What's the food like in the markets in Bocas Del Toro, Panama?

There are several grocery stores in Bocas del Toro. The Chinese own 95% of them, and they are all very similar. They have a big stock of canned goods and a big stock of laundry soaps, household stuff, bleaches, a few dishes, and Tupperware. They have cake mixes and all kinds of non-perishable items. They also have the refrigerated section where you will find some meat, chicken pieces, and some dairy products. There are no juices and soda products. Some stores have meat counters, where you...

There are several grocery stores in Bocas del Toro. The Chinese own 95% of them, and they are all very similar. They have a big stock of canned goods and a big stock of laundry soaps, household stuff, bleaches, a few dishes, and Tupperware. They have cake mixes and all kinds of non-perishable items. They also have the refrigerated section where you will find some meat, chicken pieces, and some dairy products. There are no juices and soda products. Some stores have meat counters, where you can get hamburgers, fresh meat, and chicken breasts so you can get pretty much everything.

Generally, the grocery stores have potatoes and onions. If you want lettuce, broccoli and fresher things, you can go to the fruit and vegetable stands which are separate from the grocery stores. The fruits and vegetables get delivered twice a week. People here in Bocas know the days when the deliveries are done. You could go and stock up on some more perishable items like mangoes, lemons, and lettuce. Some of the grocery stores are trying to carry more and more items but I noticed that they are not as fresh when they carry it on the open-air market.

There is one gringo grocery store and it is called The Super Gourmet. It is the best grocery store in town. It is not very big but it has a lot of items imported from the US that you cannot get in any other store, so we like to shop there. They have the deli counter where you can get sliced meats, sliced cheese, and have a sandwich made. They also have cookies that are not in a package. They usually cook something for lunch like lasagna or roast chicken and will sell that for what is similar to the price in the States. The Chinese grocery stores do not have anything like that.

Many expats shop at The Super Gourmet but they do not hang out there. We know Organic Friday is when The Super Gourmet imports organic fruits and vegetables from Boquete. On Friday morning, you can see a lot of people at The Super Gourmet because they are all going together to get the same things.

(Deli section at Super Gourmet, Bocas del Toro, Panama, pictured.)