Bocas Del Toro is an archipelago in northern Panama. A beach haven for surfers, yogis, and backpackers. It is a laid-back party town if ever a place existed. The streets are dirt roads, and the hotels all have their own docks. After spending a week in Panama City, it was quite the change.
I wanted to spend my birthday on the beach, so I headed north for another week. Bocas is a very affordable destination. Panama is in general one of the most expensive Central American countries, but Bocas is significantly cheaper than the city even though it is a tourist destination.
The town is not very big and easy to walk to almost anything. I stayed at the Selina which has a great central location and runs tours right out of it. It is big, beautiful, and airy. There is a little shop as well as a tours desk on the first floor. The back of the hotel opens right out into the water with a café (more about that later). The 2nd floor has an open-air kitchen with great street views to people watch and a lounge area in the back overlooking the water.
I spent every day on the water doing different snorkeling tours. I saw the biggest star fish!
Anyway, let’s talk about the food. There are some great places to eat in this tiny beach town. Let’s start with your lunch or dinner.
El Ultimo Refugio
I saw this place on list after list of must eat places in town. It was my first night in Bocas and I wanted a local seafood dinner for my birthday. The restaurant is open air and right on the docks. The menu is handwritten on a chalk board ( that change weekly or daily) and the drinks are strong. I had a Pineapple Shrimp Curry that was out of this world. There is no website for this place, but it is on google maps.
Coco Fastronomy
A trendy place with a lot of Central American favorites like burritos, bowls and seafood. All dishes have either a Caribbean, Asian or European influence peppered in. However, this place is famous for Bape. What is a Bape? It is a special type of bread created by the chef. It is stuffed with various ingredients. Mine was beef, cheese, sauce. Like a burger. Check out the menu here
Doghouse pizza
A tiny pizza place with inexpensive personal pies. It is perfect for late night or lunch. After a long day of Filthy Friday (see below for details) this was the perfect place to order takeaway. I ate it on the balcony while I listened to people continue to party. For take away or dine in, check out the menu here
Om’ Café
I love Indian food. It is often my go to comfort food. It is always great for vegetarian options as well. Especially in meat heavy countries.
I generally try to eat the local cuisine but as you know long days or weeks on the road can often lead to wanting something familiar. Check out the menu here
I think where Bocas really shines when it comes to food is all the cafés. Breakfast seems to really matter here. I suppose it is due to the high volume of both US tourists and backpackers who pass thru. Every corner had a coffee shop or breakfast nook. Due to the party culture it makes late brunches incredibly popular.
Café’s
Amaranto – this café immediately caught my eye because it looks like something I would stumble upon in Brooklyn. They do coffee art on all espresso drinks and they have great offerings like peanut butter and banana toast. Great for photos. Plus its a juice bar, lots of healthy options here.
Café del Mar – located right next to Amaranto, this place also has good ambience but I found the staff friendlier at Amaranto. They didn’t like that I was a solo diner and gave me a hard time about sitting down. The food was delicious and photo worthy as well. You can find their menu on Instagram.
Selina – La Neta Caribe – this one was the most convenient for me and had great views. The food is always reliable when you stay at a Selina and you can book your room with breakfast for a discounted price. I didn’t do this at this location because I wanted to check out all the cute cafes in town but I think the food and dollar value is worth it. This place isn’t just breakfast either. It runs all day with a menu change for lunch/dinner. Plus if you are a happy hour seeker like I am this place has an extended one from 3p-8p. Check it out here
El Patio – great spot for breakfast or lunch not just coffee. This was probably my favorite café out of all of the ones I tried. I would say there isn’t a ton of menu variation thru all of these cafes but I love savory breakfast foods so I don’t mind all that much. Another one with no official website but can be found on Instagram and Google Maps.
Cat in the Cup – I didn’t go into this one because I have a cat allergy but I know this is a huge draw for cat lovers. I can’t comment on the quality of coffee but I can say if you love cats you will enjoy the atmosphere.
Party like a tourist!
Filthy Fridays – this is its own subcategory. This is an experience. Every Friday they organize an island-hopping tour. You go to three different islands and …drink. It is wild. It is one big party and something I think worth doing just for the experience. Everyone turns out for this day party and since I now prefer to drink in the day and be in bed at a reasonable hour, I loved it. There are food and drink options at each venue. Check it out here.
