Shabbat Meals by Unpacked
Kosher Shabbat meals, arranged for your stay in Panama City
Tell us your dates, where you’re staying and who’s eating. We arrange the meals from caterers certified by Kosher Shevet Ahim and reply with options and a quote.
- Request only: no payment now
- Shabbat and Yom Tov
- Delivery to your hotel or apartment, timed for before candle lighting; we confirm what’s possible for your dates
Request your Shabbat meals
Five short steps and a review. Dates, where you’re staying and how to reach you are required; everything else helps us get it right.
- Dates and meals
- Your stay
- Kashrut and food
- Kit and extras
- Your details
- Review
How it works
Three steps, and no surprises
Send your request
Choose your Shabbatot or Yom Tov dates, tick the meals and tell us who’s eating.
We reply with options and a quote
We check what certified caterers can do for your dates, your kashrut needs and your hotel, then send you the options.
You confirm, we arrange
Once you say yes, we place the order and agree the delivery time with you. Nothing is ordered before that.
What you can ask for
Meals, the kit, and the details
Each item is optional, and what’s possible depends on the caterer and the date. We’ll tell you before you confirm.
The Shabbat meals
Friday night dinner, Shabbat lunch and seudah shlishit, each with its own guest count. On Yom Tov, every night and day meal.
A Shabbat setup kit
A plata, a hot-water urn, candles, grape juice or wine, challah, and disposable plates and cutlery. Pick only what you need.
Kiddush and groups
A kiddush after davening, a bar mitzvah, or a Friday night dinner for a family group. Tell us the size and the occasion.
Your dietary needs
Gluten-free, nut allergies, vegetarian and kids’ menus. We pass your notes to the caterer and tell you what they can do.
Kashrut
The levels, explained plainly
We arrange; we don’t cook and we don’t certify. Ask your rav about the standard you need, and we’ll find out which options meet it.
- Standard
- Every meal we arrange comes from a caterer certified by Kosher Shevet Ahim, the local kashrut agency. We don’t give a hechsher ourselves, and we never ask a caterer to work outside its certification.
- Glatt / Beit Yosef
- Meat in Panama’s kosher kitchens is generally glatt (chalak) Beit Yosef. If it matters to you, tick it and we’ll confirm it for each dish.
- Cholov Yisrael and Pas Yisrael
- The agency marks each certified place for Cholov Yisrael and Pas Yisrael, and not every caterer is both. We’ll tell you which options meet what you keep.
- Mehadrin
- Only a few places here carry the agency’s mehadrin mark. Ask for it and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s possible for your dates and meals.
Delivery areas
Where we can help
Panama City
Hotels and apartments across the city. The certified caterers are here, so this is where most requests can be arranged. We agree the delivery time with you: before candle lighting on the day each Shabbat or Yom Tov begins.
Boquete and the beach
Coronado, Playa Blanca, Boquete and further out: ask early. Distance limits what can be delivered, and we’ll tell you honestly what’s possible for your dates.
Pickup
Prefer to collect it yourself before Shabbat? Choose pickup on the form and we’ll tell you where and when.
Questions
Shabbat meals in Panama: what people ask
How far in advance should I ask?
As early as you can. A week or more ahead gives the caterers time to plan, and Yom Tov and the January break need more notice than an ordinary Shabbat. Later requests are still worth sending: we’ll tell you quickly whether a date can be done.
Can you deliver to my hotel?
You can ask for delivery to your hotel or apartment in Panama City, timed for before candle lighting, and we confirm what’s possible for your dates before you commit. Some hotels have rules about outside food, fridges or hot plates in rooms, so tell us your hotel and we’ll check what’s allowed.
What about Shabbat elevators and room keys?
Few hotels here publish their room-key type or whether they run a Shabbat elevator, so ask the hotel before you book, and ask for a low floor if stairs are easier for you. Our hotels page will show what we’ve confirmed for each hotel and when we checked.
Can I get Cholov Yisrael?
Ask for it on the form. Kosher Shevet Ahim marks which of the places it certifies are Cholov Yisrael, and not all of them are, so we’ll tell you which dairy options meet it before you confirm anything. The same goes for Pas Yisrael and mehadrin.
Do you arrange Yom Tov meals?
Yes, you can request them. The date list includes the Yom Tov days, two days as kept outside Israel, with each night and day meal, including both Sedarim on Pesach and the meals before and after Yom Kippur. Yom Tov needs more notice than an ordinary Shabbat.
Do you cook the food?
No. We arrange: we find a caterer certified by Kosher Shevet Ahim for your dates, pass on your needs and coordinate the delivery. The caterer prepares the food.
Is this a booking? Do I pay now?
No. Sending the form is a request, not a booking, and no payment is taken. We reply with options and a quote, and nothing is ordered until you confirm with us.
Can I send a request on Shabbat?
The form pauses from candle lighting to havdalah in Panama City, on Shabbat and on Yom Tov. Come back after havdalah and send it then.
Talk to a person
Questions about Panama? Ask us.
Two people answer: Jack and Shlomo. WhatsApp is usually fastest. You can also write to info@panamaunpacked.com.