Panama Overview
- Overview - Customs and Culture - Diet and Recipes - Language - Religion - Events and Holidays - Students Life - Interesting Facts
People Government - Politics Geography Economy News - Weather History National Symbols Photos Videos Travel and Tourism En Español Link-to-CountryReports Sources   United States Edition

What do people eat in Panama?

Diet

Because Panama is an international crossroads, a variety of cuisines are available. French, Spanish and American food is available in all restaurants and hotels in Panama City. Native cooking is similar to Creole Cuisine, Hot and spicy. Dishes include ceviche (fish marinated in lime juice, onions and peppers) Patacones de platano (fried plantain) sancocho (Panamanian stew with chicken, meat and vegetables) tamales (seasoned pie wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks) and carimanolas and empanadas (turnovers filled with meat, chicken or cheese) Panamanians have arroz (ah-ROHS) or rice with most of their meals. The eat the rice either plain or add meat and vegetables to eat. They often eat both potatoes and rice at one meal. Panama has an abundance of fish and seafood. Most Panamanians meals also include corn tortillas. Yucca is a commonly served vegetable.

Panamanians love to eat out. And Panama City residents have a wide variety of restaurants to choose from. In addition to restaurants a panadera sells take-out bread and rolls, a pastelera(pas-tell-ay-REE-ah) offers pastries and a cantina(kan-TEE-nah) is a drinking establishment. Panamanians tip there servers about 15% of the bill. Panamanins eat three hearty meals per day. El desayuno(day-sigh-noh) breakfast, el almuerzo(ahl-MWER-sho)Lunch and la cena(SAY-nah) dinner.

Mealtime

Most Panamanians eat a great deal of corn, rice and beans. They also eat tortillas, which are flatbreads made from cornmeal. These are filled with meat, beans, and cheese. Black beans are popular in Panama. A popular Panamanian dish is "ceviche". This is made of raw fish or shellfish soaked in lime or lemon juice, olive oil and hot spices. Panamanians like their food spicy. Tamales are made of corn dough. They are filled, wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed.

Urban people eat traditional foods as well as a wider variety of international foods. People eat rice with almost every meal. Beans and corn are also common foods. Guacho (GWA-cho) is rice soup with beans. Bollo (BOH-yo) is a boiled corn dish. Tortillas (tor_TEE-yas) also are popular. People make these flatbreads from corn or wheat.

Sancocho (sahn-KHO-cho) is Panama' national dish. People make this stew with spicy vegetables and chicken. Panamanians eat a lot of meat and seafood. Guisado (kwee-SA-doh) is a stew with meat and tomatoes. Panamanians sometimes add fish to soup. Panamanian families usually eat together, they have a big breakfast. The main meal with rice, meat and vegetables is in the middle of the day. Families often eat a small meal in the evening.

The typical breakfast is thick, deep-fried tortillas with white cheese, liver, garlic, and onions, and fresh rolls or bread. A typical lunch begins with soup followed by chicken or steak. Served with cooked rice and red kidney beans or pigeon peas. Salad is eaten with the main course. Dinner consists of meat covered with a spicy sauce, rice and a salad. Dessert is usually fruit. Occasionally they indulge in cake, pie or cheesecake. After dinner they enjoy a cup of coffee. The most popular Panamanian dessert is sopa borracha (SOH-pah-bohr-RAH-chah) which is pound cake topped with syrup, rum or brandy, cinnamon raisins and cloves.

Popular Panama Recipes

Back to Panama Facts

World Regions
Africa Asia Central America Europe Middle East North America Oceania South America The Caribbean
Most Popular
United States of America China France Italy Canada Spain India Brazil Mexico
All Countries
Afghanistan Akrotiri Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Cook Islands Coral Sea Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curacao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dhekelia Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia, The Gaza Strip Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Jan Mayen Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Islands Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Sudan, South Suriname Svalbard Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States (US) Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands Wake Island Wallis and Futuna West Bank Western Sahara World Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe