I absolutely loved Restaurant Maito. If the restaurant was located in Philly, I’d be a regular customer! The restaurant is recognized internationally for championing modern Panamanian cuisine, frequently securing top spots on prestigious lists such as Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants. In 2026, it was ranked 18th. I would not be surprised if it’s elevated to the 50 Best Restaurants in the World list. I especially enjoyed that the chef pays homage to local cultural roots.
At Maito the “Chombasia" menu reflects a deep exploration of Panama's multicultural identity—weaving together Indigenous, Afro-Panamanian, Spanish, Chinese, and Caribbean influences.The name plays on local Panamanian slang ("chombo") paired with Asian heritage.
Tasting Menu Highlights
- Culinary Journey: The multi-course tasting menu takes diners on a culinary exploration across Panama's diverse cultural influences—blending Afro-Antillean, Asian, Indigenous, Caribbean, and Spanish flavors using strictly local, seasonal ingredients.
- Concept: Chef Mario Castrellón often frames the progression through his signature concept, highlighting the historical fusion of Panama's Afro-Caribbean and Asian heritage.
- Pairings: The experience can be ordered with optional wine and beverage pairings curated to match each course.
The individual dishes
1. Geisha Coffee & Chayote Floral
The Concept: A celebration of Panama's prized agricultural bounty. Geisha coffee is globally renowned as one of the world's most expensive and aromatic specialty coffees, grown heavily in the highlands of Boquete. Paired here with chayote (a native squash/gourd) and floral notes, this course typically bridges savory and aromatic elements, highlighting the delicate, tea-like, and floral profile of Geisha coffee not just as a beverage, but as a subtle flavor component.
2. Panamanian Sancocho
The Concept: Maito's elevated take on Panama's national dish. Traditional sancocho is a deeply comforting chicken soup flavored with culantro and ñame (a local root vegetable). At Maito, it is reinterpreted while respecting its soul—often featuring slow-cooking techniques (sometimes utilizing native wood like nance smoke) to concentrate the rich, herbaceous broth and tender chicken into a refined, concentrated bite or modern plating.
3. Jamaican Patty & Pani Puri
The Concept: A brilliant cross-cultural collision reflecting Panama’s Caribbean immigrant history. The Jamaican patty (a spiced, flaky turnover traditionally filled with seasoned meat or fish—often styled here with escovitch fish) meets the Indian pani puri (a hollow, crispy, bite-sized sphere meant to be filled). It delivers an explosion of textures: crisp pastry and shell giving way to a punchy, savory, and spiced filling.
4. Hakao
The Concept: A nod to Panama's deep-rooted Chinese community, which has heavily influenced local cuisine (especially in fondas and local dim sum culture). Maito’s Hakao (traditional translucent steamed shrimp dumplings) is given a tropical Panamanian twist, commonly paired with rich elements like a Caribbean coconut sauce to marry Cantonese dim sum precision with local coastal flavors.
5. Octopus Taco (Pulpo Trompito)
The Concept: Replacing the Yucca Chombasia on the tasting journey, this course playfully merges the technique of Mexican street food (tacos al pastor) with coastal Panamanian seafood. Tender, charcoal-grilled octopus is prepared trompito style (stacked and roasted similarly to traditional vertical spit-roasted meats). It is paired with charred green bell peppers and onions, a bright pickled emulsion, crunchy textured potatoes, and a kick of ají trompito (a regional chili pepper variety). It offers a smoky, savory bite balanced by clean acidity and crunch.
6. Mapo Tofu
The Concept: Another brilliant tribute to Chinese-Panamanian culinary integration. Taking the fiery, numbing Sichuan classic (Mapo Tofu), Maito adds its own twist—frequently utilizing textural elements like a crispy rice crust (crocante de arroz) and a deep mushroom demi-glace to ground the dish in rich, savory umami while honoring Chinese comfort food.
5. Bijao Fishing
The Concept: A dish inspired by coastal fishing traditions and the use of bijao leaves (similar to banana leaves), which are native to Central and South America and traditionally used to wrap and steam fish or tamales. This course highlights fresh local catch infused with coastal smoke, indigenous herbs, and the rustic essence of cooking wrapped in leaves over open elements.
6. One Pot (One Pot 2.0)
The Concept: A modern evolution of One Pot Colón, a famous Afro-Panamanian Creole rice dish originating from the province of Colón. Traditionally a hearty, single-pot comfort dish made with rice, coconut milk, and whatever seafood or meat was available, Maito’s version (One Pot 2.0) loads it with luxury components like pork belly, fried fish (pescao frito), and octopus layered into intensely flavorful endemic rice.
7. Banana Kombu
The Concept: An inventive, avant-garde dessert bridging the tropics and Japan. It features sweet local bananas/guineos infused with kombu (edible sea kelp, adding a subtle umami depth that cuts through the sugar) paired with crisp honey tuiles and refreshing crystalized coconut water (agua de pipa). It finishes the meal with a complex balance of sweet, oceanic, and earthy notes.
