Plaza Herrera in Casco Viejo lit up at night with glowing cafes and park paths

Six Restaurants That Define Casco Viejo Dining

Introduction

Casco Viejo is full of restaurants, but most visitors don’t need twenty or thirty names thrown at them. That quickly becomes a listing website, useful to no one. What matters is curation. After decades in hotels, restaurants, and convention centres, I know the difference between a restaurant run by a cook and one run by a chef. These six are chef-driven, authentic, and chosen because they engage the five senses and satisfy any guest.

Dress here runs from casual to elegant casual, setting the tone for Casco Viejo’s unique balance: refined yet approachable, sophisticated without pretension. Each of these restaurants offers something different. No two experiences overlap. Together they reflect the diversity, reliability, and authenticity that make Casco Viejo Panama’s culinary heart.

Santa Rita – A Classic Casco Viejo Restaurant for Spanish Elegance

Santa Rita is the restaurant that first drew Panama’s elite back into Casco Viejo for dining, and it remains a cornerstone today. Led by Chef Nino and Geraldine, it blends Spanish and Argentine influences with polished hospitality. The atmosphere is confident but warm, the kind of place where guests instantly feel the rhythm of fine dining delivered with ease.

The senses engage immediately. The aroma of grilled seafood and sizzling meats greets you before you’re even seated. Wine corks pop, candles flicker, and servers move gracefully between tables carrying plates that look as refined as they taste. Paella, Argentine steaks, and fresh fish arrive steaming and aromatic, each bite layered with tradition and technique.

Santa Rita feels equally suited for business dinners, family celebrations, and romantic evenings. By day it is relaxed and welcoming; by night it transforms into a polished dining room alive with conversation. The staff set the tone with attentive yet unhurried service, striking the balance that keeps guests returning.

Dress runs from casual to elegant casual. A collared shirt, linen dress, or even a jacket for evening fits perfectly. Santa Rita remains the standard bearer for Spanish elegance in Casco Viejo because it is consistent, refined, and rooted in hospitality.

Kaandela – Farm-to-Fork Dining in Casco Viejo

Kaandela has quickly become a new voice for Panamanian cuisine. Its menus highlight what’s fresh and available, letting ingredients guide the dining experience. That approach creates food that feels natural, balanced, and rooted in Panama’s abundance.

Inside, the dining room is bright and confident. Plates are full of colour, and flavours are bold without being overwhelming. You can smell herbs, roasted vegetables, and citrus as dishes leave the kitchen. The space hums with conversation, but the energy is calm and assured rather than noisy. Every bite reflects the quality of local ingredients treated with care.

Kaandela stands out because it feels distinctly Panamanian yet polished enough to appeal to international travelers. It doesn’t rely on flash or theatrics. Instead, it delivers a modern interpretation of what dining in Panama can be—fresh, seasonal, and beautifully presented.

Dress here runs from smart casual to elegant casual. Linen shirts, sundresses, and polished sandals all fit the mood. Kaandela represents the growing maturity of Panama’s culinary scene, and it shows how thoughtful preparation can transform simple ingredients into something memorable.

Bruma – A Casco Viejo Seafood Restaurant for Families and Evenings

Bruma is a restaurant with two distinct moods. By day it’s relaxed and family-friendly, a place where seafood arrives in generous portions and children are welcome. By night, the lights dim, the pace slows, and Bruma takes on a more refined character—perfect for date nights or elegant gatherings. That duality is part of its charm.

During the day, the senses are alive with brightness: the sound of laughter, sunlight spilling across the tables, and the smell of fresh ceviche. Families dig into platters of grilled fish while the atmosphere stays casual and inviting. By evening, candles replace sunlight, music softens, and the focus shifts to carefully plated seafood that feels more polished.

Bruma doesn’t overcomplicate its food. It focuses on freshness and balance—letting the natural taste of the ocean come through. That restraint makes it approachable for first-time visitors while still satisfying experienced diners who know quality when they taste it.

Dress is casual during the day and smart casual at night. A collared shirt, sundress, or polished sandals fit perfectly for evening dining. Guests in the know may even be invited to step through to Bruma’s hidden speakeasy bar — the perfect way to finish the night with a craft cocktail.

Mahalo – Casco Viejo’s Everyday Favourite Restaurant

Mahalo isn’t just a café or a hangout — it’s a full restaurant with one of the best patios in Casco Viejo. Cool, relaxed, and tropical, it’s where visitors start their vacation and locals keep coming back. Weekends are for brunch here—tables fill with friends, travelers, and regulars who treat the patio like an extension of their own home.

Mahalo is the heartbeat of the neighborhood. It isn’t built on formality or luxury, but on energy, accessibility, and belonging. From fresh juices in the morning to cocktails under string lights at night, Mahalo captures Casco’s youthful, community-driven spirit. It’s also a wedding planner and meeting planner’s dream: private dining rooms, an enclosed garden patio, and multiple event spaces make it a favorite for intimate weddings, rehearsal dinners, and special celebrations.

