Panamanian Cuisine
A crossroads cuisine of the isthmus - hearty rice and meat dishes, the national sancocho chicken soup, fried plantains and fresh Caribbean and Pacific seafood, plus superb coffee.
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Panamanian cuisine reflects the country's role as a crossroads of the Americas, blending Spanish, indigenous, African and Caribbean influences. It is hearty and comforting, built on rice, beans, meat and plantains, with the chicken-and-vegetable soup sancocho considered the national dish, alongside the fried dough hojaldres for breakfast, ceviche and fresh seafood from two oceans, patacones fried plantains, and, from the highlands, some of the finest coffee in the world.
What you actually see
- Sancocho - the hearty chicken-and-vegetable soup, the national dish.
- Ceviche - the fresh seafood ceviche of the fish market.
- Patacones - the twice-fried green plantains.
- Panamanian coffee - the world-class highland coffee.
When to go
Year-round; the fish market in Panama City is the place for fresh ceviche, and simple local fondas serve the hearty home-style staples, while the highlands of Boquete offer coffee-farm visits and tastings.
Honest expectations
Panamanian food is hearty, comforting and mild rather than spicy or varied, so its appeal is honest home cooking, fresh seafood from two oceans and superb coffee rather than bold flavour. Ceviche and seafood are highlights, best from a busy market. It is generally cheap and filling at local fondas, though the international dining in Panama City is more varied and pricier.
Nearby
The two coasts for seafood, the highlands for coffee, each region with its specialities.
What to pack for Panamanian Cuisine
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
