Morning at Brew Coffee Company, Panama City

So we stumbled on this place called Brew Coffee Company tucked into the Santa Elena Strip Mall in Panama City, and it turned into one of our favorite mornings of the whole trip. We love finding a good spot where the coffee actually comes in a real cup — and this was exactly that kind of place. Somewhere along the way we'd forgotten how nice that is, until you realize you've been drinking out of Star*ucks paper cups for weeks and your standards have quietly hit rock bottom.

The vibe is really nice — wood tables, these cool geometric tiles on the floor, good light. It feels cozy without trying too hard. You know those places where you sit down and just… don't want to leave? That was this place. We ended up staying way longer than we planned, which honestly is the best sign.

Fair warning — the service is slow. But honestly that's just Panama Time, and it's like that everywhere. Go in without a schedule, enjoy the vibe, and you'll be totally fine. Everything that came out was clearly made fresh so it's worth the wait.

The coffee was really good. They roast their own beans — sourced from Panama, Colombia, Venezuela — and you can taste the difference. We both got lattes and they were smooth and not bitter at all. Susan's was gone faster than she'd like to admit.

For food we got the P&J Toast (peanut butter and house-made jam on sourdough, topped with edible flowers — sounds fancy but it just tasted really good), the Granola Parfait, and a croissant because the pastry case was right there and we have zero willpower. Everything was fresh, well made, and honestly a great deal for what you get.

If you're in Panama City and want a good breakfast without a lot of fuss, just go here. It's not fast, but it's good — and sometimes that's exactly what you want on a trip.

Brew Coffee Company — Santa Elena Strip Mall, Panama City. Mon–Sat 8 AM–6 PM, Sun 9 AM–5 PM. brewcoffee.com.pa