The environment is colorful and casual. Music plays softly, bright décor frames the space, and the mood shifts throughout the day—sunlight in the morning, chatter and clinking glasses by sunset. Guests can dine indoors or out, and the menu stays fresh and vibrant, built around wraps, bowls, and grilled favorites that work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Mahalo is more than a restaurant—it’s a neighborhood gathering place. Digital nomads work from here, locals wave across tables, and travelers settle in easily. Dress is casual—shorts, sandals, or even a dress shirt all fit right in. Everyone belongs. Mahalo thrives on making itself useful every single day, reminding guests that dining is about connection, community, and food that feels good.

Casco Mar – A Waterfront Casco Viejo Restaurant You Can Trust

Casco Mar is a full Spanish-style restaurant where the water and the rhythm of Casco Viejo set the tone. This is not a place that chases trends — it’s the place you come back to again and again because you know what you’ll get: fresh seafood, consistent quality, and an atmosphere that lets you exhale.

The menu feels like a tour of Spain’s coastline. Tortillas, paella, grilled steaks, and seafood are served with quiet confidence, never rushed, always well-prepared. The dish you can’t miss is the spicy shrimp appetizer — served with crusty bread for dipping — the perfect start to a slow meal. Golden light washes across stone walls, the quiet salt of the sea drifts in, and plates arrive simply but beautifully presented.

Casco Mar is the restaurant locals bring friends to when they want to show off the real Casco Viejo. It’s where travelers come for one last dinner before heading home, to fix the neighborhood in their memory — drinks on the patio, a perfect paella, and the sound of the sea close by.

Dress leans toward elegant casual. Flowing dresses, collared shirts, polished sandals — you’ll fit right in. Casco Mar proves that authenticity and consistency are luxuries of their own. It offers refinement without fuss, flavour without gimmicks, and a timeless reminder of why Panama lingers in your mind long after the flight home.

Enkai – A Global Casco Viejo Restaurant Experience

Enkai is a restaurant for explorers. Its dining room strikes a balance between Japanese minimalism and Peruvian warmth, creating a stage for food that feels adventurous yet grounded. Chef Masaki Uyema leads with precision and heart, bringing a culinary style that sets Enkai apart in Casco Viejo.

The senses are heightened from the start. Citrus, soy, and smoky seafood aromas rise as dishes are prepared. Plates arrive with clean, geometric presentation: sashimi laid with discipline, ceviche bursting with colour, cocktails infused with herbs and spice. The lighting and music are tuned to keep the focus on flavour, while the room itself buzzes with anticipation.

Enkai is not a tourist trap. It is a restaurant with heritage and purpose, where meals feel both personal and profound. Guests often remark that no two visits feel exactly the same, and that evolving quality is intentional.

Enkai is a reminder that Casco Viejo is global and local at the same time. It is a restaurant for culinary explorers, a place that would have made Anthony Bourdain pause, smile, and stay awhile. Dress is relaxed but thoughtful — casual to smart casual works perfectly. Many guests lean stylish, but you’ll never feel out of place.

Closing – Why Six and Not More than 6 best Restaurants in Casco Viejo

These best Restaurants in Casco Viejo are not just listings. They are chef-driven experiences, chosen because they belong. They cover the spectrum: Spanish elegance, farm-to-table innovation, seafood for all occasions, community vibrancy, consistent refinement, and global fusion.

As someone who has spent a lifetime in hospitality, I know guests value clarity. Six restaurants are enough to cover every lifestyle, every occasion, and every taste. Casco Viejo does not need quantity. It needs quality, and these six deliver it.

Q&A

  • What is the dress code in Casco Viejo restaurants?
    Dress ranges from casual to elegant casual. You will always feel comfortable, whether you’re dressed for a walk or a dinner.
  • Are these restaurants chef-driven?
    Yes. Each one is led by a chef with vision and discipline, not just a cook. That difference defines authenticity.
  • Do these six restaurants represent different styles?
    They do. From Spanish-Argentine elegance to Japanese-Peruvian fusion, no two feel the same. Each restaurant has its own DNA.
  • Why only six restaurants?
    Because curation matters. Six carefully chosen restaurants provide clarity and trust. A list of thirty would dilute the experience.

Facts

  • Santa Rita Restaurant – Spanish elegance, chef-driven, cornerstone of Casco dining.
  • Kaandela – Farm-to-Fork, seasonal menus, modern Panamanian identity.
  • Bruma – Family-friendly by day, refined seafood by night.
  • Mahalo – Vibrant, casual, community hub, everyday favorite.
  • Casco Mar – Waterfront calm, consistent service, refined foods.
  • Enkai – Japanese-Peruvian fusion, chef-driven authenticity, adventurous spirit.
🍽️ The six best restaurants in Casco Viejo aren’t just places to eat — they’re experiences you’ll remember long after your trip ends. ☕ If you own a restaurant, café, or coffee bar in Casco, reach out to be featured. We showcase the spots that make Casco unforgettable.

🧭 Out and about with James.

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