A list of our favorites in Panama City, Panamá.
Where to stay
We opted for the El Congrejo neighborhood, because we wanted a walkable, local-feeling spot to call home for the month. We loved our neighborhood—and our AirBnB. Many of the other parts of Panama City weren’t so walkable, and while Ubers are cheap ($3-$6 USD pretty much anywhere) we were happy to be able to access everything we wanted close by.
Eating Out
Lo Que Hay: Chef Jose takes an elevated twist on local Panamanian dishes. Their menu changes on his whim and its all delicious. Known for their cocoons–rice disc where one side is white and the other is crisped by the pan and then topped with an option of the day. However, the sea bass with plantains and sauces was our overwhelming favorite.
Fish Market Restaurant: Oddly, I have no idea what the name of this restaurant is, but it is delicious! Inside the Mercado de Mariscos there is an upstairs floor with a restaurant. They have a menu of their offerings, or they will cook fish you purchased at the market downstairs. We loved their whole fried sea bass.
Mariscos y Cevicheria La Benedicion: At the Mercado de Mariscos, there are two sides of the market dedicated to small fish restaurants. We enjoyed the La Benedicion ones–there are two. Run the gauntlet of people flagging you down with their menus while looking for green astroturf on the floor. Check to make sure (by looking at the menu or sign) you’ve arrive at La Benedicion and be ready to be rewarded with fresh, cheap ceviche ($1.65 USD currently for a small styrofoam cup) or local clams in garlic butter–or any of their other menu items.
Restaurante Tomillo: Good for a nice night out. Beautiful garden setting in the trendy San Francisco area. We loved the live music they had–a DJ accompanied by a woman on saxophone.
Esa Flaca Rica: Sometime you just need a burger. There are several locations of this stationary food truck, but we ate at the San Francisco location. Good burgers, fries and music.
LOST Urban Beach Club: Trendy, expensive, and a great view. Inside the JW Marriott, it’s a bar overlooking the water, with a sand floor.
Mentiritas Blanca: One of our local coffee shops with fun mochachinos, good coffees, and enormous empanadas.
CACAO Bar Selection: I have no idea why they capitalized their name this way, but they sell a huge selection of local chocolates that make their name choices easy to overlook. If you are picking up some chocolate, leave some time to have a hot chocolate at one of the two tables in their shop.
Miraflores Locks: Of course you are planning on going to the Panama Canal Visitor Center. The engineering here is amazing, and even more so when you realize it is more than 100 years old. If you are coming without a tour, be sure to check out the site and know that ships only come through the locks at certain times of the day.
Further Afield
The Golden Frog Inn restaurant: We went to this El Valle de Anton inn for dinner only, which is kind of out in the middle of nowhere. Once we arrived, we were concerned to be the ONLY diners. However, the meal was an excellent upscale Mexican meal.
Hostel Kimmell: Don’t let the word hostel throw you off–this is not college kids sharing bunkbeds. One woman is renting rooms in her grandmother’s former house and ensuring the traditions of this special Los Santos region live on.
Playa Venao: This up-and-coming surf beach was a delight to find. We passed an entire day hanging out at the restaurant at Blue Venao watching the waves.
Qchara: In Las Tablas, this is the restaurant to eat at for a nice meal. While the food was a bit inconsistent, most of what we ate was very good–and they have an enormous menu that seems only rivaled by that of the Cheesecake Factory.