Cora Cora

I’ve been looking for a place to get my Chaufa fix ever since my local Latin restaurant closed it’s doors a couple of years ago. I’ve been eyeballing Cora Cora for a while and finally got there recently. Started with the Cora Tacos appetizer which are made with lomo saltado. Very flavorful and juicy steak on nice soft tortillas. I would defintely order these again. My main course was the Chaufa de Pollo (chicken fried rice) and it was a winner. Several other menu items are worth trying so I will be back.

Had a wonderful experience at Cora Cora. Firstly, let me recommend one of the house cocktails, especially ANY of the ones with the egg yolk foam. Surprisingly delicious! My party tried a smattering from the menu and everything was good, especially the ceviche! Our server was very nice and had some insightful suggestions that helped us make decisions for our entrees. I highly recommend visiting Cora Cora!

I married a Peruvian. We go here once a month. This is as close as you can get to the real deal without the authentic Peruvian spices. Def worth going here and having Causa and Tallerine verde con bistec.

When it comes to Peruvian food this is a great place to get acquainted with the cuisine. It’s equally a perfect spot for experienced diners as well. The ambiance is of a higher caliber then some of the completion around the area and the food presentation and quality is top notch. The menu is very diverse and of course has the famous Peruvian ceviche available on several different styles. There is also a varied drink menu as well. Service is very attentive and they really let you relax and enjoy the dining experience. Treat yourself to something different and try Cora Cora.

They have the best Peruvian food in Connecticut. It’s a nice place, great service and delicious food.

A restaurant with personality! It was our first time at cora cora and we absolutely like everything!
The food simply was great, the service was very good and fast we ordered chicken tamale– yumm– spicy cora orgia marina ceviche which was really yummy and really spicy, tallarin saltado de mariscos and a side of beans every single dish was tasty and good .the price was very reasonable. We will be back soon.

Cora Cora is amazing. I live in New Jersey and every time I visit my boyfriend here in Hartford we come here for lunch and dinner. I highly recommend the choros de chalaca and the lomo saltado. Their ceviche is fresh and made to perfection everytime. The service is amazing and the staff is very tentative to all your needs. I highly recommend it and will continue coming here all year round.

Yes yes yes yes yes.
I’ve loved Cora Cora for years and the fact that they now offer delivery is such a gamechanger. The delivery options in Hartford are pretty slim pickins if you aren’t in the mood for wings, junky pizza or cheap Chinese, so being able to order ceviche and pollo a la brasa feels downright luxurious!
I was working late the other night with no adequate dinner food in the house and no time (or will) to go grocery shopping. What’s a gal to do? I normally only get delivery as a late night guilty pleasure, so ordering for an actual substantial meal felt a bit foreign. I ordered the whole pollo a la brasa (came with salad & fries) along with ceviche mixto and sweet plantains — for $ 50 plus tip, it provided 4 wonderful meals (dinner for 2 plus lunchin’ leftovers). The food arrived hot within the hour — overall a fantastic experience.

My girlfriend and I visited Cora Cora for lunch on a Friday afternoon. My girlfriend ordered the Lomo Saltado a la Pobre and I ordered the Lomo Saltado. The food was delicious. However, for the price they asked, I could not help but feel a little unsatisfied.
Our Lomo Saltados were advertised as «filet mignon» stir fried with onions and tomato. To our surprise the steak was definitely not filet mignon. It was cheap meat but we paid over $ 20 for our dishes.
I will not say I won’t return, but I will not be purchasing the Lomo again.

We stepped across the border into a Land of Deliciousness at Cora Cora. Not our first visit and impressed every time with the service, menu, and warm family like atmosphere. Their menu is extensive, but my favorite is now the Ceviche De Camaron Con Mango (Mango & Shrimp)! Delicious mix of textures and spices. Of course, a Negra Modelo in a frosty mug soothed the spicy heat. My main course, the Bistec A Lo Pobre (Steak, Egg, Fries, & a Fried Plantain) with rice and salad on the side. Quite a feast.
On this visit we were especially taken by the warm atmosphere (staff & customers). We celebrated with a birthday table to my right and shortly afterwards witnessed an engagement to my left! Yes, she accepted, the dining room cheered, and both were full of tears. What a festive night!!!
For those that would rather eat a feast at home, fear not, takeout was as active as the table service. Thumbs up to the Cora Cora Family.

