The best bars and cafés Panama

Timetable

Cafés open around 9am and close around 7pm, or much later. Happy hours are common in bars in tourist areas.

Budget & Tips

Prices are reasonable in Panamanian cafes, even in very touristy places. Count between 0,50 and 3 US$ for a coffee, between 2 and 4 US$ for a natural fruit juice or a milkshake(batido), between 1,50 and 3,50 US$ for a cold beer on the terrace.

Age restrictions

Consumption of alcohol is possible from the age of 18. You may be required to show identification to gain access to an establishment selling alcohol. A photocopy of your passport to prove your age will do if necessary.

What's very local

Although the country produces one of the world's most famous coffees, coffee-growing is not very well developed in Panamá, apart from the Boquete area and the capital's upmarket districts. It's usually served American-style, i.e. drowned in water. If you want a full-bodied coffee, turn to espressos in restaurants and specialized cafés. The same goes for tea, which is hard to find outside a few establishments in the capital. Hibiscus flower infusion, on the other hand, is quite common.

Among the local curiosities, you can try duros or raspao: duros are a kind of homemade ice cream made with water or condensed milk, usually sold by individuals in the countryside on their doorstep and served in a cup or small plastic bag. Raspao is a cone of ice cream mixed with tropical-flavored syrups and topped with condensed milk or sugarcane honey. You'll no doubt see the raspaderos, street vendors, grating their huge block of ice onto a cart. A Panamanian tradition to refresh and energize! To avoid artificial sugar, treat yourself to coconut water(ague de pipa) or sugarcane juice(jugo de caña)..

Kids

Children are welcome in cafes and bars if accompanied by a parent.

Smokers

As in restaurants, smoking is prohibited in bars and cafés, even on the terrace.

Tourist traps

There are no real tourist traps in this area.

To avoid disappointment when ordering a juice, always ask if it is natural(jugo natural) and not artificial(jugo artificial).