Butcher’s Coffee Shop in Chitre, Panama

Now that we’ve settled into our new home (rental) in Chitre, Panama, I’m on a mission to find a good, maybe even great, coffee shop. My ex-pat friend, Bob, is a connoisseur of coffee and says that they have great coffee here in Panama. But do they have great coffee in any of the Chitre coffee shops? That is my quest for the time being.

Google pointed out a place called Butcher’s Coffee Shop and told me that it’s only 1.2 miles away – an easy walk of about 27 minutes. I started my trek at about 7:45 a.m., knowing they opened at 8:00 a.m. I apparently was the first one there – not a soul in the place. The excitement of the caffeine rush was extinguished already. That is a bad sign indeed.

I almost walked past Butcher’s Coffee Shop because it’s located under a huge overhang. I was looking for a storefront, but the shop was outdoors. There was a butcher shop that shared the overhang, so I can guess how the coffee shop got its name. There was a sign hanging on the wall of the coffee shop stating that they had been open since 1971.

They had their selection of mochas, cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, etc. I call these foo-foo coffee drinks – not real coffee. What they were lacking was a variety of roasted coffees and blends. This was the problem I had visiting countries in Europe (Scotland, England, Italy, Germany, and Ireland). The closest thing that I could get to a good cup of coffee was the Americano. An Americano consists of a couple of shots of espresso in a cup of hot water. And it wasn’t all that great, either.

The rest of the menu looks fantastic, however. They had an assortment of sandwiches, tostadas, wraps, croissants, waffles, etc. I know that I’m picky about the coffee. But, I cannot enjoy a morning meal if I don’t have a good cup of coffee. I had the same problem with IHOP in the U.S. They have probably the worst coffee of any breakfast place in America. And believe it or not, Starbucks has pretty good coffee, but their food sucks!

Everything I critique is, of course, my own opinion. I know that I’m not a very good coffee critic, and I wouldn’t even call myself a connoisseur, like my friend, Bob. I just love a good cup of coffee! Bob! Are you reading this blog? Take me to your coffee… please!