There are a couple of solid dining options in Santa Catalina, and all are located east of town along the road that dead-ends at the Oasis. Otherwise, hotels and hostels here include meals with their packages, or have kitchens for independent cooking. None of the restaurants has a telephone or accepts credit cards; hours are only guidelines, never firmly adhered to during slower weeks; and though restaurants are open daily, they sometimes close on Mondays. Blanca's is a local joint and the first that you'll pass on the road. They serve delicious breakfasts and are open all day, from 8am to 10pm (later on weekends). Lunch and dinner dishes are the usual Panamanian-style meat or fish with rice and beans. Jamming is an Italian-owned pizzeria, with a dozen or so combinations of mouthwatering thin-crust pizzas baked in a clay oven. The vibe here is reggae-and-rum, and there are a bar and a couple of tables in an open-air thatched-hut rancho -- this restaurant is a meeting point and what passes for nightlife in town. Jamming is open from around 6:30 to 10 or 10:30pm. There is a Parrilla Argentina, owned by two Argentine surfers, with delicious grilled meats and fish paired with salad and potatoes. When I was last there, they did not yet have an alcohol license, so it could still be BYOB. Open from 7 to 10pm.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
