Family, friends, and Pittston City officials gathered at the city’s latest restaurant, The Coqui Kitchen, 69 S. Main St., Pittston, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Coqui Kitchen holds ribbon-cutting ceremony
Kiara Valenzuela, co-owner of The Coqui Kitchen, stands at the register where they feature American and Puerto Rican foods.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Chef James Bodner has been in the food service industry for over 20 years.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Coqui Kitchen, 69 S. Main St., Pittston, is officially open for business, serving American and Puerto Rican foods, breakfast, lunch, and coffee.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — The city welcomed another restaurant to the lineup of eateries downtown. The Coqui Kitchen held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 69 S. Main St.
The Coqui Kitchen offers a blend of Puerto Rican and American food selections, serving breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The restaurant also carries a wide selection of coffee, tea, lattes, espresso, cappuccinos, and more.
The Coqui Kitchen is the brainchild of Chef James Bodner and his life and business partner, Kiara Valenzuela.
Chef James’ experience is vast in the food services industry, working for 20 years at establishments such as the University of Scranton, WTFork food truck, Ale Mary’s, Backyard Ale House, and several area nursing homes early on.
Valenzuela has also been involved in the food services industry for quite some time as a catering, hostess, waitress, and bartender.
Kiara and James share a 7-year-old son, Ezra, with another on the way, due in February 2026. They decided they wanted to do something different and build on their own, and the food service industry was the obvious choice.
The next step was to format the restaurant, deciding to stay away from dinner hours and stick with breakfast and lunch.
“We want to give the community something a little bit different, but where they can get, no matter if you’re looking for Spanish food or a simple sandwich, you can find something on our menu and be pleased and filled,” Valenzuela said.
The couple wanted to specialize in American food as well as food from Valenzuela’s Puerto Rican Dominican background, and the menu would be simple — a blend of both worlds on one menu.
According to Valenzuela, business has been off to a great beginning.
“It’s been great. You know, we’ve had a lot of people come in once and come back a second, third, fourth time,” Valenzuela remarked. “ It’s all about word of mouth, people are saying, ‘We’ve heard our friend came here and they liked it.’”
Breakfast consists of American breakfast items such as Egg & Cheese Sandwich, Belgian Waffles, Muffins and the Coqui Breakfast Platter consisting of two eggs any style, bacon or sausage, breakfast potatoes or maduros and toast.
On the Puerto Rican side, you can order a Breakfast Burrito, Chorizo Quesadilla, Avocado Toast con Mojo, Dasayuno Boricua made up of two eggs any style, fried pork or ham, rice and beans, sweet plantains and toast.
You can also order pancakes, French toast and a kid’s menu is also available.
Lunch has burgers, sandwiches, mofongo and rice platters, as well as a kid’s menu.
There are plenty of sides and small plates to choose from including soups and empanadas and don’t forget dessert.
“Some of our customer’s favorites are Birria Grilled Cheese, soups and empanadas,” Valenzuela added. “Our regulars love those and even the Pinchos (meat skewers).”
“We feel welcomed here,” Valenzuela said about being excited on having a restaurant in the City of Pittston. “We feel heard, we feel seen, and, we’re very excited to be part of what they’re building.”
You can find The Coqui Kitchen menu at www.thecoquikitchen.com.
Check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheCoquiKitchen or Instagram at instagram.com/thecoquikitchen.
Restaurant hours: Monday through Saturday: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For information, call Kiara at 570-299-7044.
