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Vista Peru to open this weekend in Old City, ushering in a new era

Restaurants in Old City and Northern Liberties are celebrating pisco, the South American brandy.

A decorative feature at Vista Peru, 20 S. Second St., on Feb. 19, 2018.
A decorative feature at Vista Peru, 20 S. Second St., on Feb. 19, 2018.Read moreMICHAEL KLEIN / Staff

Philly's Peruvian invasion commences this week.

Vista Peru, the Peruvian restaurant/bar filling the former Serrano and Tin Angel space at 20 S. Second St. in Old City, will open this weekend. A cocktail party/open house is set for 4 to 8 p.m. Friday. A rep for the restaurant says the hours will be 11 a.m. till midnight weekdays, till 2 a.m. on weekends.

Owner Miguel Toro, who with his family also owns El Balconcito and El Balconcito II in Northeast Philadelphia (two Peruvian-Portuguese hybrids), has set up a second-floor bar devoted to pisco, the South American brandy.

Vista Peru's first floor has a smaller bar and lounge, topped with a wooden fixture, that leads into a modest-size dining room.

Same deal at Chalaco's Ceviche & Pisco Bar, which has a March opening penciled in just up the street at 1030 N. Second St., the former Bar Ferdinand space at Liberties Walk in Northern Liberties.

Menu, overseen by chef Jose Luis Herrera, will include Peruvian ceviches and other favorites, such as the stir-fry dish lomo saltado and Peruvian char-broiled chicken. It will serve lunch, dinner, happy hour, and a late-night happy hour.

Co-owner Giovanni Delfino tells me that work is proceeding according to schedule.

His partners, Francisco Acevedo and Carmen Silva, are part-owners of five restaurants in Maryland under the brand of Lima's Chicken, which serve Peruvian-style char-broiled chicken.