Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Panama City

Steam rises from enormous fresh pita breads while smoke rises from sweet-smelling hookahs at Beirut, a Lebanese restaurant decked out in imitations of classical stonework and mosaic tables from the fountain on its shaded patio to the columns dotting the spacious interior. The menu lists treats like falafel and dolmas, dips like hummus, baba ganoush, and foul, soups, salads, meat and seafood dishes, Lebanese oven specials and pasta plates including plantain gnocchi. At the end of a delectably flavored meal, guests might be lucky enough to enjoy a complementary sweet mint tea to ideally wrap up the experience.

In the heart of Panama City's nightlife scene, the sultry scents and blissful flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine fill the dining room at Habibi's up to the white canopy-draped ceiling and spill out to the tables placed on the open-air roofed porch. Hookahs and various drinks make great accompaniments to mainly Lebanese cuisine; light fare includes treats like hummus or baba ganoush with hot pita bread or baklava for customers in the mood for a sweet. Heartier meals include falafel and shish kabobs, or more familiar fare such as pizza, pasta dishes, and Cajun chicken. Patrons are often treated to the shimmies and jingles of a talented belly dancer on Friday and Saturday nights.

Although squarely located in the oldest neighborhood in Panama City, Café Havana masterfully recreates legendary Cuban panache from the rhythms of salsa music to the very full bar. The waiters, smartly dressed in white button-up shirts and stylish jeans, are the epitome of hospitality and usher arrivals inside to enjoy hearty meat dishes, ceviche, commanding mixed drinks, and the daily special. As the night continues, they're delighted to chat about the beautiful photographs and paintings of Cuban personalities that hang on the walls under the modern hoop chandelier that serves as a centerpiece.

Patrons step into the territory of Bora Bora Bar & Grill under a sign supported by two posts dressed up like palm trees, and are promptly greeted by a disco ball dangling from the ceiling of the dining room. Before the party really begins, however, tables of tasteful diners enjoy an impressive fusion cuisine utilizing European and Asian elements to prepare traditionally Panamanian dishes. Try the lobster-stuffed patacones, various linguinis and seafood preparations, and be sure to finish the meal with a conceptually fascinating and realistically delicious dessert like cheesecake with guayaba topping or coconut-vanilla flan with peaches.

If the seafood creations at Eurasia represent a zenith of contemporary international fusion cuisine, then the pastry table usually installed near the entrance is surely the icing on top. The menu draws from typically Asian flavorings to add intrigue to favorite dishes of fine European dining and the excellent service assures a dining experience worth repeating. The elegant setting begins with marble floors, rises to opulent art gracing the walls, and climbs Spanish-styled ironwork to the high ceilings above. A small tropical garden behind the restaurant adds a lovely natural touch to the impeccable style of the establishment, open since 2002. Reservations are suggested.