The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority Board has recently approved a lineup of refreshing restaurants and retail shops to be housed within the New Terminal 1 at San Diego International Airport, ensuring that travelers can experience the true essence of the city in a no-fuss, all-encompassing way, according to an official statement published on July 13th 2023.
The Board had a total of six concessions operators opening up 19 restaurants and seven retail stores spread across a generous 32,000 square feet of food and beverage space and 14,000 square feet of convenience retail space, as a recent Airport World report explained. This lineup for New Terminal 1 includes a vibrant mix of popular local, regional, and national brands catering to a wide range of tastes and preferences, as noted by Kimberly Becker, CEO, and President of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority in the aforementioned statement.
With the first phase of gates set to open in 2025 and the remaining 11 gates in early 2028, travelers can get a feel of being in San Diego from the get-go of their airport journey with the refreshing selection of dining options, from Kettner Exchange, Puesto, and Parakeet Café to Mostra Coffee and SIP Wine & Beer, available in the new terminal.
The selection of winning concessionaires was determined after assessing a number of factors, such as financial capability, concept development, design and customer service, as well as environmental sustainability, experience, and small business inclusion, all of which make up the essence of San Diego itself as noted in a Moodie Davitt Report article.
Furthermore, the chosen concessionaires offer a variety of scrumptious dining options suitable for all travelers' needs, including full-service casual dining, quick service (or "fast food"), gourmet coffee/bakery, and appetizer bars. Menus will offer breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options serving a wide range of tastes and nutritional requirements.
Travelers can also delight in finding unique items at the retail stores like Gaslamp Marketplace, Hip & Humble, Goods Univision Travel Store, and No Boundaries, to carry a taste of the city with them wherever their journey may lead.
When it comes to introducing refreshing experiences to the airport, four of the six concessionaire operators are new to the Airport Authority, while High Flying Foods and Paradies Lagardere @ SAN, LLC have existing leases for restaurant and retail space. This diversity in operators ensures a well-rounded offering for travelers and promises to keep the airport experience unique and satisfying
Promoting inclusivity, all operators in the new terminal are required to have ACDBE-certified (Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) participation through joint venture partnerships, subleases, or vendor/suppliers, while two leases will be assigned to or operated by ACDBE prime concessionaires.
Overall, with such a well-curated lineup of restaurants and retailers in the New Terminal 1, San Diego International Airport is set to give its visitors a savory, memorable, and authentic experience of the city as they embark on their journeys, showcasing the beautiful and irresistible flavors and nuances of America's Finest City.