Great food. Tried this restaurant for dine in, pick up and delivery. They are awesome, food is great, service is excellent

Yummy and rewarding. The only valid place in Hartford for Peruvian food.
Summary: Tried most things on the menu. Very solid all around, tasty and authentic.
Setting: This is an unpretentious gem situated in an old McDonald’s building with a life size lama doll. Take it for what it is: décor is basic, but they are all about the food.
Staff/​service: nice and attentive.
Food: The menu is a book but don’t be overwhelmed. They will start you off with choclos which are roared huge corn kernels with an amazing sauce.
The chicha morada (almost grape tasting drink made of corn and cut up pineapple) is addictive. Don’t fool yourself –get a pitcher not a cup.
They have a yucca app that has cheese in it. Get it and thank me later.
Ceviches are spot on and yummy.
Their causas are not my favorite since I have had them at high end Peruvian places, but they are still pretty good.
Solid recommendations from the staff. Good fish, meat as well as vegetarian dishes. Carne asada being one of favorites.
Dessert: try the very interesting lucuma ice cream, a fruit that tastes between cookie dough and maple.
Price: reasonably priced for the quality.

I finally got a chance to see the furry life sized llama greeting me at the entrance! Just that and the theme of the restaurant was enough to get me excited to try Peruvian food. Very good deal for lunch special $ 16 for appetizer main course and dessert AND A DRINK THAT WAS NOT WATER. Portions were so large that I was already full halfway through the main course. I am a big eater and I had skipped breakfast that day.
The food was flavorful but dense in my stomach. I enjoyed everything from the fried corn (cancha in Peruvian) and the slightly spicy but tangy dipping sauce I became addicted to. The fried calamari with fried casava was enormous it could be a main course within itself! Calamari was what it should be – plump and crispy unlike the sad shrunken down calamari rings with soggy batter. Casava I mistaked for fries from the appearance but it was an interesting experience to try. Tasted like stale fries but tasty stale potato wedges?! However, I’ll stick to good ol’ potato fries.
I had been waiting to try this Peruvian style fried rice because I noticed it actually looked more appetizing than your Asian fried rice. My seafood fried rice was glossy and perfect just like how I had seen it in the Unilocal pictures. The rice did not clump together and had a harder bite to them like eating al-​dente orzo pasta. It tasted great in the meantime but I started to feel the effects halfway in. The greasiness and how I started getting tired of swallowing down the heavy rice. My friend had the same dish but had no complaints and I realized it was just my own body that was more sensitive and prone to notice minor things like this. At one point I even added the fried corn dip into my rice. Was bangin’ but I warn you do not eat too much of the dip. No matter how good it is, your stomach will not thank you. My lesson learned!
Came dessert, the flan cake was the ending ceremony. Just flan itself whipped cream and maraschino cherry which just screams at you to eat and chase down whatever was left of the main course and appetizer.
It was the Peruvian purple corn and pineapple drink that I will never forget. All three of us ordered it so they brought us a large pitcher to share. Purple as Barney and cold as winter but somehow together, corn and pineapple are a match made in heaven. Fruity and sweet. Like a non-​alcoholic sangria. This was a highlight.
So much more we wanted to try that we got the beef hearts and Inca Kola soda can size to go. Beef hearts earned good company and is best eaten as soon as you can get your little hands on them. As for the soda, the waitress asked us if we wanted the can sized or the 2 liter sized one –told her can size but we got receipt noticed she tried to rip us off by charging for the 2 liter size. No no no she was doing well until she tried to slip that in. We notified her and she fixed it for us. Also .35 charge per leftover container per person rule stinks.

Came here finally after 3 years of it being on my list of places to try. Found out Phở Boston was closed on Tuesdays when we arrived and decided on Cora Cora. From reading the reviews it sounded like the $ 15.99 lunch special was the way to go. A drink, appetizer, main course and dessert for $ 16, why not! My colleague and I both got a glass of the chicha morada, the cora yucca rellena app, lomo saltado entrée and tres leches cake. On top of all that food they also brought out corn nuts with an awesome mustard to dip in and warm bread with butter. Suffice to say we pretty much had to get rolled out of the place after all that food. And had to go back to work afterwards and function! All of the food was very good, I’ll be more adventurous next time and go with something OTHER than the lomo saltado.

This place is awesome! Food was great, and those fruit juice smoothies yum! Super fresh! Our waiter was super helpful in helping us order (never had Peruvian before) and she was spot on with the Lomo Saltado and Chaufa de Moriscos, sooooo good! We will def be going back!!!

