sky Bar offers the ultimate fine dining experience and boasts a hefty drinks menu. The menu includes a lot of shareable dishes, including papas bravas, shrimp cocktail, brusheta, hummus and a cheese platter. Select one of nearly three dozen cocktails, such as a cosmopolitan, mojito, bloody mary, long island iced tea and white russian (which I recommend! The cocktails are well priced, almost all $9.
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