Panamanian Breakfast: Hojaldre, Tortilla and Bistec
What Panamanians eat for breakfast: fried dough, thick maize tortilla, chopped steak, fried cheese and Boquete coffee.
Panamanian breakfast is substantial and looks nothing like a continental one. It is eaten early â between six and nine â and it is built on two fried doughs and a cup of coffee.
The two bases
- Hojaldre. Fried wheat dough, puffed and light inside. Important: this has nothing to do with the European puff pastry that shares the name. It is closer to a savoury doughnut or a fry jack.
- Tortilla de maíz. The Panamanian maize tortilla is thick, ground fresh and fried â very different from the thin Mexican one cooked on a griddle. Closer to an arepa.
What goes on top
- Fried white cheese â the classic pairing, salty and squeaky.
- Bistec picado â chopped beef stewed with onion and tomato in its own juices. The star of the plate.
- Eggs, scrambled or fried.
- Carimañola on the side â a cassava torpedo stuffed with beef and fried â if you are properly hungry.
The coffee
Panama grows some of the most expensive coffee in the world in the highlands of Chiriquí â Boquete and Volcán â including the geisha variety that has broken auction records. Everyday breakfast coffee is strong and sweetened, but ordering a geisha at a specialty café in the city is one of the things a visitor should not skip.
Where to eat it
In neighbourhood fondas, which open at six and stop serving breakfast around eleven. Casco Antiguo wakes up later â at eight you will find cafés rather than full breakfasts â so in the old town this is really a weekend brunch dish.
Hojaldre has also moved onto contemporary menus as a savoury base. Aya la Vida, on Avenida A and Calle 12 Oeste, serves it filled with seafood in a bisque sauce.
Frequently asked questions
What time do Panamanians eat breakfast?
Early, between six and nine. Fondas open at six.
Is hojaldre sweet?
Neutral with a hint of sugar, so it works with both savoury and sweet toppings.
Is the Panamanian tortilla like the Mexican one?
No. It is thick and fried, closer to an arepa.
What does breakfast cost?
Four to seven dollars in a fonda, coffee included.
Where do I find the best coffee?
In the city’s specialty cafés, which work with beans from Boquete and Volcán.
Keep reading
- Where to Eat in Panama City: A Local Guide
- Panamanian Food: What to Eat in Panama City
- Carimanola: que es y como se come en Panama
Aya la Vida is in Edificio La Cuadra, Avenida A and Calle 12 Oeste, Casco Antiguo, Panama City. Menu and opening hours on its official site; book a table here, see the menu, or plan a Copa stopover.
Reserva tu mesa en Aya la Vida
Cocina panameña de autor en el Casco Antiguo de Ciudad de Panamá, Edificio La Cuadra, Avenida A y Calle 12 Oeste. Terraza al aire libre y música en vivo de jueves a sábado.
