The family-run, award-winning Peruvian restaurant, Coracara, will have a soft opening of its new flagship location in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square in December.

By Ronni Newton

Coracora has received accolades on a local, statewide, and even at the national level as a James Beard finalist and multi-year semifinalist for its authentic Peruvian cuisine – and now the family-owned restaurant that has been operating out of a former McDonald’s for the past 14 years is poised to debut its stunning flagship location at 51 Isham Road in West Hartford’s Blue Back Square.

Coracora’s new restaurant will have a soft opening on Dec. 10, and will serve dinner on Wednesdays through Fridays as well as lunch and dinner Saturdays and Sundays through the end of the year, with a grand opening and full-scale operations planned in January 2026.

What ultimately turned into an extensive transformation of the former Rosa Mexicano has been a dream since Coracora announced plans to take over the space in May 2024, and co-owner Grecia Ludena could hardly contain her excitement this week as she provided a peek at the interior and spoke about the design of the new restaurant and the opportunity to further elevate the from-scratch Peruvian menu created by her sister, co-owner and chef Macarena Ludena – a 2022 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef-New England.

The flagship location will feature many of the restaurant’s classics that people already love, but will provide Macarena Ludena to expand her vision for the menu and introduce new items, highlighting additional dishes from various regions of Peru.

The announcement of the opening describes some of the new dishes as “classic Peruvian with a Coracora twist,” highlighting “vibrant dishes like Croquetas de Ají de Gallina (croquettes of shredded chicken with a classic yellow chili pepper sauce), Arroz con Pato (a deeply aromatic and refined version of the northern Peruvian classic), Seco de Tira con Tacu Tacu (slow-braised short rib paired with a golden, crispy combination of rice and beans), and Yuquitas a la Huancaína (tender yuca bites served with their signature huancaína sauce).” There will be ample options for vegetarian, vegan, and those with dietary needs to ensure that everyone feels welcome at the table, the owners said.

“We really want people to keep enjoying the food that they got to love over the years,” Grecia Ludena told We-Ha.com.

The croquetas are one of her favorite items on the new menu, Grecia Ludena said. “It’s really delicious and comfy at the same time,” she said, like croquettes but presented differently and bursting with the flavor of the shredded chicken in the yellow chili pepper sauce.

“We are beyond thrilled to share our dream and Peruvian culture and gastronomy with the community that has been so supportive of us,” said Grecia Ludena said in the announcement. “Our flagship location is a multi-sensorial experience that represents different elements of Peru, of who we are, and we hope that our dedication and passion for hospitality is felt by our guests at every turn,” she added.

Coracora will continue their commitment to not only fostering a welcoming atmosphere and top-notch customer service, but also to their scratch-made menu, featuring high-quality ingredients that are “hormone-free, free-range, and prepared without unnecessary chemicals. “They continue to source genuine key ingredients like ajíes, spices like cinnamon, and specialty corn varieties from Peru to keep their flavors authentic and true to who they are. All dishes are made in-house and without artificial preservatives,” the announcement states.

The newly-renovated space includes seating for 190, including a private dining area that seats 38 and a dramatic full-service bar. When weather permits, the outdoor patio space will add another 41 seats, Grecia Ludena said. The nearly 6,000 square foot space was designed by Connecticut-based Arkay-Leliever, LLC.

The bar was physically the prominent feature as soon as you walked into the previous restaurants that occupied the space, but while Coracora’s beautiful bar is certainly a showpiece, it has been relocated away from the main entrance. Grecia Ludena said she is very excited to have a full-service bar, and to be able to step up the cocktail program into something modern and fun, but grounded in the Peruvian culture and designed to complement the cuisine. “We really wanted to showcase something different because we never had that opportunity before,” she said. “We decided to go with one of the best bartenders in Peru He actually helped us develop the cocktails and we did some signature cocktails.”

The bar menu was developed with the assistance of consulting firm 3 Tigres and renowned Peruvian beverage consultant and mixologist Luis Flores. Some of the new cocktails will include Cora Punch, Lúcuma Papa, and Paraíso. According to the announcement, there is an also an “expanded selection of piscos, and their wine list is intentional and pairing-driven. Focusing mainly on South-American wines, with Old World selections also available, the list’s objective is to create pairings that elevate the food and highlight the diversity of Peruvian cuisine.”

Highlights of the interior design include several murals, including the Nazca Lines wall mural, an ode to the Unesco World Heritage site – giant geoglyphs in the Nazca Desert of Peru that were created by the ancient Nazca culture between 500 BCE and 500 CE.

A second mural, in the private dining area, is a black and white charcoal work by L.A.-based Peruvian artist Rudolph Castro. The vision, according to Coracora, was a “story of food culture, farming, craft, culinary arts, and the evolution to the family table as a place where all come together to share stories and enjoy the cornucopia of what nature’s land offers.”

The textile art of macrame is an important part of Peruvian culture, and both the wall divider and pendant chandeliers are intended to evoke imagery of Peru’s Andes mountains. The new space also showcases a colorful pendant chandelier, which “takes the form of the Inca Cross, the Chakana, and represents the Andean Cosmos with its array of colors exemplified by the fine woven string elements.”

Overall, the custom design and lighting, combined with the food and drink, are intended to provide an immersion into the layers of Peruvian craft and culture.

“I wish the entire Coracora family all the best as they bring their dream to fruition,” said Paul Brandes, president of Brand Street Properties, which owns Blue Back Square. “This moment has been highly anticipated, and we’re excited to see it finally come to life. I’m confident they will continue to elevate their unique Peruvian hospitality at our Blue Back Square location. The Brand Street team is excited to see the community experience what will undoubtedly become one of the region’s go-to restaurants,” he said.

“This next step in Coracora’s journey is defined, in part, by our evolution,” Macarena Ludena said in a statement. “Our commitment to sharing creativity and new inspirations while honoring our traditions and roots is central to this next phase, and we are looking forward to introducing a new spin on Peruvian cuisine in the Connecticut dining scene.”

The existing location on Shield Street in Elmwood will remain open, but will pivot to a simpler and more fast-casual concept, emphasizing the Peruvian chicken dishes and the comfort food that first put Coracora on the map.

Coracora was named for a small town in the mountains of Peru. The family-owned business has risen from humble beginnings when Hector Ludena and Luisa Jimenez, who immigrated from Coracora, Peru, opened their restaurant 14 years ago in what was a vacant McDonald’s at 162 Shield Street in West Hartford, developing a loyal customer base with their authentic house-made dishes made from high-quality ingredients, including some imported directly from Peru.

Everything Coracora does remains focused on the three pillars they have identified as essential – “high-quality ingredients, a warm and welcoming family-like experience, and the best customer service.”

During the soft opening phase, beginning Wednesday, Dec. 10, the flagship Blue Back Square location will offer Coracora’s full menu, with limited seating for dinner from 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, and will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

For more information, including the announcement of reservations opening, visit Coracora’s website or their social media.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.