Love this place. I don’t think a lot of people know about it. Check it out, peeps!
My husband and I are not at all familiar with Peruvian food. He loves to get the rice dishes with chicken. They are huge!
My fave is the many choices of ceviche. I keep saying I will try others but each time I continue to get the one with mango. Be warned– if you ask for mild it will still be plenty hot!
One of these days I’ve got to try the chicken brasa combos. They seem on the pricier side but it looks to be enough to split because it’s a whole roasted chicken with sides.
The kids menu is great too. Very good quesadilla filled with chicken and not at all too cheesy.
Let’s not forget about the drinks! Fresh juices and shakes, many cocktail options made with fresh juice, beer, and many wines to choose from.

Been here twice and loved it both times! They have fresh juices made with real fruit, the lomo soltado was great. The meat was cooked perfectly and the sauce had a flavorful taste. The chicken is seasoned and cooked well. The seafood pasta is fresh and flavorful. Customer service was great as well. One of the best Peruvian experiences. The prices are very reasonable for the quality and freshness of the food.

When I think of Peruvian food in the Hartford area, Hands down I think of only one place to go to Cora Cora. I’ve visited this restaurant hundreds of times thru out different days and times but I have never ever left hungry or disappointed. You would never think by looking at the restaurant from the outside that its a great place but I consider it truly a hidden gem. Coming here with many different people and also my family I can say the customer service is by far amazing. My daughter being the picky eater loves their fruit smoothies made fresh on order and the food from the kids menu. I’m not a picky eater on the other hand so I can say I’ve had a fair share of the menu and have not been regretted anything. The Ceviche is AMAZING!
The menu selection have a wide variety of things and descriptions both in English and Spanish. if any questions the wait staff have no problem answering them for you and will recommend something if you like. the restaurant is a little small but packs a big punch in service flavors and experience.
when coming to this restaurant take a chance and see what real Peruvian food has to offer from Cora Cora. No I’m not paid to write this nor am I an employee, I just love their food that much. If you give it a shot you will see what I’m talking about for your self.

The restaurant has a very friendly staff and they are native Peruvians. We ordered 5 entrees for 6 people and ate them family style. All six people in our family really enjoyed the food. The paella rice was very tasty and the seafood tasted fresh. None of us had tried the Peruvian Chicha Morada drink previously, and found it to be a unique and enjoyable taste. The drink is dark purple with chopped fruit and ice. The kids thought it was terrific. Dessert was lucuma fruit ice cream and flan and those were thoroughly enjoyable as well, just like the entrees. We would certainly return to this restaurant for another authentic experience.

I had the beef milanaise when I went here. It was out of this world. It has a salad and rice that are accompanied by this dish. The service was great this was truly awesome Peruvian food. My wife got quinoa which was also delicious. We both had Inca cola. There is a lot to select from with their menu.

One of my favorite places to eat! You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. My personal favorites is the chicken chaufa and the gallina. I don’t know if I spelled those right but, they are amazing. Lots of food for leftovers too. Service is always great. Its hard to find and the building has been painting which makes it practically camoflauge! Lol hidden gem for sure!

Delicious Peruvian food and impeccable service. We have been there twice so far and both times our expectations were surpassed. There are huge portions and definetly enough to bring home for leftovers. I’m not sure how authentic because I’m not used to Peruvian cuisine but my husband is from the Caribbean so similar ingredients are used. Not the fanciest place but that’s fine, just more casual dress. The only complaint I have was the first time we went on a Saturday night, I called and made a reservation and when we got there they said we didn’t need to make reservations so the next time we didn’t and they asked us to make a reservation next time. So better communication with that would be great.

I suggested this restaurant to the boyfriend since we wanted something different than the usual and we were starving. Apparently this was the place we passed by occasionally. Glad we decided to dine in. The restaurant itself looked quaint and comfy. They have a llama doll statue in the front by the door. They have Peruvian artifacts (I think) on their walls. Their service was attentive and polite. We had the toasted bread & corn as we waited for our ceviche de camarón, camarones al ajillo, Saltado de pollo w/​Yucca fries. Wow… their food was delicious. We devoured it all and enjoyed every bit of it. We will definitely be coming back to enjoy some more delicious food from their menu.

This place is a must stop if you like ceviche. The best Peruvian restaurant in CT! Excellent food, fun and friendly staff, great service. Servers are knowledgable about what contains gluten and I’ve eaten here twice with no ill effects. Now that Phở Boston is closed on Tuesdays, I hope this unassuming little place (don’t let the exterior fool you) begins to get the business it deserves.
I had to update this review because I tried the ceviche. I like ceviche a lot, and I’ve been to Ceviche Palace and to a few other places in CT, but nowhere can the dish even begin to compare to the one I had here! This is a truly exceptional ceviche, especially for northern CT of all places. It’s comparable (or better?) than versions I’ve had in the tropics.

