Kora
Bakery · Sunnyside ·
Filipino bakery specializing in ube goods & brioche donuts
Filipino bakery specializing in ube goods & brioche donuts
"Born from a 2020 home doughnut operation by Kimberly Camara and Kevin Borja that amassed a waitlist of over 10,000 for flan‑topped and halo‑halo‑inspired treats, this Sunnyside bakery now has a larger, personalized space and a broadened repertoire. Savory croissants, babka, cookies, and a coffee and matcha program reimagine Philippine flavors through French pastry precision: a stellar pain Suisse filled with Spam, pimento cheese, hot honey, and chile crisp; ensaymada re‑envisioned as a lacy, cheese‑topped croissant; and tamarind adding a tropical touch to crisp apple fritters. The expansion proves this team is best‑in‑class for modern Filipino American baking and part of the city’s new pastry guard." - Melissa McCart
"Once a beloved pop-up with a 10,000-person waitlist for preorders, this Filipino bakery in Sunnyside makes New York City's best, most meticulously constructed donuts. Made with light and airy fried brioche, they might come garnished with ube chips, or with their cores excavated and replaced by perfect miniature flans. But Kora’s entire menu—also featuring cookies and laminated pastries—is excellent, especially the apple tamarind fritter and the sleeper hit: a savory pain suisse with spam and pimento cheese." - willa moore, will hartman, molly fitzpatrick, sonal shah
"Kora — the Filipino doughnut pop-up that once had a 10,000-person waitlist — has opened its long-awaited permanent bakery in Sunnyside. After being laid off from restaurants during COVID, Eleven Madison Park and Union Square Hospitality alums Kimberly Camara and Kevin Borja started Kora in March 2020. Now they’ve opened a bakery that includes some of their greatest hits, like an ube doughnut, as well as pastries stuffed with Spam and chile crisp. Camara and Borja’s ambitions extend beyond the pastry case. The idea is for Kora to eventually function as an all-day cafe, where people can grab breakfast or lunch." - Emma Orlow
"Once a beloved pop-up with a 10,000-person waitlist for preorders, this Filipino bakery in Sunnyside makes New York City's best, most meticulously constructed donuts. Made with light and airy fried brioche, they might come garnished with ube chips, or with their cores hollowed out and replaced by perfect miniature flans. But Kora’s entire menu—also featuring cookies and laminated pastries—is excellent, especially the apple tamarind fritter and the sleeper-hit savory pain suisse with Spam and pimento cheese." - molly fitzpatrick, bryan kim, will hartman, willa moore, neha talreja
"A former Filipino doughnut pop-up that has transitioned into a permanent Queens bakery led by co-owners and alumni of Eleven Madison Park and Union Square Hospitality, Kimberly Camara and Kevin Borja. The shop offers doughnuts with modern Filipino takes such as ube custard fillings and Spam and pimento cheese–filled pain Suisse, with breakfast sandwiches planned to follow." - Nadia Chaudhury
