VACATIONS FROM HOME: EATING IN BOCAS DEL TORO

OUR SUGGESTIONS
Passion Fruit and rum at
Ultimo Refugio

Panama has coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, so naturally seafood is found on every menu from Panama City to Bocas del Toro. When prepared with the flavors of this Latin American country the palate explodes in joy with every mouthful. Although Panamanian cuisine is not as hot-spicy as other Latin American foods, spices like achiote, cumin, oregano, cilantro and chili peppers and herbs like sazon and culantro (which we learned about in a cooking class in the capital) reflect the country’s many diverse cultures like Spanish, Indigenous and Afro-Caribbean.

Culantro tastes like cilantro, but much more potent.

Ceviche was on every menu, often accompanied by fried plantains or patacones, which are a staple in Latin America, and made for a great snack while relaxing at a table on the beach, an Abuelo Rum or Balboa Cerveza in hand.

cheap food in Bocas Town

Except for two days when I had Ropa Vieja tacos in Panama City and insisted on having Tex-Mex one night in Bocas Town we had fish like tilapia, tuna, Covina, Red Snapper, dorado, or lobster or shrimp.

COSTLY

Unfortunately, though reasonably priced when compared to prices back at home, Bocas del Toro is a very touristed area and the prices reflect the popularity. We met some travelers who were going through other countries like Nicaragua and Colombia and every one said the prices in Panama are higher. Entrees were in the mid-20’s range, which is reasonable for seafood at home. Meals with an appetizer, entrée, drinks and a 10% tip came out to $80+ on average.

Of course, you can munch your way through some empanadas and eat fresh papaya if you’re on an extreme budget.

So, following is the list of restaurants that we had the pleasure to stuff our faces in Panama City and Bocas del Toro. We would have done more, but we ran out of time.

OUR SUGGESTIONS:

CANAL HOUSE, Panama City

Ropa Vieja Tacos at
the Canal House

Rather than eating at the Radisson Panama Canal in Panama City we walked down to the Balboa Marina just a couple of hundred yards away from our hotel and ate at the Canal House. We took an outdoor table overlooking the Panama Canal we had some drinks, ceviche and Ropa Vieja tacos that were fantastic. $52.65

THE CANAL HOUSE, PANAMA CITY, PANAMA

RADISSON PANAMA CANAL

PUNTA CARACOL ACQUA-LODGE

The very affordable overwater bungalows of Punta Caracol were the main reason we traveled to Bocas del Toro in the first place. We spent four days at this isolated resort and stayed in the thatched roof two-story main suite. For meals we could have taken a free shuttle taxi into Bocas Town, but opted to remain all four days at the resort. After all, we were staying in Bocas Town after our stay at the relaxing and quiet Caracol.

Dessert at Punta Caracol

We took all breakfasts, lunches and dinners and mid-afternoon drinks in the Punta Caracol’s open-air main building. Dinners had to be pre-ordered in the afternoon for either of two seatings. Janet raved about the sauce they put on her different fish entrees. Our entire bill for all food and drink came to $317.79

PUNTA CARACOL ACQUA-LODGE

ISLAND TAP HOUSE

Okay, we didn’t eat there, but we had craft beer brewed in Panama City. La Rana Dorado brews an impressive array of craft cervezas, including our favorite the Grand Cru.

Located directly across the street from our Tropical Suites hotel, it was a great place to linger as we waited for our room to be prepared. Their happy hour prices were $5.00 per beer and went from noon to 5:00 pm. Local beers like Balboa or Kristal were cheaper. They have live music at night.

LA RANA DORADA CERVEZA

ISLAND TAP HOUSE BOCAS TOWN PANAMA

TROPICAL SUITES HOTEL

Located in the center of Bocas Town and thankfully directly across the street from the Island Tap House, the Tropical Suites hotel was clean with spacious rooms. Ours overlooked the waters of Bocas del Toro and from our balcony could see the water taxis and the nightlife come alive across the way on Isla Carenero. We had a kitchenette and bought fruit for snacking at a local market.

Tropical Suites in
background

They have a pool and a swim up bar, although a somewhat limited restaurant menu. They offer meal plans, but we only had one dinner and a breakfast, and lots of rum at the bar. Our tab for our 5-day stay was $112.89

JOHN’S BAKERY

Great place for coffee, snacks and breakfast this very local place is a block down from the Simon Bolivar Park and it helps to know some Spanish so you know how your eggs will be prepared. Not fancy, but local and good! Cash or credit cards. Two breakfasts with eggs, coffee and a Danish cost about $18.00.

