Casco Viejo Restaurants How to Choose and What to Book

How to choose a restaurant in Casco Viejo, Panama: what the neighborhood does well, when to book and how to avoid the tourist traps on the plazas.

Casco Viejo has more restaurants per block than anywhere else in Panama, which sounds like good news until you are standing on a plaza at eight in the evening with a hungry group and no plan. This is how locals sort it out.

What the neighborhood does well

Three things, mainly: rooftops with a view of the skyline, restored colonial rooms with real character, and a concentration of chefs who moved here precisely because the neighborhood attracts people who care about dinner. The weak spot is the row of places facing the busiest plazas, where the location does the selling and the kitchen does not have to try.

Five questions before you book

1. Rooftop or interior? A roof terrace is unbeatable at sunset and punishing at two in the afternoon.
2. How many are you? Most rooms in the quarter are built for tables of two and four. For eight or more, call ahead.
3. What time does the kitchen close? That is not the same as closing time; several stop serving hot plates forty minutes earlier.
4. Reservation or waiting list? Both systems coexist here, and confusing them costs an hour standing up.
5. Is live music part of the plan? It changes the evening completely, and not every room has it.

How to spot the tourist trap

Photographs of the dishes on the menu outside, a host actively pulling people in from the sidewalk, and a card in six languages are all reliable signals. The places locals return to tend to be one street back from the main plaza, with a short menu and a full room at nine.

The Spanish and Argentine corner

Alongside Panamanian cooking and the international offer, the quarter has a small group of houses working Spanish and Argentine traditions: tapas to share, rice dishes, and grills that treat the cut as the point of the meal. It is the category to pick when the plan is a long dinner rather than a quick bite.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a reservation in Casco Viejo?
For Friday and Saturday dinner, yes. Midweek you can usually walk in before 7 p.m.

What time do people eat dinner in Panama?
Later than in the United States. Restaurants fill between 8 and 9:30 p.m.

Is Casco Viejo expensive?
It is the most expensive area of the city per plate, with a wide range: street food on one corner and tasting menus on the next.

Santa Rita in Casco Viejo

Spanish kitchen and Argentine grill on Avenida Eloy Alfaro and Calle 11, in the heart of Casco Viejo. Open Monday to Thursday 5:00 to 11:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 1:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., Sunday 12:00 to 8:00 p.m. Phone +507 303-0991 · WhatsApp +507 6629-6315.

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Keep reading

• Where to Eat Steak in Panama City
• Spanish Tapas and Paella in Panama City
• Dinner with Live Music in Casco Viejo, Panama