Panama has such a diverse culture that no matter where you are from you will be able to find a dish to suit you. The food in Panama has been heavily influenced by Spanish, American and Caribbean cuisines.

Breakfast in Panama consists mainly of fried foods, although there is now a growing trend for healthier breakfasts such as fresh fruit and cereal. Deep-fried tortillas with fried meat and eggs are particularly popular. Another popular breakfast is ‘hojaldras’, which is bread that has been deep-fried and coated in sugar.

Most Panamanian main meals consist of meat, coconut rice and beans. This is often accompanied by vegetables such as squash and yucca. This type of dish is known as ‘casado’. Fresh seafood is very popular and mango and coconut are served with many dishes. Typical dishes include ‘sancocho’, which is a stew that is usually made from chicken and vegetables. Other ingredients include name and a herb called cilantro while other popular dishes include ‘empanadas’ which is pastries made from corn or flour and filled with potatoes or cheese and meat, ‘Carimanola’ is a dish of meat and boiled eggs served in a fried yucca roll and ‘tamales’ which is corn dough filled with meat, boiled and served in banana leaves.

Seafood dishes are a staple of many restaurant menus. The word ‘panama’ translates as ‘abundance of fish’ and some of the most common fish include sea bass, red snapper and calamari. Some fish dishes are served ‘al ajillo’ which is with a garlic sauce or ‘a la espanola’, which means that it is sautéed with onions and tomatoes. Some of the more expensive restaurants will sell lobster and jumbo shrimp but these have become expensive dishes as supplies are low.

Common snacks include ‘yuca frita’, which is fried yuca root which is reported to taste like French fries with a tropical twist and plantains which can be served in several different ways, including a mature fried variety or baked with cinnamon. Gallo pinto is a dish of rice and beans which may also be served with pork. ‘Ceviche’ is a dish of fish and onion which has been marinated in lemon juice. It is usually made from sea bass, but in some restaurants is served with octopus or shrimp.

Typical desserts include ‘tres leches cake’ which is a cake that has been soaked in three different types of milk – cream, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Other desserts include a Panamanian version of snow cones, which are available from many street vendors.

Expats who move to Panama will find that there are many local beers that they can try, including Balboa, Soberana and Panama Cerveza. Local beer is very reasonably priced. The local brew of ‘seco’ is very popular too. This is a drink made from fermented sugar cane which can be blended with milk to reduce its potency and is mainly consumed in rural areas, though is very rarely found in the more expensive restaurants. Fruit juice in Panama is referred to ‘chichas’ and some local flavours include ‘chicha con arroz y pina’ which includes boiled pineapple skins and rice or ‘chicha de maranon’ which is made from the fruit produced by the cashew tree.

Wine has never been the most popular drink in Panama, but Spanish, American and Chilean wines are on the wine lists of most restaurants. Wine connoisseurs will find the chilled red wine an acquired taste but it is common to serve it this way.

Meal times are similar to those in North America, with most people having breakfast between 7 am and 8 am, lunch is served in most eateries from 12 noon to 2pm and the evening meal is eaten any time between 7 pm and 10 pm. Those who live in small towns will find that most restaurants close around 9 pm or even earlier.

Restaurants in Panama are very casual affairs, although it is possible to find eateries which offer elegant dining. As more and more US citizens make Panama their home the number of fast food outlets is increasing. It should be noted that all restaurants and bars in the country no longer allow smoking indoors although there are areas allocated outside for smokers.