Panama City

For gourmet burgers and stellar steaks – including the best classic cheeseburger in town – head to Market, a popular weekend spot with a NYC vibe and slick service. — Lonely Planet

Elegant ambience and an innovative mix of Latin American and European flavors have kept La Posta one of Panama City's most popular restaurants. — Fodor's

El Trapiche is a popular spot for traditional Panamanian food, thanks to its convenient location and reasonable prices. — Fodor's

Mostaza serves pasta, fresh grilled fish, and a few chef's specialties such as bacalao (codfish), osobuco Corleone (Italian stew made with veal shank), and pork chops with passion fruit. — Frommer's

The interior of this Lebanese restaurant goes a bit overboard, with faux-stone columns and arches, but the food is consistently good, and the waitstaff is attentive. — Fodor's

You'll find typical Panamanian dishes here such as grilled meat, prawns, sea bass, and snapper served in a garlic or tomato-and-onion sauce and paired with coconut rice and fried plantains. — Frommer's

Decent Italian food at reasonable prices served amidst tropical foliage make this restaurant in the Hotel Las Vegas a local favorite. — Fodor's

Set in the high-ceilinged lobby of the American Trade Hotel, The Dining Room is an elegant venue that pays great attention to detail. — Fodor's

This large, no-frills eatery on busy Vía Cincuentenaria is packed most weekends, as Panamanians arrive in droves for sizzling steaks and seafood, served with a salad and baked potato. — Fodor's

With so many mediocre hotel restaurants in Panama City, Solo, inside the Riande Urban Granada, is a breath of fresh air. — Frommer's

Drawing on the successes of Manolo Caracol, René Cafe also offers prix-fixe five-course lunches and seven-course dinners that change daily. — Lonely Planet

Machu Picchu is a low-key but traditional restaurant where blue-vested waiters make the rounds among a mix of Peruvian expats and in-the-know Panamanians. — Lonely Planet