After skyrocketing in popularity with a 10,000-person waitlist, Kora, the Filipino doughnut pop-up, has finally opened its much-anticipated permanent bakery in Sunnyside, Queens. Located at 45-12 Greenpoint Avenue, the new bakery opened its doors on Saturday, March 29, marking a major milestone for founders Kimberly Camara and Kevin Borja, who turned their passion for Filipino flavors into a thriving business.

The duo, both former employees at renowned restaurants Eleven Madison Park and Union Square Hospitality, launched Kora in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. After being laid off, they started baking from their home in Woodside, Queens, initially operating the business online with orders taken via a Google form on Instagram. Their unique sari-sari box — featuring a mix of five doughnuts with inventive Filipino-inspired flavors — quickly went viral, often selling out in minutes. Signature offerings like the halo-halo doughnut filled with coconut cream, jackfruit, banana chips, leche flan, and tapioca pearls captured the hearts of food lovers across the city.

As demand grew, Kora outgrew the couple's home kitchen and began operating from commissary kitchens and partnering with Sunnyside’s Alewife Brewery for pick-up locations. A successful Kickstarter campaign gave the couple the financial boost needed to pursue their dream of opening a storefront, and now, Kora has a permanent home in Sunnyside, one of New York’s most vibrant and diverse neighborhoods.

At the grand opening, a line of eager customers had already formed by 9 a.m., signaling the excitement surrounding the bakery's debut. This is especially noteworthy in Queens, where bakery hype has been rare since the opening of Somedays in 2023. While the borough already boasts Filipino bakeries like Red Ribbon and will soon welcome Valerio’s Tropical Bakeshop, Kora stands out as a key player in the new wave of modern Filipino bakeries.

Kora’s new storefront offers a wider array of delicious options that go beyond doughnuts. Classic items, such as the beloved doughnuts filled with ube custard and topped with leche flan, are still on the menu. However, the bakery has expanded to include savory offerings, such as a pain suisse filled with Spam, pimento cheese, hot honey, and chile crisp, as well as a Filipino-inspired croissant that riffs on ensaymada with a sugared butter coating and a blanket of yellow Edam cheese.

Other menu items include crullers (sugared, cinnamon, and coffee), kouign-amann, chocolate croissants, and brioche buns filled with passionfruit curd. In a playful twist on the classic babka, Kora’s version features an ube swirl. Prices for the treats range from $4.25 to $8.75, with a limit on orders during the opening due to high demand — the store reduced the limit from six items per person to three.

As the business grows, Camara and Borja envision Kora transforming into an all-day café. “We’re hoping to add sandwiches and savory danishes soon,” says Camara, who hints at a future tortang talong sandwich. “Right now, we’re working with electric equipment since we’re not using gas yet.”

In addition to their pastries, the bakery offers a simple yet delicious coffee program, featuring beans sourced from Parlor Coffee and specialty lattes in flavors like salted coconut, ube, and pandan-and-matcha.

After a complete renovation of the former frozen yogurt shop, Kora’s new space is airy and welcoming, with a large glass wall in the back that allows customers to watch the bakers in action. A row of workbenches dubbed the “stage” by Camara offers a front-row seat to the finishing touches on each pastry. The interior design features dark brown seating and accents of capiz shell, a traditional Filipino material often used in home décor.

Unlike some bakeries that cater primarily to take-out orders, Kora’s space invites customers to stay and enjoy their treats. The cozy seating area, with about 20 seats, offers a place to linger, chat, and enjoy freshly baked goods in the heart of Sunnyside.

The new bakery also holds sentimental value for the founders, as it’s located near the former home of Alpha Donuts, a much-loved doughnut shop that served Sunnyside for over 50 years before closing in 2023. Though Kora’s modern design contrasts with Alpha Donuts’ nostalgic charm, Borja and Camara are committed to maintaining a strong connection with the community. “Sunnyside is so tight-knit,” says Camara. “That’s what we really liked about the neighborhood.”

Kora will initially be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. while the team gets settled in. Eventually, they hope to expand their hours and offer even more options for their growing customer base.