FOOD IN PANAMA

The Food In Panama

Panama has a rich tradition in the culinary arts. Due to its location the country is home to a vast array of fresh and tasty fruits, herbs and vegetables. Combine this with influences from the Native Indians, Europeans and other Latin American countries and you have some great food in Panama!

There is no way to describe all of the great food found in Panama, so we will highlight some of the more popular local dishes.

Please note that additional info (prices, activities, etc) are found to the right of this pages.

Breakfast Dishes

Hojaldras: These are commonly referred to as Panamanian Doughnuts. Essentially there are dough that is deep fried and then covered with sugar on top. A sweet snack to start off your day.

Tortillas: Another common item. Different from other countries, the tortillas in Panama are thicker and deep fried. Typically items are then placed on top of the tortilla to make a meal. It is common to uses eggs, cheese, beans, or anything else tasty to make a good morning meal.

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Main Meals

Corvina: A very common fish used in many places/meals throughout Panama. In the US and Canada corvina is known as sea bass. Corvina is a mild tasting fish common in many recipes. Commonly used for ceviche as well.

Sancocho: If you are looking for a typical dish, Sancocho could be it. Found everywhere in Panama Sancocho is a type of chicken soup. Depending on who is cooking it other ingrediants in the soup can vary.

Sea Food: Due to its strategic location, Panama has some excellent sea food. Fish is brought in from both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The variety is amazing. It seems that most restaurants offer some type of sea food in Panama.

Tamales: Different from what is found in Mexico, the Panamanian tamale is covered in banana leaf and boiled. The leaf and the boiling create a different flavor that is pretty good. If you like a Mexican tamale, you will like the variation of a tamale that you can find in Panama.

Other Items

Platano Maduro: This is something you will see as a side on many dishes throughout Panama. A plaintian looks like a banana. It is cut in small slices and then fried. The flavor is sweet and is a nice addition to any meal.

Carimañola: This is a roll made from a type of tropical yucca. Typically the rolls is stuffed full of eggs and meat.

Ceviche: Ceviche is a very common appetizer found throughout Panama. Typically corvina is chopped up and added to lemon juice and other spices. The acidic content of the lemon actually "cooks" the corvina to create a nice tangy taste. Very popular.

Arroz Con Guandu: Probably the most common side dish seen in Panama. Essentially rice is cooked with beans and other spices to create a great tasting rice dish. You may see this side dish served at any and all meals. There are many variations as to other ingrediants that can be added to this Panamanian staple.

Tropical Fruits: Being in a tropical part of the world, Panama has a wide array of fresh and very flavorfull fresh fruit. Take full advantage of the fruits in Panama. You will find many that you are familiar with and others that are common only to the Central American region.

Batidos: Related to the fresh fruits are batidos. These are essentially shakes made from fresh fruits. Wonderfully refreshing after a long day on the beach!