Kaandela
$$$
Live-fire farm-to-table cooking inside the Amarla Casco Viejo Boutique Hotel — every dish shaped by wood flame, seasonal Panamanian ingredients and a kitchen that lets the fire do the talking.
Aya la Vida
$$$
Ranked #5 of 1,224 restaurants in Panama City, 4.9★. Vacuum-aged ropa vieja, grilled octopus in criolla sauce, ribeye finished with Panamanian chimichurri. Live music on weekends.
Kanibal Panamá
$$$$
Panama City's most spectacular rooftop table — perched six floors above Casco Viejo's cobblestones with panoramic skyline views. Fire-kissed steaks, black-ink seafood rice, and flaming cocktails served to a DJ soundtrack. Rated 4.8 on TripAdvisor with 500+ reviews.
Bruma Seafood & Wine
$$$
Small wine bar in Casco Viejo built around natural wines and whatever's fresh that day. Tight room, short list, food made to go with the glass in front of you.
A to Z Chef's Table
$$$$
10–12 course tasting menu at Casa Pérez Alemán in Casco Viejo. Small room, chef cooks in front of you, no menu handed out ahead of time.
Caleta
$$$
Ranked #1 of 1,232 restaurants in Panama City on TripAdvisor, 5.0★. Inside the restored Edificio Antiguo Club Unión in Casco Viejo. Panamanian seafood, menu changes with the season.
Casa Catedral
$$$
In the shadow of the Metropolitan Cathedral — a Casco Viejo dining room that pairs the old city's colonial grandeur with a thoughtful, contemporary Panamanian menu.
El Santuario
$$$
Inside a restored colonial monastery in Casco Viejo — brick arches, herringbone ceilings, courtyard seating. Breakfast buffet is one of the best in the city; dinner leans fusion, spicy tuna tartare is what people talk about.