Downtown Bethesda’s Pisco y Nazca Ceviche Gastrobar is holding a grand opening celebration Tuesday that includes an extended happy hour, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a ribbon cutting, according to the restaurant.
The Miami-based Peruvian restaurant opened on March 24 in the 2 Bethesda Metro Center building at 7401 Woodmont Ave. It offers classic Peruvian dishes with a modern twist for brunch, lunch and dinner, according to the restaurant’s website.
The celebration will begin at 5 p.m., according to an event flyer. The first 50 guests will receive a gift card for lunch at the restaurant.
The extended happy hour will run until the restaurant closes at 10 p.m. and guests also can participate in a tasting of Chaufa, a Peruvian fried rice dish, the flyer said. Samples of menu items will be available and raffles for prizes will be held.
Happy hour deals include $3 off the price of beers, $9 specialty cocktails, $8 house liquors, $9 martinis and $7 sangrias ($28 for a pitcher), according to the menu.
The 6,000-square-foot restaurant – on the northeast corner of Woodmont Avenue and Montgomery Lane – is Pisco y Nazca’s first location in Maryland and its sixth nationally. It is taking over the former home of Cesco Osteria, which closed in 2022 after 25 years.
“We are thrilled to bring the bold and dynamic flavors of Peru to Bethesda,” restaurant regional manager Rosa Reyes said in a press release announcing the March 24 opening. “This community has an incredible appreciation for diverse culinary experiences, and we look forward to sharing a bit of Peru with our guests.”
According to Reyes, the Bethesda restaurant is slightly larger than Pisco y Nazca’s other locations and can seat up to 200 people. The restaurant features an open bar and kitchen, a private dining room and an outdoor patio.
Among the dishes that are offered at the seafood-heavy eatery are parihuela de mariscos, a traditional seafood soup with shrimp; a variety of ceviches; sushi with Peruvian flavors such as queso fresco and aji Amarillo aioli; and Causas, a Peruvian dish of whipped potatoes with shrimp, chicken or tuna tartare.
Other dishes include empanadas, fried yuca, burrata with quinoa, chicken stew, seared tenderloin and Peruvian-style chicken and rice, according to the menu.
In addition, the restaurant serves a variety of drinks using Pisco, a popular brandy made in Peru and Chile, and signature cocktails, mocktails, wines, sangrias and beers.
