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Bar Cordano
A bar founded in 1905 by Italian immigrants opposite the Government Palace, where most of Peru's presidents have dined, known for butifarra sandwiches and pisco cocktails.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic bar and restaurant
- Area
- Historic Centre, Lima, Peru
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
Good to know
- Historic interior
- Pisco cocktails
- Sandwiches
Why we recommend it
Bar Cordano is a piece of living history in Lima's old centre. It was founded in early 1905 by the Genoese immigrant Vigilio Botano and the brothers Luis and Antonio Cordano, first as a bazaar, before becoming the bar and restaurant it is today. It occupies the ground floor of the former Hotel Comercio, at the corner of Jirón Carabaya and Jirón Áncash, beside the old Desamparados station and opposite the Government Palace. Because of that location, almost every Peruvian president since it opened is said to have eaten here.
The founding families ran the business for 73 years and in 1978 handed it over to its employees; the manager in 2025 was Jacinto López Delgado. The Cordano family had lived across the street, in the house that is now the Bodega y Quadra Museum. The bar was declared part of Peru's cultural heritage on 26 April 1989, and in 2025 it celebrated its 120th anniversary after a period of recovery in 2024.
Regulars come for the butifarra sandwiches and the classic cocktails. Pisco is the obvious choice: try a pisco sour or a chilcano, and look out for newer creations such as El Ferroviario, which mixes chicha morada, cinnamon, lime, pineapple and pisco. The bar also marks the drinking calendar with events such as a Chilcano week in January and Pisco Sour Day in February.
The building has its own stories. The Hotel Comercio upstairs is remembered for a notorious murder that took place there on 24 June 1930, and the bar itself has been declared part of the nation's heritage. Although it offers delivery, the management says customers much prefer to come in and sit down, and the business has been studying new branches in other districts.
Bar Cordano suits history lovers, couples and anyone sightseeing in the historic centre who wants a drink or lunch with character. It is a natural stop after visiting the Plaza Mayor, the cathedral or the San Francisco convent, all close by. Opening hours are not published on an official site, so go during the day or early evening, and take a taxi back to Miraflores or Barranco after dark.
Bar Cordano FAQs
When was Bar Cordano founded?
In 1905, by Vigilio Botano and the brothers Luis and Antonio Cordano.
Where is it?
At the corner of Jirón Carabaya and Jirón Áncash, opposite the Government Palace.
What should I order?
A butifarra sandwich with a pisco sour, a chilcano or the El Ferroviario cocktail.
Who owns it now?
Since 1978 it has been owned by its workers.
Is it a heritage site?
Yes, it was declared part of Peru's cultural heritage in 1989.
Have presidents eaten there?
Almost every Peruvian president since 1905 is said to have dined there.
What is the building?
The ground floor of the former Hotel Comercio.
What is nearby?
The Government Palace, the Plaza Mayor and the San Francisco convent.