15 new dining spots coming to Detroit Metro
Blake Alsup
A $21 million construction project will bring 15 new dining options to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport's North Terminal beginning this fall.
The Wayne County Airport Authority Board, which manages the airport, announced Monday it has awarded 10-year contracts to four concessionaires to operate the food-and-beverage locations in the terminal.
The biggest contract was awarded to HMSHost. That contract, valued at $258 million, will bring nine new dining options, including Jolly Pumpkin Taphouse, Anita's Kitchen Lebanese Café, Cantoro Italian Market Trattoria and Common Grace Coffee Company, which are all based in Metro Detroit. Others on that contract are Brioche Dorée, Outback Steakhouse, Pei Wei Asian Diner, Chick-fil-A and Starbucks.
DTW North Partners' additions will include the Detroit-based Atwater Brewery, as well as MOD Pizza and a joint Air Margaritaville and Detroit Street Café featuring Zingerman's Coffee, an Ann Arbor based company.
Air Margaritaville is an airport spin-off of famous singer Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville chain. It will be the first in the Midwest and only the second in the United States.
Two other additions include a locally based National Coney Island and a McDonald's.
“For the first time since the North Terminal opened in 2008, we’re completely refreshing our food-and-beverage program,” Wayne County Airport Authority Interim CEO Chad Newton said in a statement.
The North Terminal's transformation will happen in phases to ensure a variety of food options at all times. The first phase will begin in fall 2018 and conclude with the opening of new concessions in spring 2019. The final phase is expected to wrap up by spring 2020.