John's Bakery, Bocas Town

La BUGA GASTRO MARKET

If you’re not sure what you want to eat while in Bocas Town then La Buga Gastro Market is a great place to start. La Buga is a consolidation of five restaurants; Italian, Mexican, Hawaiian, Burgers and Pizza. You can order everything from poke bowls and sushi to tacos and risotto. Find a table overlooking the water and a waiter will present you with a massive menu listing everything from all the restaurants. Enjoy the whimsical décor, but don’t fall into the water. At night this opening in the deck is lighted and you’ll see fish. Their classic margarita is excellent! 75.39
Classic Margarita at La Buga

LA BUGA GASTRO MARKET BOCAS TOWN

ULTIMO REFUGIO

This was the first choice in Bocas Town restaurants for Janet and I was happy to oblige. She’s always right. Although the entrance to Ultimo Refugio is suspect with a sign just above a ramp that looked derelict, once you pass the kitchen you enter an inviting world, bright, funky and busy. We had to sit at the bar for a time because we didn’t have a reservation, but were introduced to the house drink, Passion Fruit and Abuelo Rum. At just $6.00, it was the beginning of a great night. The gracious hostess pulled up large whiteboard menus in English and Spanish and propped them up near our bar stools so we could an idea of what to order and we were prepared to sit at the bar and eat, but soon a table opened up.

Ultimo Refugio

We had a couple of appetizers. Janet had snapper ceviche and we shared a plate of fried plantains with a spicy dipping sauce. The plantain appetizer is usually twice the size, and the hostess offered to just give us a half portion and charged accordingly. We each had seared tuna encrusted with sesame seeds. The portions were so large that we could have shared one entrée between us.

Entertainment was a sax player and singer and we sat on a table overlooking the waters of Bocas del Toro. It was a great meal and a lovely location.

I had a wheat beer from the Bocas Beer Company. Sadly, we did not see these beers listed anywhere else on Isla Colon.

We both thought it was the best restaurant and 97.47 with tip was well worth the money. In hindsight we wished we went there for another meal in our too short time at Bocas del Toro.

ULTIMO REFUGIO BOCAS TOWN

BOCAS BREWING COMPANY

RESTAURANTE YARISNORI

Bocas del Drago is a small town on the far end of Isla Colon from Bocas Town. This is the end of the line for the little public bus and people usually then hike the 20 minutes over to Playa Estrella. Restaurante Yarisnori is a hotel with a bar and restaurant and we sat one of their tables on the beach by the placid waters and had…yes, ceviche and plantains, a bottle of water and a Balboa beer for $15.80 as we waited for the return bus.

Restaurante Yarisnori

RESTAURANTE YARISNORI

TEQUILA REPUBLIC

Here’s some great advice…drink rum when in Panama. Tequila and Mezcal are great, but they are not from Panama and the cost of drinks certainly are reflected in this fact.

There are all sorts of foods available throughout Bocas Town and there was a number of Mexican restaurants. I really enjoy Mexican food, and Tequila Republic stood out. I insisted on going there one night and it was the first and only time Janet didn’t have fish for dinner. Instead, we had burritos and quesadillas at this lively joint. Outdoor tables were filled with Canadian ex-patriots hooting it up, and the people watching was fun. The Tex-Mex fare was enjoyable, but the bill was outrageous. We ordered from the menu margaritas, but with Mezcal. Afterwards we learned there was an upcharge of $15.00 per shot of Mezcal, on top of the price of the margarita!!!

Our “entrees” cost just $33.00 and the rest was for drinks.

Drink rum in Panama. $108.44

TEQUILA REPUBLIC BOCAS TOWN

COCO FASTRONOMY

Their menu is all over the place from sandwiches to large potions for fish entrees. Janet went big with two fillets, Tuna and Dorado, while I had a Caribenos Bowl with rice, beans and a hunk of Dorado. I also had a Seco, a clear cheap unaged rum. Costa Rica has a similar alcohol called Cacique.

There’s a four-stool bar on the street, but like every other place in Bocas Town their tables are on a back deck overlooking the water. Though the meal was filling and the atmosphere was enchanting, we came away from Coco Fastronomy wishing we had returned to Ultimo Refugio. $84.71

COCO FASTRONOMY

PALMAR BEACH LODGE

Pina Colada at Palmar

We spent the afternoon at the Red Frog Beach and had drinks at the Palmar Beach Lodge. Janet got the prettiest pina colada we’d ever seen. My Abuelo Rum over ice with lime came out quick, but her drink was a work of art. $15.73

PIER 19 $22.00

The restaurant is part of the Diver’s Paradise Experience. On the grounds is a boutique hotel, the dive shop and the restaurant. After our two-tank dive we lingered over brunch, which because we dove with them got a 10% discount!!

PIER 19 MENU

BOCAS DIVERS PARADISE

OCTO

This place was on Janet’s list, but they were never open during our stay. A recent search states it’s temporarily closed. That’s okay, they serve octopus and that’s just not right.

OCTO BOCAS TOWN PANAMA

I'm officially hungry.

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