Peru's national cocktail: pisco (grape brandy), fresh lime juice, simple syrup, egg white and three drops of Angostura bitters, shaken hard and double-strained.

Invented in the early 1920s at Lima's Morris Bar by American bartender Victor Vaughen Morris; Peruvian bartender Mario Bruiget codified the modern recipe by adding Angostura bitters and egg white. The first Saturday of February is the Dia Nacional del Pisco Sour since 2003; Peru and Chile both claim it.

Where to eat Pisco Sour in Lima

4 editor picks for Pisco Sour in Lima, ranked by editorial score. All Lima signature dishes · Pisco Sour across every city.

  • Lady Bee

    Order The signature White Lady and Bee's Knees riffs, paired with the seasonal snack flight.

    Lady Bee at Av Pedro de Osma 205 in Barranco Lima is the husband-and-wife bar at No.13 on World's 50 Best Bars 2025, the Michter's Art of Hospitality winner.

    DetailsDirections

  • Carnaval

    Order The Carnaval signature, plus a pisco-base off the special menu.

    Carnaval at Av Pardo y Aliaga 662 in San Isidro Lima is the Peruvian temple cocktail bar founded 2018, an Ice Room programme and 70 cocktail menu.

    DetailsReserveDirections

  • Ayahuasca

    Order A pisco sour and a flight of the house herbal pisco macerados.

    Ayahuasca at Av San Martin 130 in Barranco Lima is the cocktail bar housed in a restored 1875 republican casona, a reference point for pisco macerados.

    DetailsBookDirections

  • Bar Cordano

    Order A pisco sour and the butifarra de jamon del pais, eaten at the marble bar.

    Bar Cordano at Jiron Carabaya 103 in Centro Historico Lima is the 1905 cantina founded by Italian Cordano brothers, facing the Palacio de Gobierno.

    DetailsDirections

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Make it at home

Serves Serves 15 minEasy

Ingredients

  • 60ml pisco Quebranta or Italia
  • 30ml fresh lime juice (Peruvian limon de pica preferred)
  • 20ml simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
  • 1 small egg white
  • 3 drops Angostura bitters
  • Ice

Method

  1. Combine pisco, lime juice, simple syrup and egg white in a shaker without ice. Dry-shake 15 seconds.
  2. Add ice and shake hard another 20 seconds.
  3. Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
  4. Drop 3 drops of Angostura onto the foam. Drag a cocktail stick through the bitters for a pattern.

Editor tip. The dry shake first emulsifies the egg white into the dense foam. Pisco Quebranta is the canonical base; Italia is floral.

Common allergens: Egg.