Panama City Restaurants

  1. Ali Baba

    This landmark restaurant capitalizes on its stunning location on the 2nd floor of the Panama Yacht Club. The views of the bay here are stunning and it's easy to pass away the hours just staring at the boats bobbing up and down on the sea. Popular with the business crowd during lunch hours and with romantic couples at night, Ali Baba features an eclectic menu including Spanish paellas, thin-crust pizzas and, befitting the name, an ample selection of Middle Eastern dishes.

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  2. Brooklyn Cafe

    Owned by a warm Panamanian woman who fondly recalls her time in the States, this NYC-style cafe is the perfect spot to linger over a frothy cappuccino and a buttery muffin. Of course, those with bigger appetites should stop by for the daily plato ejecutivo (USaround US$5 ), a slightly more-upscale version of the traditional Panamanian lunch served in restaurants throughout the country.

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  3. Café Coca Cola

    A neighborhood institution near Plaza Santa Ana, Café Coca Cola is an old-school diner, complete with chess-playing señores and no-nonsense waitresses. It's also air-conditioned and chock full of TVs playing the latest Latin American football matches, which makes Coca Cola something of a hang-out spot for Casco Viejo's working class.

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  4. Café de Asís

    Located on the ground floor of a beautifully restored 19th-century building, Café de Asís is perhaps the most charming spot in Panama City. With outdoor tables spilling out into the Parque Bolívar and overlooking the soaring spires of the Iglesia de San Francisco, the Old World atmosphere here is Casco Viejo at its best. The food at Asís can easily hold its own, and the fresh Peruvian-style ceviche and the house sangria pretty much complement everything on menu perfectly.

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  5. Crêpes & Waffles

    Crêpe and waffle lovers rejoice at this popular spot in nightlife-rich Bella Vista, which is an ideal place to grab a quick bite before hitting the bars and clubs. Spinach, ricotta and tomato are good standbys, though the truly hungry should opt for the more filling lomito á la pimienta (strips of roast beef with pepper sauce).

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  7. El Pavo Real

    A mix of Panamanians and expats gather over games of darts or pool at this British pub-restaurant made famous by John le Carré's thriller The Tailor of Panama . (The British Foreign Service employee/best-selling novelist spent a lot of time here while conducting research for his book. The pub-restaurant's owner, Sarah Simpson, is also an ex-BFS employee. Coincidence?)

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  8. El Rincón Tableño

    The menu changes daily at this open-air cafeteria-style eatery, but the type of food never does: it's always 100% working-class Panamanian. Typical items include sopa de carne (meat soup), camarones guisados (shrimp in tomato sauce), and ropa vieja (literally, 'old clothes'; marinated shredded beef served as a stew), and there's a choice of a half-dozen or so natural fruit juices, each priced under US$1 .

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  9. Eurasia

    Dining at Eurasia is a rich, sensory experience, starting with the lavishly adorned restaurant complete with marble floors and hanging original artwork. The experience continues with impeccable service and daring fusion cuisine including Vietnamese shrimp rolls with orange sauce, and onion soup with tofu and duck breast.

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  10. Gasthaus Bavaria

    Hands down the best German restaurant in the capital, Gasthaus Bavaria serves up all of your favorite dishes from the motherland, as well as enough traditional beers to inspire your own mini-Oktoberfest any time of the year. Although you're welcome to try anything on the menu, the favorite is the Jaeger Schnitzel, a breaded sausage with a mushroom cream sauce - definitely not for the weak of heart.

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  11. Granclement

    Nothing beats the tropical heat like a cool scoop of mango gelato and there's no better gourmet spot in the city than this European-style ice-cream shop. With French owners who refuse to skimp on quality or authenticity, Granclement serves up the perfect accompaniment to a leisurely stroll through the old streets of Casco Viejo or along the waterfront.

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  13. Greenhouse

    This stylish restaurant and lounge draws its name from its enclosed patio, which puts you in touch with tropical greenery - inside, stained-glass windows, an artfully displayed fish tank and an uber-relaxed vibe completes the setting. Pleasant but sedate waiters bring warm towels as refreshment, before you dine on a variety of salads and tasty bites from the grill (corvina , steak burgers) as well as wraps and quesadillas.

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  14. La Cocotte

    Fine Parisian cuisine reigns supreme under the stewardship of chef Fabien Migny, who studied at the Ecole Hotelliére Belliard while simultaneously training at the renowned Restaurant Jamin de Joel Robouchon in Paris. Appetizers like pâté de canard (duck pate) meld nicely with entrées of confit de canard (roasted duck) or fresh salmon in a red wine sauce, and everything is expertly topped off with crêpes soufflées au chocolat (chocolate crepes soufflé).

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  15. Limoncillo

    Panamanian chef Clara Icaza Angelini cooked at some of the best restaurants in New York before returning to her roots and opening one of Panama City's best restaurants. The menu changes every few months, but you can always count on a fresh and creative assortment of plates with delicate spices, such as pan-roasted grouper with grilled asparagus or sautéed sea scallops with Thai red curry sauce.

