PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP)—The Hispanic population in the United States continues to rise, and the Panhandle is no exception. According to the Vice President of Spanish Media Sales at Gray Media, the Hispanic population in Panama City grew by 56% between 2010 and 2020.
During that time, nearly half, 43%, of the city’s total population growth came from the Hispanic community. From 2020 to 2025, the trend continues, with the Hispanic population growing by an estimated 10 to 15% each year. Experts say much of this growth is driven by internal migration, as second- and third-generation Hispanic families move from other parts of the country.
”That growth continues, and again, with the jobs here, lots of tourism, lots of great education, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime. Panama City is beautiful, and it’s growing and growing and growing, excellent education, excellent opportunity for jobs, they’re coming down to Panama City, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North Florida, it’s just a booming population of Hispanics,” said Jason Hall, Vice President of Sales for Spanish Media of Gray TV.
As Bay County’s Hispanic population continues to grow, so does the presence of Hispanic-owned businesses, each aiming to share Latin culture’s rich and diverse elements. One of the newest additions to our area is Colombian Grill House, the only Colombian restaurant in Panama City Beach. It’s only been open for a little over a month, but it’s already making a flavorful impression.
Freshly brewed Colombian coffee, fresh juices, and traditional dishes are just some of what this family-owned Colombian restaurant is bringing to Panama City Beach. Mrs. Noralba Duarte and her family are bringing their own unique flavor to the Panhandle.
“I’ve been in the kitchen all my life, on top of cooking for work all my life, it’s my biggest passion, I can spend hours and hours in the kitchen and it’s not problem for me, it’s my passion,” said Noralba Duarte, owner of Colombian Grill House.
“Arepas, “empanadas, “pandebonos,” chicken, steak, seafood, and all kinds of traditional Colombian dishes are freshly made with no preservatives. One of the most popular Colombian dishes is the “Bandeja Paisa,” which comes with rice, chorizo, avocado, egg, arepa, beans, chicken or steak, and pork.
Besides the flavor, the Duarte family says their unique customer service experience is what sets them apart. “Here, there is a unique sense of home, everytime we receive a customer we treat them as our family, especially because we are far from our country, and many people are alone, without their families, so when they come, they feel a connection with our country,” said Maria Isabel Diaz Duarte, co-owner of Colombian Grill House.
The family hopes to share Colombian culture with others. “We have customer service that nobody else has. Whenever someone comes in, we give them hugs and kisses on the cheeks. We are very affectionate and friendly,” said Andrea Diaz Duarte, co-owner of Colombian Grill House.
Their secret ingredient is putting lots of love into every dish. The family says they have grown their clientele since opening in March and have found a Colombian community they never knew existed in Panama City Beach. By word-of-mouth, more and more people from all nationalities have lined up at their door to get a taste of their “sazón”.
Colombian Grill House is one of several Hispanic restaurants that have opened in recent years. Quite a few food trucks also cater to Hispanic cuisine. Census data shows that Walton, Bay, and Franklin counties had the largest Hispanic population growth over a ten-year period in the panhandle. Our sister station Telemundo Panama City is the only all-Spanish language channel locally.
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