Bar Cordano, opposite the Government Palace, has been pouring pisco sours since 1905. The narrow, wood-panelled interior — original counter, original mirrors, brass fittings worn to a dull gleam — is essentially unchanged from the Belle Époque. Politicians, journalists, and clerks from the surrounding ministries pack it at lunch; tourists and a slightly bohemian set fill it in the evening.
The bartenders make a classic, slightly tart pisco sour for around 20 soles. The kitchen does sandwiches (the butifarra ham roll with onion salsa is the house speciality) and a basic lunch menu. Atmospheric, cheap, and a useful stop after the Plaza Mayor circuit.