3 Best Restaurants in Chiriqui Province, Panama

Owned by master pastry chef Richard Meyer, this colorful café is perhaps the most popular place in town, meaning guests wait in line, all while being tempted by the glass case displaying strawberry cream cake, chunky brownie muffins, walnut cranberry pie, and coconut mousse cake. Travelers on a budget come for the $1 empanadas or the lunch specials of wraps, soups, sandwiches, and salads. The Italian melt with prosciutto and provolone is perfectly toasted, and the hot pressed pastrami on rye or roast beef on ciabatta makes it clear why Sugar & Spice supplies most Boquete hotels and restaurants with breads, all made from natural starters.

This Mexican grill might seem out of place in Volcán, but it’s a favorite among locals with its authentic street tacos piled high with battered fish, chorizo, and chicken. Rice, beans, slaw, and salsas come with main entrées, or you can opt for lunch classics like hamburgers or panini. The Michoacán-born Chef Jamie Ortega delivers traditional Mexican dishes of sopa de tortilla, enchiladas, mole, and chiles rellenos. Start with a sweet mango margarita and end with tasty tres leches. The colorful wooden tables and walls displaying ponchos and sombreros might make you forget where you’re traveling.