El 77 Won’t Close; Will Mix Up Peruvian And Bolivian Cuisines Instead [Updated]

Update (October 6): Mile End Peruvian restaurant El 77 will not close its doors after all. Instead, co-owner Alexandra Pilon explains that they are rebranding, and are bringing in a Bolivian cook. They’ll expand their selection of empanadas, and reduce their hot meal offerings, and more generally bring elements of Bolivian cuisine into the restaurant.

After receiving a tip from a reader that El 77 might be closing, Eater went to confirm this a week ago. A server confirmed that the restaurant would be closing its brick and mortar location at the end of October to become a catering-only operation. One of El 77’s owners reached out several days later to say that this was not the case, and Eater had been misinformed. To reiterate: El 77 will not close.

Peruvian lunch counter El 77, on Bernard Street in Mile End, is not closing set to close at the end of October.

The small storefront was opened by sisters Susana and Elena Molgora just under two years ago, doing family recipes from the pair’s motherland, doing hearty sandwiches like the butifarra, with marinated pork, on olive bread, as well as empanadas with a host of fillings, and traditional drinks such as the sweet corn-based chicha morada.

They also sell ready-to-eat meals, including Peruvian classic arroz con pollo, alongside some less-traditional vegetarian and vegan friendly takes on Peruvian fare.

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• Le Pérou chez vous [La Presse]
• El 77 [Facebook]