On Delaware Avenue in Delmar, Coray Kitchen is a from-scratch neighborhood eatery and gathering place that embraces slow cooking, developed flavors, and a sense of home. Named after executive chef and owner Javier Villatoro’s hometown in Honduras, the restaurant offers a globally driven, seasonal menu that tells the story of how migration shapes who we are and influences the flavors we find on the plate.
Along with his wife and co-owner Casey, Javier chose the Albany area for Coray Kitchen due to his wife’s familial roots. Community is important to the couple, being that it is at the heart of their cooking and restaurant culture, so being close to Casey’s family was a key ingredient to starting their own venture. Additionally, the two have a deep appreciation and respect for farmers, food purveyors, and craftspeople in the area and the exceptional products that are cultivated there.
“The Capital Region has an incredible food scene with many exciting things happening, and we feel lucky to be able to contribute to it,” says the couple.
Even though food is at the center of Coray, Javier and Casey believe that this is simply the catalyst for community and connection. As a result, Coray Kitchen is not a place to go to get your food and leave, but rather a space to linger, savor, and truly experience something together. With so many small towns in the region, the tight-knit communities that occupy them are what make the area special. The couple hopes to capture this feeling of neighborhood and culture in their restaurant and among their staff and guests.
Since opening in November 2023, Coray Kitchen has welcomed support from the Delmar community in ways that Javier and Casey never expected. From social media to in-person celebrations, word has quickly spread about the new hotspot. With guests who have become regulars and friends of the staff in such a short time, the couple is overwhelmed by all the support around their small business. “They truly have our back, which is not something we take for granted,” notes the duo.
With a menu that changes four times a year with the seasons, Coray is in the process of finalizing its spring options right now. So far, some menu standouts have included the pan-seared halibut, Cajun shrimp small plate, and burrata salad with fried Brussels sprout leaves and hot honey. A few of Chef Javier’s daily specials have also become beloved favorites, like his homemade linguini with little neck clams in a white wine butter sauce, and his tomahawk pork chop with potato gratin and tomato confit.
As for community happenings at the eatery, this month marks the start of an ongoing event series called Community at Coray. Each season, the eatery will host an interactive experience in collaboration with local partners that is focused on a variety of topics that matter to the staff and the Delmar community. Some events will include farmer talks, special dinners, demonstrations, and more.
On April 29, Coray Kitchen will host its first event in this series in collaboration with the restaurant’s flower farm, Nine Mile Farm, which provides all the weekly flowers in the dining room. Chef Javier will feature a number of different sweet and savory small plates highlighting edible flowers, as well as a few craft cocktails and mocktails to match.
As Coray grows, the couple behind it all wants the hotspot to be a one-stop-shop for delicious dining, meaningful connections, and more. The duo is in the process of starting an outside patio project, which will be surrounded by a chef’s garden. “We want to grow food here, we want to serve food here, and we want to gather and connect around food here,” the couple enthuses.
Coray Kitchen is located at 360 Delaware Avenue in Delmar.
