Panama's Explosive Dining & Nightlife Scene: Why World Travelers Are Choosing Panama City Over Miami

Here's something that'll make foodies sit up straight: expats who've lived in New York, LA, and traveled extensively through Europe are making a bold claim - Panama City's restaurant scene not only competes with major metropolitan areas, it sometimes surpasses them in authenticity and quality.

Austin Hess, COO of DoPanama Real Estate, shared a jaw-dropping observation: 'I literally went to Italy for 16 days and I think the Italian food in Panama is better.' And he's not alone - commenters on travel podcasts are echoing the same sentiment.

Why? Because Panama's unique position as a global crossroads attracts authentic cuisine from every corner of the world. Italian chefs are shipping entire containers of specialty products directly from Italy. Greek restaurateurs bring generations-old family recipes. Chinese immigrants have created one of the most vibrant Asian food scenes in Latin America. German, Japanese, and Mediterranean establishments dot the landscape with the kind of authenticity you'd expect in their home countries.

Luis Picardi, owner of multiple successful establishments including Furia and Piano Bar, explains the phenomenon: 'We're not a melting pot like other countries. We're like the Thanksgiving cornucopia - the fruit basket where you have a fruit from every country. They're enriching our culture with their storytelling, putting it into restaurants and hotels.'

The scene includes powerhouse hospitality groups like Ringo, Marva, Felipe Milan, and CM Foods, each bringing sophisticated concepts to neighborhoods from Casco Viejo to Obarrio. And unlike the corporate restaurant culture dominating other cities, Panama still celebrates the 5-12 room boutique hotel with a mom-and-pop restaurant serving food that'll make you weep with joy.

If you haven't been to Panama in the last two years, you're missing the rooftop revolution. Entrepreneurs like Luis Picardi are transforming high-rises across the city into elevated dining and entertainment destinations with 360-degree views of the Pacific Ocean, the Bridge of the Americas, and Panama's glittering skyline.

Picardi's group is currently developing rooftops in strategic locations:

• Casco Viejo's Brand Experience Center: A 300-square-meter restaurant with a 300-square-meter rooftop in the historic Terraplein area (the land barrier that protected Casco from the sea). This location combines historical significance with cutting-edge design.

• Morgan and Morgan Building in Costa del Este: Targeting the booming business district where professionals want sophisticated after-work venues.

• Obarrio: Proving that food and beverage establishments can thrive in this high-density residential and commercial zone.

• Point by Cellos in Albrook: Offering what Picardi calls 'one of the biggest views in Panama' - and if you've seen Panama City's skyline at sunset, you know that's saying something.

These aren't just bars - they're architectural experiences. The designs incorporate authentic elements from their cuisine's home countries, so you genuinely feel transported to Little Italy or the streets of Okinawa when you step into an izakaya-style Japanese establishment.

The rooftop boom is also being driven by real estate fundamentals. Victoria Levitam, a 21-year veteran of Panama real estate development, notes: 'All of this nightlife, food and beverage, and curated options - it's like the amenities of the ecosystem. You have everything that complements it, which is why the square meter is worth more in certain areas.'

Ask anyone who's relocated to Panama what convinced them to stay, and you'll hear the same refrain: the lifestyle, the people, the celebration of life itself.

Picardi, who moved from South Florida to Panama at age 10, contrasts the two experiences: 'Panama is so special - you get to go to school 5 minutes away, play sports with your friends every day, have a beautiful ocean view skyline, parks, the Cinta Costera. We have Casco Viejo, which is patrimonio like San Juan, Cartagena, and Antigua Guatemala. You get all of this right in front of your eyes at affordable prices in a dollarized economy with beautiful people.'

The Tuesday-fireworks energy is real. Panamanians celebrate everything, and that infectious joy becomes part of your daily life. You're not just moving to a country with good weather and tax benefits - you're joining a community that knows how to live.

For Austin Hess, the combination of Panamanian warmth and innovative expat entrepreneurs creates something magical: 'You have all these great expats that are kind of outside the box, entrepreneur-minded. So you have a really cool community here of Panamanians and expats together.'

The convenience factor can't be overstated. Everything is close - you can live 5 minutes from work, 10 minutes from world-class beaches, and 15 minutes from mountain retreats. The Cinta Costera (coastal beltway) offers safe jogging and cycling paths with skyline views that rival any major city. Casco Viejo provides the historic architecture and cobblestone charm of European old towns.

And here's the kicker: you get this lifestyle in a dollarized economy with political and economic stability that stretches back 120 years - something almost unheard of in Latin America.

Here's something that'll surprise you: Panama is quietly becoming a medical tourism powerhouse, attracting professional athletes, international patients, and hosting massive medical conferences.

Austin Hess made a startling observation: 'I've met more NFL players in Panama in the last 3 years than I have ever done in the United States in my 29 years living there.'

Why are elite athletes coming to Panama? Advanced regenerative medicine and stem cell treatments at facilities like Origins, which specializes in cutting-edge medical procedures. The combination of world-class medical care at a fraction of US costs, plus the ability to recover in a tropical paradise, creates an irresistible value proposition.

The medical tourism boom is bringing massive economic impact. In March, Panama will host 1,500 international plastic surgeons for a week-long congress that's taking over 10 hotels and generating significant revenue for restaurants, nightclubs, and entertainment venues across the city. This isn't a one-off event - Panama is positioning itself as a regional hub for medical conferences and specialized treatments.

The Copa Airlines stopover program has accelerated this trend, allowing travelers to spend days in Panama during layovers - and many are scheduling medical consultations during these visits. When they experience the quality of care, modern facilities, and attractive pricing, they're returning for procedures and telling their networks.

