Casco Viejo is at its best before ten in the morning. The light is soft on the colonial façades, the streets are still quiet, the heat has not arrived yet and the cafés are opening their doors. If you are going to explore Panama’s old town, have breakfast first — not after. Here is where to eat, what to order and how to plan the morning so the neighbourhood works in your favour.
Why breakfast comes before the walking tour
Two practical reasons. First, the heat: by midday the sun on those narrow streets is genuinely demanding, and you will want to be sitting somewhere shaded with a cold drink, not queueing for a table. Second, the crowds: Casco fills up mid-morning, especially at weekends. Between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. you get the neighbourhood almost to yourself.
There is a third reason, less practical but true: mornings are when Casco Viejo looks the way you imagined it. Shutters opening, someone hosing down the pavement, church bells. Come back at 6 p.m. and it is a different place entirely — also lovely, but you will have missed this one.
Where to have breakfast in Casco Viejo
Our café is on Avenida B, next to the Michelle Ferrer boutique, in San Felipe, and opens every day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. It is a five-minute walk from Plaza de la Independencia, which makes it a natural first stop before you start wandering.
What we do is simple and we do it every day: specialty Panamanian coffee, Spanish-style breakfast, and the Basque cheesecake that people mostly come here for. Full details on the Casco Viejo page.
What to order
- Specialty coffee, first. You are in the country that produces geisha, one of the most awarded coffees in the world. Ask the barista what is being brewed — here is why Panamanian geisha matters (in Spanish).
- A Spanish omelette. Potato and egg, classic or truffled. Filling enough to carry you through a long morning of walking.
- Sourdough toast with avocado, cream cheese, jam or Iberian ham.
- Huevos rotos if you want the serious option: broken eggs over potatoes.
- A slice of Basque cheesecake. Yes, for breakfast. This is what the city does and nobody here will judge you.
About that cheesecake
The tarta vasca is a Basque burnt cheesecake: baked at very high heat, no biscuit base, dark and caramelised on top, almost liquid in the middle. It is not the New York cheesecake you know — the differences are real and worth knowing — and it has quietly become one of the things people remember about Panama City. If you want the background, start here.
We bake five versions daily: classic, dulce de leche, Oreo, Lotus and pistachio. If it is your first, take the classic.
Practical tips for a morning in Casco Viejo
- Wear real shoes. The streets are cobbled and uneven. This is not the morning for new sandals.
- Start early, finish by noon. Then find shade, or a rooftop, or us again.
- Bring the dog. Our three cafés are pet friendly.
- Mornings are the calm hours, but use the same common sense you would in any city centre and stick to the main streets.
- Take a cake with you. A whole small one travels fine and beats anything in the souvenir shops.
If you are exploring the rest of the city
We have two more cafés, both open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.: Balboa, inside Balboa Boutiques Strip Mall on Avenida Vasco Núñez de Balboa, handy if you are staying downtown; and San Francisco, at PH Living 73, in a quieter residential neighbourhood.
For the wider picture, read our guides to the best breakfast in Panama, the best brunch spots in Panama City and where to eat when you want something easy and well done. Everything we serve is on the menu.
See you on Avenida B
Walk in for breakfast any day from 8:00 a.m., or take a cake with you: small ones online, medium and large through a real person on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I have breakfast in Casco Viejo?
La Vasquita is on Avenida B, next to the Michelle Ferrer boutique in San Felipe, open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. It is about five minutes on foot from Plaza de la Independencia, which makes it a good first stop before exploring.
What time do cafés open in Casco Viejo?
Most open between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m., ours at 8:00 a.m. every day including weekends. Arriving before 10:00 a.m. means cooler streets and no queues.
What should I eat for breakfast in Casco Viejo?
Specialty Panamanian coffee, a Spanish omelette or huevos rotos, a sourdough toast with avocado or Iberian ham, and a slice of Basque cheesecake. That is the local breakfast in one table.
Is it better to visit Casco Viejo in the morning?
Yes, for two reasons: the heat on the cobbled streets becomes serious around midday, and the neighbourhood fills up mid-morning. Between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. it is quiet and at its most photogenic.
Can I find specialty coffee in Casco Viejo?
Yes. Panama produces some of the most awarded coffee in the world, including the geisha variety, and it is served in Casco Viejo. Ask the barista what is being brewed that day.
Are cafés in Casco Viejo dog friendly?
Many are, and all three La Vasquita cafés are pet friendly. Worth confirming with any other place before you sit down.