Panama might not be the first country that comes to mind when you think about Arabic food, but spend a little time here and you quickly discover something delicious.
There is a long established Arab and Middle Eastern influence in Panama, and that means travellers can find everything from hummus and falafel to shawarma, kebabs, grilled meats, tabbouleh, kibbeh, creamy garlic sauces and mountains of warm pita bread.
And Arabic food is fantastic backpacker food.
It is filling without always being ridiculously heavy, packed with fresh herbs and vegetables, loaded with flavour and usually designed around sharing.
Which is dangerous.
Because you sit down thinking you will have “a little hummus.”
Then comes the pita.
Then falafel.
Then kibbeh.
Then shawarma.
Then someone orders fries.
Suddenly the table looks like a Middle Eastern wedding.
🧆 Beirut
Beirut is one of the names worth knowing if you want a broad selection of Lebanese and Middle Eastern favourites.
This is the kind of place where you can start with hummus, baba ganoush and tabbouleh before moving into grilled meats, shawarma or other Lebanese specialties.
The hummus is especially important.
Good hummus is creamy, smooth and nutty with just the right balance of chickpeas, tahini, lemon and olive oil.
Bad hummus is basically beige wall plaster.
We are hoping for the first one.
🥙 Shawarma
If you are travelling through Panama and suddenly see shawarma, stop.
Seriously.
Shawarma is one of the greatest inventions in the history of food.
Slowly roasted meat is shaved from a rotating spit and stuffed into warm pita or flatbread with vegetables, sauces and various combinations of pickles and spices.
It is messy.
It is juicy.
It is salty.
It is spicy.
And it is absolutely perfect after a night out.
The only difficult decision is whether you want chicken, beef or both.
The correct answer is often both.
🧆 Falafel
Falafel is another must try.
These little fried balls made primarily from chickpeas or fava beans are crispy on the outside and soft and flavourful inside.
Put them in pita with tahini, salad and pickles and you have one of the world's great vegetarian street foods.
And unlike some vegetarian meals you encounter while travelling, falafel does not leave you staring sadly at your plate wondering where the actual food went.
You will be full.
Possibly extremely full.
🍢 Lebanese Grills
For meat lovers, Lebanese and Arabic restaurants in Panama can be a fantastic opportunity to try kebab, kofta, shish tawook and mixed grills.
Shish tawook is marinated chicken grilled on skewers, usually seasoned with garlic, lemon and spices.
Kofta is seasoned ground meat shaped into skewers or other forms and grilled until beautifully browned.
Then there are mixed grills.
Mixed grills are dangerous because they remove the difficult decision of choosing what you want.
Instead, they simply bring you everything.
Problem solved.
🍆 Baba Ganoush
If you have never tried baba ganoush, order it.
Roasted eggplant is combined with tahini, lemon, garlic and other seasonings to create something smoky, creamy and completely addictive.
It is particularly good with warm pita.
Actually, most things are particularly good with warm pita.
Pita is basically the edible transportation system for Middle Eastern cuisine.
🥗 Tabbouleh
After all that grilled meat and fried food, tabbouleh comes along like the responsible friend.
Fresh parsley, tomato, bulgur, lemon and herbs create a bright, fresh salad that cuts through richer dishes beautifully.
It is also a reminder that Middle Eastern food isn't just about meat and carbohydrates.
There are enormous amounts of fresh vegetables, herbs, legumes and grains involved.
Which means you can convince yourself that the giant platter of hummus, pita and grilled meat was part of a balanced diet.
Technically, there was parsley.
🥟 Kibbeh
Kibbeh is one of the dishes you should try if you want to move beyond the familiar.
Traditionally made with bulgur and seasoned ground meat, kibbeh comes in several forms and can be fried, baked or prepared in other ways.
The fried version is particularly tempting.
Crispy outside.
Rich and savoury inside.
And completely incapable of surviving very long on a table full of hungry travellers.
🧄 Garlic Sauce
Then there is garlic sauce.
This deserves a warning.
It may arrive looking innocent.
It is not.
A creamy Lebanese garlic sauce such as toum can be unbelievably intense, smooth and addictive.
You put some on your chicken.
Then some more.
Then you put it on the fries.
Then you put it on everything.
Several hours later you realise that you are approximately 40 percent garlic.
Worth it.
🍚 Arabic Rice and Mezze
One of the best things about eating Arabic food is the concept of mezze.
Instead of ordering one enormous main course, you can order several smaller dishes and share them.
Hummus.
Falafel.
Tabbouleh.
Baba ganoush.
Kibbeh.
Stuffed grape leaves.
Pickles.
Pita.
Grilled meats.
Suddenly dinner becomes a social event.
And that makes Arabic food particularly good for travellers staying in hostels.
Get a group together, order a ridiculous amount of food and put everything in the middle.
Everyone tries everything.
Someone discovers a new favourite dish.
Someone orders something far too spicy.
Someone eats all the hummus.
There is always someone who eats all the hummus.
☕ And Don't Forget the Coffee
Arabic coffee and tea can be the perfect ending to the meal.
Strong coffee, cardamom and a tiny cup can wake you up considerably faster than the average hostel coffee.
And if you are already full, don't worry.
There is always room for something sweet.
🍯 Baklava
And then comes baklava.
Layers of delicate pastry, nuts, butter and sweet syrup or honey.
It is crispy.
It is sticky.
It is sweet.
It is completely unnecessary after dinner.
Therefore, obviously, you should order it.
You are travelling.
Calories don't count when you're travelling.
This is another internationally recognised law.
🇦🇪 So, Is Arabic Food Worth Trying in Panama?
Absolutely.
Arabic food offers something wonderfully different from Panama's traditional cuisine while still being incredibly approachable for travellers.
If you've never tried it before, start with hummus, falafel, shawarma and tabbouleh.
Then graduate to kibbeh, baba ganoush, grilled meats and mixed grills.
If you're vegetarian, you are in luck. There is an enormous amount of delicious vegetarian food to explore.
And if you're travelling with friends, go for mezze.
Order too much.
Pass everything around.
Dip your pita into things you've never heard of.
Try something you've never seen before.
Then finish with baklava and coffee.
Because travelling through Panama isn't only about jungles, beaches, waterfalls and volcanoes.
Sometimes your biggest adventure is discovering that there is an entire Middle Eastern feast waiting for you in the middle of the tropics.
Bring an appetite. Leave the diet at the hostel. And for the love of garlic, order the hummus. 🧆🥙🔥😋