NOTA CENTRAL
PA N A M Á
Pizzas for everyone
There are few dishes as perfect as a good
pizza. Manuela Rosetti, from Caffe Per Due,
understands this very well, and that is why
she opened Casco’s first pizzeria nine years
ago. Its stone oven allows it to offer “au-
thentic Italian pizza”, in which there is
a more subtle balance between dough,
sauce and toppings. Located at the
end of Avenue A, its cozy space with
terrace has made it a favorite of the
neighborhood, complemented by an
enviable selection of desserts prepa-
red by the owner. Recommendation:
Larry pizza, natural iced tea and
chocolate salami.
Barrio Pizza, in the Neuman house of the
Central Avenue, takes this essence and moder-
nizes it. Its exclusive menu of pizzas allows you
to make your own taste or try its Panamanian
inventions, such as yeyesita (serrano ham, arugu-
la, parmesan, truffle oil) or the pocotona (bacon,
salami, onion, and pesto). This local franchise also
has two specialties, meatballs with flow and cheese
melted with chorizo. On Avenue B, next to Tantalo, is
Coliseum which, with the theme of this Roman icon,
offers a variety of pizzas, focaccias and main dishes,
like Milanese beef or chicken; There they have live mu-
sic from Thursday to Sunday to taste your pizza while
you have a good time.
With one of the largest and most varied menus in
the area, Saquella (Avenue A) has ten choices of pizzas
and focaccias that honor the restaurant’s Italian roots.
In contrast, the new Lumaca, on the same street, is mi-
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nimalist in its offer, emphasizing for its homema-
de desserts and sandwiches in homemade focaccia
and served in a flirty and discreet atmosphere.
Pasta with tradition
Gaetano Maturo has a good reputation in Panama
thanks to his Italian restaurants where the pasta is
fresh and the flavors are traditional. Pastissima, in its
new incarnation at Villa Agustina, near Plaza Herre-
ra, always satisfies, be it with antipasti, risotti, pes-
ce, zuppe or with stuffed pasta (gnocchi, caneloni) or
sauces like ricotta (ricotta, butter, anchovies , Garlic)
or boscaiola (mushrooms, bacon, cream, parmesan).
Their osobuco and ovened lamb are also exquisite.
Daniele, another countryman from Milan, has the Mi-
lano restaurant in Plaza Bolivar. There, he and his
chef fuse traditional Panama food with hearty Italian
classics, such as fried fish, chorillero style, San Fe-
lipe seafood casserole and handmade pasta, and the
exclusive lobster linguine, available only when the-
re is Lobster from San Blas. The Cesarina ravioli is
a recipe from his mother, and entrees like the mixed
fritto and their ceviches create a proper menu of this
interesting fusion.
The list of Italian restaurants in Casco Antiguo
continues. L’Osteria, located in the Casa Del Horno
hotel, also offers excellent dishes among its historic
walls. Calicanto is a chic place in the Neuman house,
with salads, entrées, pizzas and pastas that collect the
essence of modern Italian food; just like Amici Mei,
a new neighbor on Avenida Central that also bakes
delicious focaccias. In short, the Italian options in
Casco Antiguo are several and all tasty. Which will
be your favorite?