Panama City Dining Guide: Cheap Eats to Fine Dining
Discover the best places to eat in Panama City, including budget-friendly eats, fine dining, dim sum, and must-visit coffee shops. Curated recommendations for every type of traveler, complete with an interactive map to help you plan your culinary journey.
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Panama City shows its international connections in every bite. The city’s food scene celebrates fusion cuisine, seamlessly blending global influences with local traditions to deliver bold flavors and the freshest seafood from the Pacific and Caribbean. Whether you're seeking fine dining for a special occasion or a quick budget-friendly snack, Panama City offers something to satisfy every traveler and palate.
Here’s a look at recommended dining experiences:
Mid-Range & Upscale Dining
Fonda Lo Que Hay reinvents traditional fonda fare (hearty, home-style dishes from Panama’s roadside eateries), putting a playful, modern spin on classic recipes with bold flavors, local ingredients, and contemporary techniques.
Highlighting Panama’s rich multiculturalism, Maito blends Caribbean, African, and Asian influences into a menu full of bold flavors, featuring Creole specialties, fresh seafood, and elevated traditional Panamanian fare.
Íntimo lives up to its name, offering an intimate dining experience that feels like a dinner party, featuring fresh, homegrown ingredients.
Azahar blends Western European techniques with Asian influences, offering innovative dishes, creative flavors, and a signature sushi bar.
El Faro de Casco Antiguo
El Faro de Casco Antiguo is a restaurant and rooftop terrace offering panoramic city and ocean views, fresh seafood, and shareable bites perfect for pairing with cocktails.
Top restaurants to celebrate a special occasion or a memorable night out.
Spiced fried chicken at Fonda Lo Que Hay
Grilled octopus & croquettes at El Faro
Koböre highlights fusion Caribbean dishes from Bocas del Toro, plus a trendy atmosphere and Sunday brunch with live music.
Group dining at Koböre
Casual Dining
An energetic bar aiming to be a social gathering place for good food and creative cocktails.
Panama's first artisanal rum distillery, they offer rum tastings, cocktails, and a casual menu of snacks and comfort foods.
Sabroso, set on the scenic Amador Causeway, serves classic Panamanian dishes in a festive setting with live shows.
Cafe Coca Cola
Café Coca Cola, the only café in the world permitted to use the Coca-Cola name, has been a Panama City institution since 1875, serving no-frills comfort food and coffee in a nostalgic setting.
Local dining spots offering flavorful meals in a laid-back atmosphere
A Panama City favorite, El Trapiche has been serving authentic local dishes for more than 40 years at locations across the city.
Dim Sum
This old-school Chinese eatery offers traditional dim sum delivered by cart and generous family-style classics.
A contemporary dim sum restaurant aiming to modernize traditional dishes without losing authenticity
Another option for traditional dim sum and classic Cantonese dishes.
Palacio Lung Fung
In Panama City, dim sum is more than a meal — it’s a beloved weekend tradition that reflects the city’s rich Chinese heritage, one of the oldest in Latin America.
Cheap Eats & Coffee
Panama City’s public fish market features an outdoor section of kiosks and stalls serving fresh seafood dishes at bargain prices.
A family-run, cozy cafe serving local coffee from Boquete, Panama alongside fresh baked goods and sandwiches.
Café Unido is a specialty coffee roastery and café in Panama City, known for its Geisha beans, commitment to sustainability, and celebration of Panamanian coffee culture.
Mural outside Mercado San Felipe Neri
Sisu Coffee Studio is a minimalist café in Casco Viejo where visitors can savor Panamanian Geisha coffee through pour-over service and guided tastings.
Affordable options for quick bites, local snacks, and strong coffee
Mercado San Felipe Neri
Mercado San Felipe Neri is another iconic Panama City market where locals shop for fresh produce, prepared snacks and meals, and everyday essentials, making it a must-visit for an authentic taste of the city’s culture.
From bustling markets to inventive fusion restaurants, Panama City is a feast for the senses. Blending local traditions with global flavors, every bite tells the story of this vibrant, multicultural city.
Craving more Panamanian flavor? Dive deeper into culinary discovery by joining a street food tour of the city, or get hands-on experience with a local cooking class.
For additional Panama trip inspiration, check out my guide to Panama City's best rooftop bars and my recommended itinerary for first-time visitors.
