Dallas Love Field is lining up another hometown Tex-Mex heavyweight for travelers: Mi Cocina is slated to move into the Terminal Concession Village space currently held by Cool River. A recent permit filing shows a sizable renovation on deck for the high-traffic corner of the terminal, with construction activity expected to hit the airport this summer if the schedule sticks.
According to CHRON, a permit filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation calls for a roughly 6,066-square-foot remodel budgeted at about $850,000. The filing lays out work on dining, bar, kitchen and grab-and-go areas and lists Mi Cocina as the incoming tenant in Terminal Concession Village. The document pegs construction to start in June 2026 and wrap by early August.
Mi Cocina’s growing footprint
Mi Cocina launched in North Dallas in 1991 and now counts more than 20 locations across North Texas, plus a Tulsa, Oklahoma, outpost on the chain's website. The brand has built a loyal following around its Mambo Taxi margaritas and an elevated Tex-Mex lineup that fits neatly into the airport crowd-pleaser category. A Love Field location would push the chain directly into the city’s air travel gateway.
Cool River’s exit and the terminal operator
Cool River Cafe currently occupies the Terminal Concession Village site and is run at Love Field by concessionaire HMSHost. HMSHost lists Cool River among its Love Field concepts, confirming the steakhouse’s presence in the terminal. The planned changeout would swap an airport steakhouse for a Tex-Mex chain that is already a familiar name across the DFW area.
A City of Dallas Aviation Department spokesperson told CHRON that the project is “in the very early stages” and that the city does not yet have an estimated opening timeframe. That comment underlines that the permit represents a preliminary step rather than a locked-in debut date, and airport officials say more details will come once construction plans are finalized.
What travelers can expect
Love Field’s concessions lineup already mixes local names with national chains, with Texas staples such as Whataburger, Cantina Laredo and Campisi's among the options. The airport’s restaurant list shows a blend of sit-down and grab-and-go spots where a Mi Cocina could easily pull in pre-flight regulars and out-of-town passengers looking for a Tex-Mex fix. If the construction timetable holds, travelers should start noticing changes in the terminal by late summer.
For now, neither Mi Cocina nor city officials have announced an opening date beyond what appears in the permit. The planned renovation is another illustration of how airport dining continues to lean into recognizable local brands for both visitors and hometown fliers. Tex-Mex fans may want to keep an eye on the terminal’s tenant list and airport signage for firmer word on when Mi Cocina officially joins the Love Field roster.
