Best Seafood in Panama City Panama: From Ocean to Open Fire
Panama is one of the only countries in the world with coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. This dual ocean access gives Panama City restaurants an extraordinary advantage when it comes to seafood and few restaurants exploit that advantage more creatively than Kaandela.
Two Oceans, One Kitchen
At Kaandela, seafood isn’t just grilled or fried. It’s transformed through the restaurant’s signature techniques: smoking over local woods, curing with indigenous salts and citrus, preparing raw with fermented accompaniments, and finishing over the open wood fire.
Chef José Aparicio selects from both coasts, choosing species at peak freshness and treating each with the technique it demands. A Pacific corvina might be served raw with a fermented fruit dressing, while Caribbean octopus could arrive charred from the grill with highland herbs from the Boquete farm.
Why Fire Changes Everything
Most seafood restaurants in Panama City default to deep frying or standard grilling. Kaandela’s open-fire approach adds complexity that these methods can’t match. The wood imparts subtle smokiness, the high heat creates perfect texture, and the primitive cooking method lets the seafood’s natural flavor lead.
Check the current menu for seasonal seafood preparations it changes based on what’s freshest.
Pairing Seafood with Kaandela’s Cocktails
The bar team excels at creating pairings that complement seafood courses. Citrus-forward cocktails, Panamanian coffee infusions, and mezcal based drinks all find their match on the seafood heavy side of the menu.
Dine by the Sea, Sleep in History
Combine your seafood dinner with a night at the Amarla Boutique Hotel and make it a full Casco Viejo evening. Reserve your table for the freshest catch and the hottest fire in Panama City.
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