This is a tough review for me. We just moved to CT and had a favorite Peruvian restaurant were we used to live, so trying not to compare the two is a challenge… but here it goes.
Directions and parking were a cinch. I was only put off by the website a bit. In a few of the picks online, there is a band, but I couldn’t find an event schedule or anything online, so I had no idea if there would be a band when we went (Friday night). I desperately wanted to avoid that. Luckily, there was not a band.
I was also a bit put off by the hostess, who only greeted us with «how many?» It seemed difficult for her to muster a smile. Luckily, this was not any indication of a service for the night.
The menu was WAY too big. I’m typically one who likes a lot of options, but sometimes too many options can feel overwhelming, especially when its ethnic food. On a positive note, every dish had an English explanation (thank goodness!). After a lot of reading, we decided on a couple of apps we wanted to try and an entrée for each.
I cannot say enough about the CORA TACOS (flour tortilla shells filled with the lomo saltado)! YUM-​tastic! They tasted so good that, if I had not already ordered my entrée, I would have been convinced to order the LOMO SALTADO for sure. Next time, that is SO what I am getting. We also got the CORA TAMAL CRIOLLO DE POLLO, which was pretty good, but was put over the top because of the deliciousness of the onion relish/​salad which accompanies the tamal. We would definitely get both apps again!
For entrees, we got the PESCADO EN SALSA DE CAMARONES (fish and shrimp dish), which was tasty, even though there was a surprise of a fried fish fillet (not mentioned in the menu). We also got the AJI DE GALLINA, which just didn’t live up to the dish I’m used to, but that’s the risk you take. I would give that dish a ⁶⁄₁₀. Missing something critical, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Sodas are canned, but you should take advantage of the opportunity to try something unique. I recommend the CHICHA MORADA, which is made from purple peruvian corn. Their version is garnished with apple and pineapple pieces, which is a nice touch!
The service was 9/​10, the food/​drink overall was 8/​10, and the ambiance/​greeting was 5−6÷10. We will be back. Next time, game on lomo saltado!

So my boyfriend and I were feeling adventurous and decided to come here on a Friday night, we’d never had Peruvian food before! We were seated right away and presented with the book of a menu — it is HUGE but boy am I glad they put those in depth descriptions in there for each menu item otherwise I wouldn’t have known what anything was — because of this it made it easier for us to choose rather than picking something blindly!
Overall, everything we had was absolutely delicious. They bring out this little bowl of corn kernels with the spicy yellow sauce — so addicting! Also beware, they have a heavy hand when it comes to making their drinks — even though I only had one it felt as if I had two or three. I had the Sudado de Pescado for my entrée — it was absolutely amazing but be aware — on the menu it says white fish (I figured they would just do the catch of the day as it was already listed with a price of $ 15), but my waiter asked if I would like tilapia, salmon, swordfish, sea bass etc, not mentioning that this would drive up the price — I got the sea bass and didn’t know until we got the bill that that choice made the entrée be $ 25, not $ 15. So definitely ask about pricing if that is a concern for you. My boyfriend ordered the Cau Cau de Mariscos and loved it! Overall we had a very pleasant and enjoyable experience here, outside of the surprise on our bill. The service was very fast and friendly and we will definitely be back!

Fast service, nice atmosphere, and a clean building make this a nice place to eat. If you want a good meal and dont want to wait an hour this Peruvian restaurant does the trick. My favorites are the fried rice with chicken and the saltado de pollo.

Only had appetizers and salads but loved everything that we ordered. Had the chicken tacos/​wrap and the ribeye beef tacos — the quinoa salad had a Great presentation –too bad I forgot to take a pic

Love this restaurant for a nice meal out. The service is really great and classy. The prices are a bit high so I would only go here once in a while. For a more affordable Peruvian meal I would recommend Piolin on New Britain Ave in Hartford.
I have tried the Lomo Saltado, Chaufa, Leche de Tigre and loved them. I didn’t like the Cau Cau too much it was mushy to me and lacking flavor.
I loved the leche asada dessert– basically crème brûlée.

Extremely large portions for an extremely inexpensive meal. Meals are full of flavor and come out well presented. Only draw back was the slow service. Also, for any locals who have lived in the area for a long time, this used to be a McDonalds. The old McDonald’s floor tiles are still there…

I love Peruvian food and my favorite dish is the pescado en salsa de camerones. The fish was good, although it was a little soggy. Rice was perfectly cooked and shrimp were tender.
The green sauce is good, and I really enjoyed the bread.
This is clearly a converted McDonald’s which threw me off. Maybe because I went to that McDonald’s so many times as a kid. I just wasn’t feeling it. The food was decent but I don’t know if I would go back. It’s good but nothing out of the ballpark good. Worth a try though.

