My Top 10 Panama City Restaurants (Vegetarian-Friendly!)

Even backpackers and adventure travelers gotta eat, ya know? It can’t all be fire-side mush and mystery pasta cooked on the single burner of the hostel’s shared kitchen.

For when you’re sick of that, I’ve got my favorite Casco Viejo, Panama City restaurants right here for you, boo. Better yet, I did the hard work of flexing my Spanish skillz and going back and forth with the waitresses at each one to ask, “are there any vegetarian or vegan options?” and to clarify that, “no, fish is not vegetarian or vegan.” So now you don’t have to. Unless you wanna. That’s fine, too. But I still added what I ate to this list.

I’ll be honest, eating was one of my favorite things to do in Panama City. I’m not joking. I just spent a few weeks in hostels and was ready for a comfy bed and some delicious food.

Plus, I got to Panama the OG explorer way – by boat, of course. I did a sailing trip from Cartagena, Colombia through the San Blas Islands to Puerto Lindo, Panama – before taking a van across the country to the capital city. I mean, yea, my trip probably had more lazy, napping on white sand beaches and drinking fresh coconuts and fewer pirates, misdrawn maps and diseases that some of the explorers of the past had. But I was still tired from my voyage, ok?

I also paired each and every one of these Panama City restaurants with daily activities in my 5, 7 and 10-day itineraries of things to do in Panama. A bit like wine and cheese pairing, but with travel and tapas. All that’s waiting for you there. If your food coma allows for some adventure, you’ll have plenty to do in Panama.

Anyway, you came for the Panamanian chefs, not my bad analogies, right?

My Top 10 Tasty Restaurants in Panama City – Casco Viejo Area

1. Mahalo

*Photo from TripAdvisor results

High ceilings, natural light, palm leaves everywhere. I wanted to eat my way through the menu and stay all day pictures of this Panamanian restaurant. Not necessarily advisable, but, I’d also not judge you if you did. It has a pretty banging brunch and vegan-friendly smoothies. I liked the Cacao Bliss, but you could really close your eyes and point to the menu, you’d still be spot on.

They have two locations, Mahalo Cocina y Jardin in Las Clementinas Hotel and Mahalo Snack Shack (pictured above).

2. La Rana Dorada Cerveceria

*Photo from La Rana Dorada website

I’ll be honest, sometimes, when I’m on the road and the time has slipped past what’s really acceptable to still be drinking coffee, I work from a pub or bar. But, like, a chill one. If there are any Panama City restaurants or bars that would let you do that, La Rana Dorada would be it. But if you don’t have a computer that’s chill, too.

The vibe is a modern, hipstery, simple-but-tasteful, English pub. The music is chill and the seating arrangements make it easy to chat with your friends. Plus, they have a great inner courtyard and you can see right where they brew the beer through hug windows behind the bar. I got the veggie burger and would have opted for a beer flight like I usually do at a brewery. But I had enough friends to let me taste theirs. So, I went with the coffee porter.

3. Restaurante Mi Ranchito

*Photo from the Restaurante Mi Ranchito website

This is no-frills tourist stop on the peninsula that used to be a part of the US military base. It makes the list because of their open-air seating, traditional Panamanian menu and stunning views of the Panama City skyline. It’s worth the drive out to see it, plus you can stop by the Biomuseo while you’re there.

A warning to my veg friends, this is a traditional Panama City restaurant in the sense that there isn’t a single vegetarian option to be found. But, they are very sweet people and I asked in my nicest Spanish (which is not great) what they could do for me. I ended up with a tasty medley of veggies and patacones, which are green plantains that have been smashed and fried. They look a bit like medallions and are Latin America’s response to French fries. If you do happen to have carnivorous tendencies, I was told the fish or the soup is where it’s at.

4. Casa Sucre Coffeehouse

If you were researching things to do in Panama City, you may have come across Geisha Coffee. It’s supposedly the most expensive coffee in the world, sipped and savored by the rich and the famous. My barista said that a cup can go for $20 in New York and could be as high as $40 or $60 A CUP(!!!!) in Europe and other countries.

Unlike the top shelf at the bar, this is one fancy drink I could actually afford. And I wanted in. Plus, since I was getting it right from the source, I only paid $10 for a Chemex pour, which equaled two cups of coffee. For those who aren’t familiar with fancy coffee preparation methods, a Chemex is a type of pour-over. It’s an hour-glass looking glass, uhm, vase (??) that is open at the top, like a funnel. You put a filter there, add the grounds and then add the water. That’s a simplified version, but you get the gist of it.

Casa Sucre is a coffeehouse/full restaurant in a boutique hotel, but I was advised to drink it black and eat after my coffee. I’m glad I did. And I would say the coffee lived up to the hype. I felt more like I was on a wine tasting than a morning coffee run, but could definitely see myself sipping a Geisha Coffee as a special treat while journaling. It’s not an everyday coffee and kind of requires a special moment.

5. Tantalo Rooftop

*Photo from the Tantalo IG page

Tantalo is one of Panama City’s rooftop restaurants with a tantalizing selection of tapas-style plates. Basically, there’s something for everyone. I sampled the truffle potatoes, empanadas, beet salad and a mezcal cocktail. Holy cow. One was better than the next. My only regret was that I was full after splitting the three plates mentioned.

