Tara Kitchen

Tara Kitchen Visit our award winning Schenectady restaurant to get a taste of Morocco! The story of Tara Kitchen begins…with a love story.
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Owners Aneesa Waheed and Muntasim Shoaib met in Marrakech, Morocco and after a whirlwind romance, married under starry cobalt skies on a balmy North African night, in the shadow of the Atlas mountains. They left their desert paradise for Aneesa’s hometown of Schenectady—and brought with them their love of Morocco’s rich cuisine and culture. In Tara Kitchen, the only Moroccan restaurant in the capi

tal district, they share that love with a loyal and growing clientele. The couple opened the restaurant in 2012, after nearly three years of offering authentic ethnic food in the Schenectady and Troy farmers markets. Aneesa creates exotic yet accessible dishes—from fragrant tagines to delicious couscous—infused with the complex blend of spices and ingredients unique to Moroccan food. After receiving numerous requests for sauces to cook with at home, Aneesa created the Tara Kitchen line of distinctive jarred sauces that are free of gluten, nuts, soy, dairy, sesame and in some cases, salt and oil. They are available now on our website and at select Northeast Whole Foods stores, Price Chopper, Niskayuna Food CoOp and Honest Weight Food CoOP.

Schenectady in the house (or Brooklyn 😂) Phew!!!! What an event! Forgot to take pics inside but we have some from the ou...
07/06/2026

Schenectady in the house (or Brooklyn 😂) Phew!!!! What an event! Forgot to take pics inside but we have some from the outside 😝

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Early bird gets the worm… but can someone tell me what the worm is because M and I have been cooking since 5 a.m. for th...
07/06/2026

Early bird gets the worm… but can someone tell me what the worm is because M and I have been cooking since 5 a.m. for the Principals Conference in Brooklyn 😂 I’m a certified night owl, so this level of morning activity feels suspicious especially on a Monday 😝 Shoutout to hubby for keeping me upright and functioning!

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❤️ ❤️

All locations will be closed today so our team can enjoy some extra holiday time. We’ll see you soon — have a safe, fun ...
07/05/2026

All locations will be closed today so our team can enjoy some extra holiday time. We’ll see you soon — have a safe, fun weekend! 🇺🇸

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I’m writing this because moments of prejudice and division force us to decide who we want to be. We can respond with ang...
07/01/2026

I’m writing this because moments of prejudice and division force us to decide who we want to be. We can respond with anger, silence, or truth. I’m choosing truth.

Last year, a child told my daughter to “go back to where she came from.” That moment stayed with me. It hurt, but it also planted something in me. It became one of the reasons the H.O.M.E. Program began germinating in my mind. Hate is often taught, but understanding can be taught too.

Hate survives on ignorance. History survives on facts. For centuries, Muslim scholars and civilizations helped shape the world we live in today. Algebra comes from al-jabr through Al-Khwarizmi, and even the word algorithm traces back to his name. Muslim physicians advanced medicine and hospitals. Ibn Sina’s Canon of Medicine guided learning for centuries. Ibn al-Haytham transformed optics and emphasized experimentation. Muslim astronomers mapped stars and refined navigation, and many stars still carry Arabic names today.

But Muslims do not need achievements to prove humanity. Human beings should not have to earn dignity.

I refuse to inherit fear when I can inherit knowledge. I refuse to teach division when I can build H.O.M.E.

I am a proud Muslim. I belong here. I contribute here. I serve here. I build here.

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Good night strawberry moon 🌙 :::
06/30/2026

Good night strawberry moon 🌙

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Dream team was out and about today working on a Monday! At the Albany Medical Center choices cafe pop up! I reminded bot...
06/29/2026

Dream team was out and about today working on a Monday! At the Albany Medical Center choices cafe pop up! I reminded both of them I will probably be controlling their schedules in the after life as well 😂

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Today I had the privilege of speaking to the Class of 2026 of the Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls and sharing...
06/26/2026

Today I had the privilege of speaking to the Class of 2026 of the Albany Leadership Charter School for Girls and sharing a story shaped at the intersection of three countries—India, America, and Morocco. Each place transformed me in a different way, and through every crossing I found a common thread: food. Food became more than nourishment; it became memory, identity, connection, and ultimately purpose.

I shared the journey from leaving India at 16, navigating uncertainty and new beginnings, to building a life and business I never could have imagined. Along the way I learned that life rarely unfolds according to plan. It twists, surprises, and asks us to take leaps before we feel ready.

As I told the graduates today: you don’t need the whole map, only the courage for the next crossing — the next class, next city, next risk, next leap. Small steps become momentum. Momentum becomes courage. And some of the most extraordinary things in life are waiting on the other side of uncertainty.

Congratulations, Class of 2026. Your next crossing begins now. 🎓✨

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No river views if you can’t keep your right and left straight 😂 True story: I failed my driving test 3 times because eve...
06/23/2026

No river views if you can’t keep your right and left straight 😂 True story: I failed my driving test 3 times because every single time the instructor told me to take a left… I took a right 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️😂😂

Then someone told me, “Hold your fingers up on the wheel and make an L — your left hand makes the correct L, so take that turn.” 😂

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A REAL reason for me to get out of bed on a Monday! Months in the making — countless meetings, conversations, ideas, and...
06/22/2026

A REAL reason for me to get out of bed on a Monday!

Months in the making — countless meetings, conversations, ideas, and planning sessions — and today we finally launched H.O.M.E. at Albany School of Humanities with the incredible support of Mike Mr. Mike. And Josh for supporting me with the logistics of cooking and navigating my CRAZY schedule.

From the moment we arrived, the students, teachers, and administrators were beyond welcoming and excited. Seeing their joy and enthusiasm made every step of the journey worth it.

We served what quickly became a fan-favorite lunch: grilled chicken with apricot-prune sauce (which we lovingly titled “Moroccan Barbecue” 😂), rice, and sautéed green beans with ras el hanout. The student reviews are always my favorite part. One proudly announced, “I rate this chicken a million out of 10!” while another simply said, “Chef’s kiss” 😂😂 The animated reactions and requests for us to come back were everything.

After lunch, we gathered for a full school assembly where we explored food origins, cultural influence, immigration journeys, and the many ways the world has shaped the food we eat in America today.

H.O.M.E. was created with a simple but powerful purpose: using food diplomacy as a way to build connection, create belonging, and encourage kindness as an anti-bullying strategy. Food has an incredible ability to bring people together, spark conversations, and help kids connect with both new and old friends.

The cuteness overload was very real, but even more than that, I felt incredibly grateful. To see an idea that lived in my mind become something tangible that children can enjoy and experience is truly special. I’m so thankful for this opportunity and hopeful that this is only the beginning of continuing this work. ❤️

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Address

431 Liberty Street
Schenectady, NY
12305

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11:30am - 2pm
5pm - 8pm
Wednesday 11:30am - 2pm
5pm - 8pm
Thursday 11:30am - 2pm
5pm - 8pm
Friday 11:30am - 2pm
5pm - 8pm
Saturday 5pm - 8pm
Sunday 5pm - 8pm

Telephone

+15187083485

Website

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