Eat · Casco Viejo
Carimañolas, empanadas and hojaldres
Panamanian fried snacks from a bakery counter or street stall: a carimañola (a cassava fritter with meat), an empanada or a hojaldra with coffee for US$1 to 4; a breakfast or a snack, best before 10:00.
- Carimañolas
- Cheap
- Fast
- Order: Carimañola and coffee
- Counter seating
- Walk-in window: 06:30–10:00
- Queue risk: after 16:00
- Cash only
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua (CA-4) giv…Street taxis often quote a tourist price and do not use m…
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- Panama City ↗Street taxis often quote a tourist price and do not use meters: book through a ride-hailing app or the airport taxi counter, and agree the fare before you get in.
- Panama City ↗May to November brings heavy afternoon rain: plan outdoor stops for the morning and keep the afternoon for indoor stops.
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Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Morning to early afternoon; check the stall
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
06:30–10:00
Reservations
Walk-in, no reservation
Paying
Cash only
Per person
US$2–62026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
How to order
- Point at what looks hot and freshly fried.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
Allergies and diets
- AskVegetarian · Cheese versions. · say: “No como carne.”
- NoVegan · Rare.
- NoHalal · Not certified. · say: “Sin cerdo.”
- NoGluten-free · Fried dough and cassava with flour.
- AskNut allergy · Ask.
- Not on fileAllergy · Cross-contact likely. · say: “Soy alérgico a...”
Paying
Cash only
- Pay in small notes and eat standing.
- Ask the price of each item.
- Cash only at most stalls; keep small US notes.
Booking
- Booking
- Walk-in, no reservation
- Reservations
- Not taken
- Note
- Walk-in counters.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Point at what looks hot and freshly fried.
No shared language? Tap dishes in the order builder below and show the waiter the full-screen list in the local script. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is this? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? | KWAN-toh KWES-ta |
| Not spicy, please | Sin picante, por favor | seen pee-KAN-teh por fah-VOR |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor | la KWEN-ta por fah-VOR |
| Hello | Buenos días | BWEH-nos DEE-as |
| Thank you | Gracias | GRAH-syas |
Portions and sharing
- Say how many.
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Coffee refills: May be charged — Ask.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 10%, less than the 15–20% US norm.
- Pay in small notes and eat standing.
- Ask the price of each item.
- Cash only at most stalls; keep small US notes.
- Tipping: About 10% in restaurants if service is not added; round up for drivers.
- Check the bill for a service charge before tipping.
At the table
- Eat cooked food hot; choose busy counters.
- Ask for bottled water; ice in established places is usually fine.
- Go to markets and fondas before 13:30.Go to markets and fondas before 1:30 PM.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- US$2–6 per person (2026 estimate)
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Preferred.
Rare.
Rare.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianask
Cheese versions.
Show: No como carne.
- Veganno
Rare.
- Halalno
Not certified.
Show: Sin cerdo.
- Gluten-freeno
Fried dough and cassava with flour.
- Nut allergyask
Ask.
- Allergynot on file
Cross-contact likely.
Show: Soy alérgico a...
What is in the dishes
- EmpanadaEmpanadadairy
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- No bookings.
- How far ahead
- Not needed
- No-show / cancel fee
- Not applicable
- Dress code
- Casual.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Sundays | check before you go | Fewer stalls. |
| Rainy afternoons | check before you go | Stalls close. |
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 16:00 (quiet).
- 07:00busya short wait is possible
- 08:00heavyexpect a line
- 09:00busya short wait is possible
- 11:00lightlittle or no wait
- 13:00lightlittle or no wait
- 16:00quietlittle or no wait
Desk estimate of crowd on a weekday; weekends and public holidays run one level higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Seating
- Counter seats
- Kids
- kids' menu: no · stroller: ok · Simple snacks
- Access
- step-free: check · Street stalls
Hygiene
- Choose stalls with a queue and hot oil.
- Use hand wipes; there is rarely a sink.
Facts
- Reservations
- Not taken — Walk-in counters.
- Capabilities
- food
- Getting there
- Walk along Avenida Central or the plaza edges · ~4 min walk
Cons
- Everything is fried.
- Few seats; eat on the street or a bench.
- Hours vary by stall.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Carimañola | A cassava fritter stuffed with meat. | Order it hot. |
| Hojaldra | A fried dough round. | Try it with coffee. |
| Empanada | A fried pastry. | Ask the filling. |
| Chicha | A fruit drink. | Ask the flavour. |
Price check
- locals pay
- Each item costs US$1 to 2.
- tourist price
- Cafés in Casco Viejo charge US$4 to 6 for a pastry.
- rule
- Ask the price of each item.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee refills | May be charged | Ask. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
When is best?
Before 10:00, hot from the fryer.Before 10:00 AM, hot from the fryer.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Do I need cash?
Yes.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
What is a carimañola?
A cassava fritter stuffed with meat and fried.
Is it enough for lunch?
Two or three can be.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Fonda lunch (plato del día)1 min walkFonda-style lunch counters serve a plate of the day for US$5 to 9: rice, beans, plantain and stew or chicken. Go at 11:30 to 13:30, and choose a place with a queue of workers.Fonda-style lunch counters serve a plate of the day for US$5 to 9: rice, beans, plantain and stew or chicken. Go at 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, and choose a place with a queue of workers.
- Specialty coffee cafés in Casco Viejo1 min walkCafés that serve Panamanian highland coffee, including the expensive geisha variety: a good air-conditioned break from the heat; an ordinary cup costs US$3 to 6, a geisha US$8 to 20 or more.
- Mercado de Mariscos7 min walkWalk-in ceviche and fried-fish counters over the seafood market on the Cinta Costera; go before 12:00 or after 14:00.Walk-in ceviche and fried-fish counters over the seafood market on the Cinta Costera; go before 12:00 PM or after 2:00 PM.
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Panama City, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Panama City in 4 days.
Sources
- officialVisit Panama (official)
- secondaryWikivoyage: Panama City
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.