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  16. Lum's

    Occupying an old cavernous hangar that once housed machinery for the Panama Canal, Lum's has a long history of serving up ribs, steaks and other hot-off-the-grill mains. Today it's the expat's restaurant of choice, especially since its satellite TV, pool table, foosball and healthy offering of tap beers packs in the crowds on weekends. Located just west of La Exposición in Ancón on the edge of the canal, Lum's is one of the most popular restaurants in the Canal Zone.

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  17. Machu Picchu

    Machu Picchu is a low-key but traditional restaurant where blue-vested waiters make the rounds among a mix of Peruvian expats and in-the-know Panamanians. True to its roots, the authentic menu has a long list of Peruvian specialties including pan-fried sea bass served with cream sauce, topped with shrimp or half a dozen other ways. And of course, nothing quenches your thirst and cleans your palate quite like a Pisco Sour, Peru's sometimes sweet and sometimes tart national drink.

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  19. Madame Chang

    The top Chinese restaurant in town offers Oriental opulence in the center of a historic Bella Vista home. Although Western palates fearful of Asian cuisine will find familiar favorites, serious aficionados should choose any of the traditional offerings including pato al estilo Pekin (Peking duck), filete 'tit pang' (sizzling sliced beef with oyster sauce) and pichón en pétalos de lechuga (a combination of duck, chicken and pigeon, served on a bed of crispy rice noodles).

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  20. Manolo Caracol

    Arguably the most famous restaurant in the city, Manolo Caracol offers prix-fixe five-course lunches and seven-course dinners that change daily. The menu emphasizes seasonal produce, locally raised meats and freshly caught fish, but it's the imaginative recipes and flawless presentation that have helped vault the restaurant's reputation.

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  21. Martín Fierro

    For top-quality sirloins, porterhouse cuts and filet mignon, there is only one name in Panama City, and it's Martín Fierro. The quality of meat served here is unparalleled - top selections include the best in US-imported New York rib steaks, grass-fed Argentinean fillets and locally-raised Panamanian cuts. And of course, nothing washes down braised beef quite like a deep and bold glass of red wine, and Martín Fierro has no shortage of Chilean standards to round out your meal.

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  22. Masala Indian Cuisine

    Nothing complements hot and humid tropical climes quite like a fiery plate of Indian curry and an ice-cold Kingfisher lager. Housed in a historic Bella Vista mansion that's been redecorated with colorful textiles and Indian art, Masala offers a full complement of traditional dishes from the subcontinent. Although non-adventurous eaters can stick to more Westernized dishes like tikka masala and tandori chicken, iron-stomach masochistic types should pile on the heat with dishes like lamb vindaloo.

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  23. Niko's Cafe

    Spawned from the dreams of a Greek immigrant who once sold food from a cart, Niko's has become one of Panama City's most successful restaurant chains, with several locations throughout the city. The secret is simple: serve fresh, hearty portions of inexpensive food in a laid-back cafeteria-style ambience and the crowds will file in.

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  25. Parillada Jimmy

    The long open porch with high ceilings and wrought-iron chandeliers lends a farmhouse feel to this Panama City institution. The grill flares in the corner giving an indication of the specialties served here, namely some serious cuts of beef, meaty chicken breasts and fresh country-style sausage.

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  26. René Cafe

    With an unbeatable location underneath the shadows of the Iglesia Catedral and overlooking the Plaza de la Independencia, this relative newcomer is primed to become one of the most popular restaurants in the city. Drawing on the successes of Manolo Caracol, René Cafe also offers prix-fixe five-course lunches and seven-course dinners that change daily.

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  27. Restaurante 1985

    Restaurant-goers with very large expense accounts should consider a meal of unparalleled decadence at Restaurante 1985, one of the city's most highly regarded culinary institutions. Located inside the Chalet Suizo (Swiss Chalet), this French restaurant provides impeccable service, elegant decor and an extensive wine list. Steak morilles (steak with morel mushrooms), lobster Provençal, shrimp cognac and the many changing daily specials highlight the talents of chef Willy Diggelmann.

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  28. Restaurante Las Bóvedas

    This utterly unique French restaurant is set in the vaults of a 300-year-old fort that housed political prisoners for most of the 19th century - fortunately for the crowds who converge here on the weekends, the ghosts of the past haven't had a deleterious effect on the cooking. Specializing in local seafood with a French twist, the menu varies daily, subject to the catch of the day, but always includes a fish fillet, mixed seafood and a cut of steak just to round things out a bit.

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  29. Restaurante Matsuei

    Although Japanese restaurants come and go in Panama City with the same frequency as transiting ships, Matsuei has a long and proud history stretching back over a quarter of a century. True to its Japanese roots, the sushi bar stretches across the entire restaurant and is easily one of Panama's finest raw fish experiences - much of the fish is imported from Miami, so you can expect to see everything from unagi (eel) to maguro (tuna) on offer.

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