La Tapa Del Coco

Where to Go in Panama: A City to Sea Escape, Just in Time for Winter | Vogue

"In the city’s San Francisco district, I went for lunch at this Afro-Panamanian–owned spot helmed by Chef Isaac Villaverde, one of the few such restaurants in Central America. Seating included a shaded patio, and watching nearby neighbors arrive to eat reassured me I’d made the right choice. Chef Isaac’s soul-satisfying food is intentionally crafted to honor the resilience and cultural contributions of Afro-Panamanians and to tell the history of the country through Afro-Panamanian cuisine, and he views the restaurant’s successful navigation of the pandemic as proof of that endurance and a call to lead by example for new generations. That often-overlooked legacy truly comes through on the plate." - Kristin Braswell