Some friends and I came here and were very overwhelmed with the menu. The menu is huge and includes very long descriptions of the dishes, which might be appealing to some foodies, but it mostly made it difficult to pick something. Truly, I’ve never struggled so much with a menu.
Lucky for us, everything we ordered was tasty. Can’t go wrong with anything meat-​y or the sweet plantains. The rice dishes were flavorful. Prices were a bit higher than I was expecting, but the portions are huge! You can definitely make the main dishes into two meals.
Our waiter was very friendly. I’d definitely come back and make my way through another tortuous process of finding something on the menu to commit to.

My wife and I decided to have dinner here for two reasons: We were trying to arrange a dinner with another couple that, unfortunately, fell through… and we really wanted to try something different, that would put us close to a vantage point for the Riverfest Fireworks display. After an involved Unilocal search, we decided on trying Cora Cora, our first delve into Peruvian cuisine.
Not knowing what to expect, we were seated promptly, and handed a menu. Our server came within a minute, with a very interesting munchy plate — a cup full of roasted giant corn kernals, which she likened to «Corn Nuts,» that came with a yellow, somewhat spicy sauce. We explained that this was our first time here, or at any Peruvian restaurant, she smiled warmly and told us how to eat these surprisingly tender nuggets, by putting some on a plate, dabbing with the sauce, mixing them together and popping them into our mouth. It was a very, very new and interesting experience, one of many that evening.
Their menu was quite large, and encompassed juices drinks, hot and cold apps, salads, seafood, chicken and meat main courses. We asked for recommendations, and for apps, our waitress Laura recommended the Cora Chicken wrap, which had mounds of super tender, nicely seasoned chicken in a fried tortilla, and Causa Rellena des Camarones, a mixture of chopped shrimp, sauce and vegetables, sandwiched within lemon-​seasoned mashed potatoes. Both were astounding.
Our main courses included Causa de Pollo, a light chicken and pea stew with peppers and potatoes, served with rice, and Tacu Tacu ala Macho, a large breaded whole tilapia fillet, expertly cooked, served in a wonderful seafood sauce containing scallops, octopus, calamaris, shrimps, mussels and crab, alongside a grilled patty composed of beans, rice and yellow pepper. Both were amazing.
For dessert, we had Lucuma ice cream… made with a fruit indigenous to the country, and a crème brulée that was to die for. A perfect ending to a sensational meal.
The menu also had a listing of at least a half-​dozen ceviches, which I will definitely try next time, but we both wanted to order things we would be able to share, and I’m afraid I wouldn’t give Nancy a bite of mine!
The restaurant interior was done over with large woven wall hangings, and a constantly playing video of what I surmise was a selection of native Peruvian dances. Service was well-​timed, friendly, helpful, and not over-​bearing. What a sincere pleasure. Laura was a consummate professional, knowing when and when not to approach.
I may update and give Cora Cora 5 stars, but I want to try other Peruvian places before I say this place is «as Good as it Gets.» I will say that every dollar, and every minute we spent here was absolutely a treasure, and a perfect send-​off to the fireworks — which we wound up seeing at Elizabeth Park. Thank you Cora Cora… we’ll most definitely return!

I can’t tell you how great their lunch special is. Well actually, yeah I can!
Monday-​Friday, 11am-​3pm for $ 15 you will fall in love with Peru. A fancy drink, savory appetizer, tasty entrée, and sweet dessert — come hungry!
We both started off with a glass of chicha morada. A sweet, but spicy Peruvian drink with purple corn and pineapple — it was certainly different. For an appetizer, my friend and I both decided to try the anticuchos, grilled beef heart with a sliced husk of golden potatoes and Peruvian corn. Delicately seared and very mild-​tasting, it was prepared so well my friend didn’t realize it was actually heart until I had mentioned it.
For our entrée, we both went for the lomo saltado. A Peruvian staple, it was very well sliced sirloin served with peppers, onions tomatoes. Served over fries with a side of white rice, it was the perfect combination of salty and savory. Finally to finish off, we were both sold on the rice pudding, which was just flan. But a good restaurant flan at that! Melt in your mouth, it was accompanied by some whipped cream and strawberries.
If you’ve never had the opportunity to sample Peruvian cuisine, I sincerely urge you to stop by Cora Cora’s lunch special. It’s a generously portioned introduction to some really good eats. Can’t wait to come back!