The new dining experience will include 13 distinct food and beverage concepts and brands, an expansive gourmet food hall, coffee bars and a wine bar. The redesign will be launched in phases, starting from August 21, 2010, with full redevelopment of the space expected to be complete by summer 2011.
The concept has been developed exclusively for Delta by airport restaurateur, OTG Management, and is one of the several major investments being made by the airline in New York. OTG Management, which will own and operate each of the new dining establishments, has assembled a group of New York City’s top chefs – including Riad Nasr, Lee Hanson, Michael Lomonaco, Dominick DeMarco, Jamison Blankenship, Jim Lahey and Jason Denton – as well as restaurateurs Chris Cannon and Garrett Oliver, to create restaurant concepts that are exclusive to Delta’s main terminal at LaGuardia.
Delta’s LaGuardia Main Terminal dining experience will feature seven Full Serve Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes, and six Cibo Express Gourmet Food Halls. The seven Full Serve Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes include: Bisoux, a bistro inspired by Provencal cuisine, with the menu created by Chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson. It features the flavors and textures of simple French country cooking. The Bisoux Market will offer the entire menu to-go in addition to traditional French gourmet offerings and selections from Cibo Express Gourmet Markets.
World Bean offers an authentic coffee experience with its unique seasonal blends from select micro-roasters that feature only fair trade beans grown in season. Customers may choose from an expansive menu of coffee and espresso beverages, as well as a wide assortment of loose leaf teas.
The menu of Prime Tavern, the modern American steakhouse, is developed by renowned chef Michael Lomonaco. Prime Tavern is an updated version of the classic restaurant with a menu that features steaks, chops, burgers, fresh salads and fish.
Crust is the fourth restaurant in the series featuring thin-crust, Neapolitan-style pizzas with artisanal toppings. Crust’s menu was developed by the famous New York baker Jim Lahey. Diners may choose from a list of composed pies or build their own, as well as a selection of antipasti and salads. Crust will also have a full selection of wines, beers and cocktails as well as breakfast options for morning travelers.
Wibar, the fifth dining concept in the series, will be developed as the ultimate wine bar with 101 premium wines by the glass. Customers may also enjoy tasting pours, flights and full-bottles. The wine list is curated by New York restaurateur and wine aficionado Chris Cannon, the wine visionary behind Alto, Convivio and Marea. It features a wide range of wines from all over the globe. The beer list has been selected by Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of the Brooklyn Brewery and features local favorites and hand-picked beers from around the world. To enhance the experience, each bar seat has a touch screen where customers may learn more about the wine offerings and pairings and even place their order.
Minnow is a seafood and raw bar that will serve the best selections of fresh fish and shellfish. The menu, developed by Andrew Carmellini, from the renowned Locanda Verde, is complemented by an expansive wine and craft beer list.
Bar Brace, the seventh dining concept in the series, offers Italian road food featuring homemade panini and bruschetta with bold flavors from both classic Italian ingredients and more inventive combinations. New York restaurateur Jason Denton has composed the menu based on his extensive travels throughout Italy.
The Cibo Express Gourmet Food Halls are designed to enable travelers to mix and match menu items from four quick-serve eateries, self-serve hot and cold food bars, a soup station, sundae station, bakery, gourmet market and other options.
Cibo’s first eatery is Tagliare offering classic New York-style pizza from the DeMarco family, who have been operating pizza joints in New York for generations.
Pat LaFrieda Burger, the second dining hall in the series, will be developed in collaboration with OTG to create a burger blend specifically for this quick serve eatery.
Shiso, the third dining concept, is an Asian noodle and sandwich shop serving authentic cuisine from Vietnam, Japan and China created by Chef Jamison Blankenship. The quick-serve menu includes bahn mi, a popular type of Vietnamese sandwich, noodles, soups and dim sum.
Harry’s Deli offers true New York style Jewish deli serving traditional favorites such as Nova lox, matzo ball soup and knishes.
Imbibe is the last dining option in the halls series offering beverage choices ranging from infused cocktails to wines and beers.
Cibo Express Gourmet Markets will be developed as the first genuine airport gourmet market by OTG, offering over 1,000 different products and beverages, all pre-packaged and on-board ready. Cibo is a popular OTG brand with 34 outlets at airports throughout the US.
The new restaurants will replace mainstream airport concepts that have been at the terminal for more than a decade. In addition to new cuisine, each new restaurant will feature inviting design, lighting and music created by New York-based design firm ICRAVE and custom music provider EL Media Group.
