Panama Food Guide

Arroz con pollo (Chicken and Rice)

A flavorful dish of chicken and rice cooked with vegetables, spices, and often saffron, giving it a vibrant yellow color. It's a common dish for lunch or dinner.

Empanadas

Savory pastries filled with various ingredients, such as ground meat, chicken, or cheese. They are a popular snack or appetizer.

Tamales

Steamed corn dough pockets filled with savory or sweet ingredients, wrapped in banana leaves. They are often enjoyed during holidays and special occasions.

A refreshing shaved ice dessert flavored with various fruit syrups (tamarind, passion fruit, guanabana, raspberry), topped with condensed milk, fruit chunks, and sometimes grated coconut. Street vendors sell raspaditos from colorful carts throughout Panama City, coastal towns. Essential for hot tropical days. Similar to Mexican raspados or Dominican frío frío. Ice shaved by hand crank or electric machine, creating fluffy snow-like texture. Condensed milk adds creamy sweetness contrasting with tart fruit flavors. Beach vendors popular in Bocas del Toro, Coronado.

A sponge cake soaked in rum-infused syrup (seco or rum, sugar, cinnamon, cloves), creating boozy, moist dessert. Despite name, it's cake not soup - sopa refers to soaking. Often served during Christmas, New Year, Independence Day celebrations (November 3 and 28). Cake cubed and layered with syrup, sometimes topped with raisins, prunes, or whipped cream. Spanish colonial heritage dessert popular throughout Latin America but particularly beloved in Panama. Each family has secret syrup recipe. Adult dessert due to alcohol content.

Sponge cake soaked in three-milk mixture (evaporated milk, condensed milk, heavy cream), creating ultra-moist, rich dessert. Topped with whipped cream or meringue frosting. Central American dessert staple, immensely popular in Panama for birthdays, celebrations, casual dining. Origins debated (Mexico, Nicaragua, or Panama), but Panamanians claim it as national treasure. Served chilled in slices. Variations include coconut tres leches, chocolate tres leches, passion fruit tres leches. Bakeries throughout Panama City offer tres leches daily.

Sweet coconut candies made with shredded coconut, brown sugar (or panela), cinnamon, sometimes condensed milk. Cooked until caramelized, formed into small mounds or bars. Chewy, sweet, intensely coconut-flavored. Street vendors sell cocadas wrapped in wax paper. Caribbean coastal specialty particularly common in Bocas del Toro, Portobelo. Afro-Caribbean heritage reflecting coconut abundance. November coconut harvest season produces freshest cocadas. White cocadas use refined sugar, brown use panela for deeper molasses flavor.

Creamy coconut custard dessert made with coconut milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon. Name means "tastes good to me" in Spanish. Smooth, rich, tropical pudding-like consistency. Served chilled in small cups or bowls, often garnished with ground cinnamon or toasted coconut flakes. Spanish colonial dessert adapted with Caribbean coconut abundance. Popular in home kitchens, traditional restaurants. Similar to tembleque (Puerto Rican) but richer with egg yolks. Comfort dessert for family meals.

Caramelized milk confection made by slowly heating sweetened milk until golden brown and thick. Used as dessert topping, filling, or eaten by spoonful. In Panama, dulce de leche (also called arequipe in some regions) used in cakes, cookies, ice cream, crepes. Spread on bread for breakfast, stuffed in pastries. Available in supermarkets, homemade versions treasured. Argentine/Uruguayan origins, but adopted throughout Latin America including Panama. Creamy, sweet, caramel flavor. Essential ingredient in Panamanian dessert repertoire.

White pudding dessert made with coconut milk, milk, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, sometimes ground almonds or rice flour. Thick, creamy, white custard-like consistency. Served chilled in small portions, garnished with cinnamon or ground nuts. Spanish colonial heritage dessert with Moorish influences. Each Latin American country has variation - Panama's uses more coconut milk reflecting Caribbean influence. Traditional for religious celebrations, family gatherings. Milder, less sweet than dulce de leche. Comfort dessert with nostalgic associations.

Rice pudding made with white rice, pineapple chunks, coconut milk, cinnamon, sugar, raisins. Sweet, tropical twist on traditional rice pudding. Served warm or chilled depending on preference. Pineapple adds bright acidity balancing creamy coconut rice. Comfort dessert for family dinners, holiday meals. November pineapple season (year-round but peak sweetness November-March) produces best arroz con piña. Each family has preferred consistency - some like thick pudding, others prefer soupy. Golden pineapple variety from Chiriquí province particularly prized.