If you want to understand Panama through food, start with ceviche.
It is fresh, inexpensive, tropical and deeply connected to the country's relationship with the sea. In Panama, ceviche isn't reserved for fancy restaurants. It can be eaten as a quick afternoon snack, shared with friends over a cold beer, served at a family gathering, or enjoyed at a tiny counter where fishermen's catch has made its way from the Pacific to your plate.
And there is perhaps no better place to begin your culinary adventure than the Mercado De Mariscos Cinta Costera in Panama City.
Located beside Avenida Balboa and at the entrance to Casco Viejo, the market is one of the city's great seafood institutions. The municipality describes it as Panama's principal point of sale for fresh fish and seafood, including corvina, pargo, shrimp, lobster and octopus. It also has restaurants and fondas where ceviche is prepared on the spot.
🐟 Corvina: the classic place to start
The most iconic Panamanian ceviche is probably ceviche de corvina.
Corvina is a mild, firm white fish associated particularly with Panama's Pacific coast. Cut into small pieces, it is combined with lime or lemon juice, onion, salt and herbs and allowed to marinate.
Panamanian versions can also include culantro, parsley and ají chombo, giving the ceviche a distinctly local character.
The result is wonderfully refreshing.
The citrus provides acidity. The onion adds crunch. The herbs provide fragrance. The chile adds heat. And the corvina provides a clean, delicate base that lets everything else shine.
If you have never tried Panamanian ceviche, corvina is the one to order first.
🍤 Ceviche de camarón
Next comes shrimp ceviche.
Shrimp gives ceviche a completely different personality. Instead of the delicate texture of raw marinated fish, you get the firmer, slightly sweet character of shrimp.
It is one of the most popular choices at cevicherías and seafood markets throughout Panama.
At the Mercado de Mariscos, you will often see people ordering a small cup of shrimp ceviche as a quick snack before moving on to something else.
That is one of the wonderful things about the Panamanian ceviche culture: you don't necessarily have to commit to a giant meal.
You can simply order a cup and keep exploring.
🐙 Pulpo ceviche
If you love seafood, ceviche de pulpo is another one to try.
Octopus has a completely different texture from fish or shrimp. When properly prepared, it is pleasantly firm and chewy without being tough.
The citrus, onion and herbs cut through the richness of the octopus beautifully.
It is one of those ceviches that can make you realize just how many different personalities the same basic dish can have.
🦑 Calamari ceviche
Calamari ceviche is another option found in Panama.
Like octopus, calamari brings a firmer texture to the dish. It works particularly well with strong citrus, onion and spicy flavors.
Some cevicherías offer several seafood choices side by side, making it possible to create your own little ceviche tasting.
🦀 Ceviche de cangrejo
Crab provides a sweeter, more delicate seafood flavor.
It isn't necessarily the first ceviche visitors think of, but it demonstrates how creative Panama's ceviche culture can be. Seafood doesn't simply mean fish and shrimp here. Local cevicherías can turn a surprisingly wide range of marine ingredients into variations of the dish.
🐚 Concha negra
For something more adventurous, look for ceviche de concha negra, made with black clams.
This is particularly interesting because the flavor is considerably more intense than a mild fish ceviche.
It has a briny, mineral character that tastes unmistakably like the sea.
It is one of the varieties worth seeking out if you want to move beyond the standard corvina and shrimp.
🦐 The famous mixto or "combinación"
Then there is the ceviche mixto, sometimes called a combinación.
This is where things get fun.
Instead of choosing one seafood, you get several together. Depending on the establishment, a combination might include fish, shrimp, octopus, squid, clams or other seafood.
Panamanian sources describe combinations ranging from fish and shrimp to much more elaborate mixtures. One traditional seafood guide from La Prensa lists combinations involving fish, shrimp, octopus, squid, crab and black clams among the varieties found around the Mercado de Mariscos.
For a first visit, this can be an excellent choice because you get to experience several textures and flavors in one serving.
🌶️ And then there are the creative ceviches
Panama's ceviche culture doesn't stop with traditional recipes.
Cevicherías have developed their own sauces and combinations, including tropical, Caribbean and spicy versions. Some establishments offer ceviches with fruit based sauces, creamy sauces or more elaborate combinations.
There are even places where you can order multiple small ceviches and essentially create your own tasting menu.
That is part of what makes Panama's ceviche culture so entertaining.
There is a traditional foundation, but cooks aren't afraid to experiment.
🥨 Don't forget the crackers
One of the charming details of Panamanian ceviche is how it is served.
Instead of automatically arriving with the corn and sweet potato that you might associate with Peruvian ceviche, Panamanian ceviche is commonly accompanied by saltine crackers or little pastry shells known as canastitas.
The crackers are perfect for scooping up the fish, onion and citrusy liquid.
Simple, cheap and addictive.
🏪 Why the Mercado de Mariscos is such a great starting point
The Mercado de Mariscos isn't simply somewhere to eat.
It is a place where you can see Panama's seafood culture happening around you.
On the lower level, vendors sell fresh seafood, including corvina, snapper, shrimp, lobster and octopus. Above and around the market are places serving prepared seafood and ceviche.
The market is located right beside the water, at the edge of the city and close to Casco Viejo.
That makes it an almost perfect starting point for a culinary exploration of Panama City.
You can begin with ceviche, walk through the seafood stalls, watch the activity around the market, and then continue toward Casco Viejo to explore another side of Panamanian food and history.
🌅 Make it part of your Panama City adventure
A great way to experience it is to go in the morning or around lunchtime, when the market is active. The official municipal market information currently lists hours of 5:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, although individual stalls and restaurants may have different schedules.
Order a small ceviche rather than immediately choosing one giant plate.
Start with corvina.
Then try shrimp.
If you're feeling adventurous, order pulpo or concha negra.
Finally, try a mixto and see how many different flavors you can identify.
Suddenly, ceviche becomes more than an appetizer.
It becomes a tasting tour of Panama's Pacific waters.
🇵🇦 Ceviche is Panama on a plate
There is something wonderfully appropriate about beginning a culinary journey through Panama with ceviche.
The fish comes from the Pacific.
The lime brings acidity.
The onion brings crunch.
The culantro brings the unmistakable aroma of Panama.
The ají chombo brings heat.
And the crackers make it wonderfully casual.
It doesn't need to be served on fine china.
In fact, part of the charm is eating it from a little cup while standing at a busy market, surrounded by the smell of the ocean and the sounds of Panama City.
That is the magic of Panamanian ceviche.
It is sophisticated enough to become a restaurant specialty, but humble enough to be enjoyed from a small plastic cup for just a few dollars.
And if you're looking for the perfect place to begin discovering Panama's food culture, the Mercado de Mariscos is about as good a starting point as you could ask for.