In a watershed moment for Panama's international profile, the country recently hosted the Youth Awards (Premios Juventud), bringing Latin music's biggest stars and massive social media attention to this Central American hub.

Luis Picardi witnessed the impact firsthand: 'It was a huge success - a joint effort by our mayor, Minister of Tourism, the president, and all Panamanians who participated in hospitality, entertainment, music, and event production. The impact measured on social media was incredible. We had Mike Towers and Sech come to party at Furia the Wednesday before.'

For those unfamiliar with Latin urban music, Sech and Boza represent Panama's explosive entry into the global music scene. These aren't artists doing wedding gigs anymore - they're closing out stadiums worldwide and representing Panama on the international stage.

Picardi, who's worked with these artists since they were teenagers promoting at local clubs, sees the bigger picture: 'They're not doing two songs and a performance anymore. They're leaving our flag high. They're traveling the world showing their talent and talking about us.'

This cultural momentum creates a virtuous cycle. International artists visit Panama for events, experience the hospitality and nightlife scene, post to their millions of followers, and suddenly people who had zero expectations about Panama are booking flights to see what the buzz is about.

The city's infrastructure handled the influx flawlessly - another proof point that Panama is ready for prime time on the global stage.

Casco Viejo (also called Casco Antiguo or San Felipe) is Panama's UNESCO World Heritage old quarter - and it's having a serious renaissance moment.

This isn't some sanitized historic district with tourist trap restaurants. Casco is a living, breathing neighborhood where restored colonial architecture houses cutting-edge restaurants, rooftop bars, boutique hotels, art galleries, and the kind of nightlife that keeps you out until dawn wondering where the time went.

The Terraplein area, where Picardi's new Brand Experience Center is located, holds special historical significance as the land barrier that protected the area from the sea. Now it's protecting your taste buds from boring food and your social life from predictable venues.

What makes Casco special is the mix. You'll find a tiny hole-in-the-wall serving the best empanadas you've ever tasted next door to a sophisticated wine bar in a restored 18th-century building. Street vendors sell raspados (shaved ice) while steps away, a rooftop restaurant serves ceviches that could hold their own in any coastal South American capital.

The architecture alone is worth the visit - colorful colonial buildings with wrought-iron balconies, cobblestone streets, plazas where locals gather, and churches that have stood for centuries. But it's the energy that hooks you. Casco manages to be both deeply rooted in history and cutting-edge contemporary.

For investors and potential residents, Casco Viejo represents one of Panama's most unique value propositions: you're buying into a protected historic district with strict architectural controls (meaning your investment is protected from ugly development) in a neighborhood that's become one of the city's hottest destinations.

Victoria Levitam brings a unique perspective to Panama's real estate market - she's been in the development game for 21 years, starting in 2004 when the first modern boom began. Her take on the current moment? 'I think we're just entering the embryo phase of the next best five to ten years that we cannot even imagine.'

The fundamentals driving this optimism are rock-solid:

Connectivity: Panama is the biggest hub of the Americas, with Copa Airlines connecting to virtually every major city in North and South America. The Copa stopover program has been a game-changer, allowing travelers to explore Panama for days during connections - and many are falling in love and returning to buy property.

Infrastructure Pipeline: That $30 billion in infrastructure investments isn't just a number - it represents metro line expansions, road improvements, new developments, and the kind of physical transformation that drives property values up across entire regions.

Tourism Momentum: When tourism doubles in a single year, every sector feels the impact. Hotels, restaurants, rental properties, and service businesses all benefit from increased visitor spending.

Regional Comparison: Levitam points out what many expats discover: 'When you compare Panama to all the other regional countries, the security you have here, the friendliness, the quality of life - it's magical.'

Countries that were traditional favorites (Costa Rica, parts of Mexico) are facing challenges with safety, political instability, or infrastructure limitations. Panama offers a dollarized economy (no currency risk), established expat communities, world-class healthcare, and a government that actively courts foreign investment through programs like the Friendly Nations Visa.

The development landscape has matured significantly. Where 20 years ago you had a handful of developers, now you have sophisticated international groups bringing projects that would look at home in Miami or Singapore. But prices remain a fraction of what you'd pay in those markets - for now.

Behind Panama's restaurant renaissance are hospitality groups that are raising the bar for the entire industry. These aren't corporate chains pumping out mediocre food - they're passionate entrepreneurs creating destinations.

Key players Luis Picardi highlights include:

Ringo: One of the leading Italian restaurant groups bringing authentic cuisine with meticulous attention to sourcing and preparation.

Marva & Felipe Milan: Sophisticated concepts that have helped define upscale dining in Panama City.

CM Foods: A group known for diverse concepts and professional execution.

Picardi's Own Group: Including Furia, Piano Bar, Cellos, and the upcoming rooftop locations. Picardi emphasizes: 'I have the best partners in the world. We've been blessed to work with the best chefs in the industry, the best nightclub owners, the best musicians.'

Independent Chefs: Beyond the groups, individual chefs are opening passion projects - small, intimate restaurants where every dish tells a story.

Picardi's collaboration with Chef Gablos Alba on the Casco Viejo Brand Experience Center represents the trend: established nightlife/entertainment operators partnering with culinary talent to create comprehensive experiences.

The nightlife evolution is particularly notable. Picardi explains: 'Nightlife is not just nightclubs. Nightlife is having a drink after 5:00 pm, being able to take your convertible and drive through the causeway and see the beautiful skyline.'

This broader definition of nightlife - as the entire after-hours experience including dining, rooftop bars, cultural events, and social spaces - is what's transforming Panama into a 24-hour city with options for every demographic and preference.