Best Spots For Mouthwatering Local Cuisine In Panama

From freshly caught fish on the Pacific coast to Caribbean flavors in the northern islands, Panama offers a variety of affordable, local cuisine. We check out the best places to get delicious food.

1. Tinajas

Restaurant, Panamanian

56-3641021-1429031168c482314b34fc40a5bcd4abe9da8d71d0

Tinajas is a self-proclaimed cocina criolla (traditional kitchen) with an extensive menu. This includes an entire section dedicated to local cuisine. The restaurant is actually a charming old house, creating a warming ambience suited to its homey food. If you are seeking nostalgia, try the Chicken Pot Tamal, with its hint of chicken pot pie. The thick corn dough and raisons within the filling add a comforting element to this savory dish. Check out their traditional Panamanian music and dance performance which, though frequented solely by tourists, is a fantastic show.

Mercado de Abastos

Browsing around any food market will always give you a good sense of the country’s culture. In Panama, the market is a particularly joyful pastime. In addition to fresh, familiar fruits such as papaya and passionfruit, Panama offers some more exotic choices. One local favorite is mammon, a fruit to challenge your senses with the appearance of a lime and the taste of a grape. Another must-try is piva, an orange fruit similar in appearance to a persimmon, resembling both corn and potato in taste. To try piva, make sure that it is peeled and cooked. If the prospect of a bustling market with jabbering Spanish is a bit daunting, check out Foodie for a similar variety of fresh produce in a calmer setting.
Mercado de Abastos, Calle Curundu, Panama City, Panama
Foodie, Plaza Bal Harbour 16, Av. Italia, Panama City, Panama,+507 2699701