This is a great place to get some fresh air and get some of the #vibes of the Casco Viejo nighttime scene. In fact, this Panama City restaurant turns into one of the more popular clubs in the area after 11 p.m. or so. That’s when it goes from a chill, vibey restaurant to poppin’, see-and-be-seen cocktail bar, complete with a roped-off VIP section and bottle service.

6. Selina Hostel Casco Viejo

*Photo from Selina website

Laidback and unpretentious, the cafe/resto inside of Selina hostel is probably on the other end of the spectrum from Tantalo. Come as you are to this Panama City restaurant and stay for a bit. The people-watching is prime, the decor is hip and artistic and the food is exponentially better than anyone would expect from a hostel. I was actually turned off when I got a recommendation to go here (because it is a hostel chain) but I’m glad I still went. Plus, it was literally less than 20 feet from the front door of my Airbnb, so, like, why not?

I had multiple omelets here and a beet salad that disappeared in seconds. I met up with friends a few times and I brought my computer and sat at the communal table when I wanted out of my BnB during the workday. It was one of the cheaper places I ate and they have full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. The only downside? The service. I found that Selina’s service was borderline terrible at their Medellin, Colombia coworking location and the Panama City restaurant was no different.

7. Stranger’s Club

*Photo from TripAdvisor results

I mean, it’s named after Stranger Things, right? Sadly, I don’t think that’s the case. This Panama City restaurant was started by expats a few years ago and, though I’m not sure if everyone’s favorite show was around then/was the inspo, it still has a v-i-b-e. Dark, eclectic and vintage. Think old-school apothecary or curiosities shop.

It’s definitely a dinner spot and a bit on the higher end as far as Panama City restaurants go, but the drinks are well-thought-out and the food was tasty. I had a veggie burger and my friend and I both had a few rounds of different cocktails. It’s a great place to start your night out in Casco Viejo. Grab dinner and a primer drink, then hit up one of the rooftops to dance until sunrise.

8. Royale Cookie Bar

What’s that you say? This isn’t a Panama City restaurant? Psshhhh. That may be so but when you see the size of these “cookies” you’ll question if there will be any room left for dinner. They look more like muffins or mini bundt cakes and come in flavors like cookies and cream, red velvet – with cream cheese filling in the center – double chocolate, sea salt Nutella and more.

If you’re doing a day of strolling around town, this makes a perfect snack before hitting the waterfront or hip shops in the area. Actually, on second thought, maybe you should go shopping before chowing down on a gigantic cookie.

9. Fonda Lo Que Hay

*Photo from Fonda Lo Que Hay IG page

I may have to say that Lo Que Hay was my favorite Panama City Restaurant in the Casco Viejo area. I read great things about it and even stopped by a few times. But each time I did, the restaurant was so packed that there was a line/wait. I’m not about that life. But it did make me feel confident that my research wasn’t steering me wrong.

Lo Que Hay was started by a well-known chef that has a 5-star restaurant down the street, who wanted something more accessible but no less delicious. The name literally translates to “what there is” and features Panamanian street food – with a twist. All the ingredients are local and fresh and the serving sizes are just right. I did end up going here after all – on my last night in Panama City, Panama. And I really wish I had sucked it up sooner. Because I would have gone back multiple times.

I ordered the wrap, but they had already run out of wraps for the night. So, instead, the chef made me a special plate that was loosely inspired by the wrap. Instead of lettuce, I had patacones with the pickled veggies and cashew cheese on the size, letting me load them up like nachos. I’m still dreaming of this meal. Please go and send pics….

10. Maito

*Photo from Maito website

This is a wish listed one because I simply ran out of time (and possibly belt notches) to squeeze in one more Panama City restaurant during my week there. Normally, I wouldn’t include a recommendation I haven’t personally tried, but this one kept popping up again and again. After so much travel, I like to think that I’ve gotten my recon tactics down to an art, so I’m sure this is a good one. Plus, it’s rated as one of the top 50 restaurants in Latin America.

If it were me, I’d make a night of it and spring for the chef’s tasting menu. They update it annually, use local products and have really really artful plating, looking at the photos. All the things I love. If you go, let me know if it’s earning its hype.

Love eating but not feeling like wearing pants this vacay? Have lunch or dinner delivered by one of the motorcyclists zooming around town in neon colors and enjoy your vacation by stepping foot into the kitchen of your Airbnb.

No shame, you cook enough at home.

No blog post mentioning food would be complete without commenting on how absolutely with it South America is when it comes to delivery – or “domocilio.” Food and soft drinks are child’s play. Most apps also include alcohol, home essentials (TP, soap, etc), groceries and even “custom order” options. If you can dream it, a nice guy on a motorcycle will bring it to your door at any hour of any day. When I was in Colombia, I bought a few things from a friend who was heading back to the US and she had a Rappi go to her house, get the stuff and transport them from her house to mine for around $2.

Now that’s the sort of innovation I’m looking for these days.

The go-to food delivery app for Panama City restaurants seemed to be PedidosYa or Glovo. Both are pretty popular in other Latin American cities. Wait times are from 20 minutes to an hour and delivery rates are cheap. While I usually tend to enjoy the experience of the restaurant almost as much as I enjoy the food, you can have a lot of these options on this list delivered.