As LaGuardia Airport braces for the busy summer season, its newly-completed $4 billion Terminal C is preparing to greet guests with expanded culinary offerings celebrating some of the most popular cuisines in New York City.
Terminal C, designated for all Delta Airlines arrivals and departures at LaGuardia, debuted with 10 new gates last June, while the terminal’s final gates were completed last December – 18 months ahead of schedule.
The $4 billion terminal, described as the “crown jewel” in Delta’s New York operations, is part of the major $8 billion reconstruction project to transform LaGuardia into a state-of-the-art airport. It is now preparing for its first summer as a fully operational terminal, with a number of eateries allowing passengers to sample a taste of New York before boarding a flight.
Ryan Marzullo, Delta’s managing director of of New York Design and Construction, said the airport made a conscious decision to expand culinary options at the newly-constructed terminal in respond to recent trends that show passengers are less interested in shopping before their flight and more interested in dining experiences.
“They want to go and dine. They want to grab a coffee. They want to have a quality meal,” Marzullo said.
Delta has partnered with catering company OTG to provide a number of unique culinary concepts at Terminal C that pay homage to the New York food scene.
Aside from a number of New York City fast food staples such as Artichoke Basille’s Pizza and Dos Toros Taqueria, the terminal features a variety of luxury dining concepts, allowing passengers to enjoy Greek, French and American fare inspired by local chefs before boarding.
Calista Taverna, inspired by local chef Maria Loi, pays tribute to the thriving Greek community in New York – and the nearby Astoria – with a menu crafted to include a number of Greek staples, including Greek salad, stuffed grape leaves, lamb chops, spicy feta and a selection of hummus dips.
Calista also boasts the only wood-burning grill in LaGuardia, which is on full view to all diners.
Nearby, Prime offers passengers an American steakhouse experience, sourcing beef from New York City staple Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors.
The restaurant is designed to be “richer” and “sexier” than other locations in Terminal C, according to Manuel Trevino, OTG’s vice president of Culinary, who has worked with closely with local chefs and restaurants to develop menus and concepts that reflect the vibrant culinary scene in New York City.
Trevino noted that Prime serves a wide selection of beef in addition to seafood dishes, pointing to Prime’s popular steak tartare. All meats are cooked on the wood-burning grill in the nearby Calista Taverna and transported to Prime.
Located just across from Prime, Soleil offers guests a modern French bistro experience fused with some American staples, including an excellent French dip and a delicious truffle pasta. The restaurant also offers French classics, including steak frites, croque monsieur and a range of sweet crepes for dessert.
All locations offer extensive drinks menus, with a selection of beers to match the cuisine and a wine listed specially curated for each culinary experience.
LaGuardia has also partnered with Brooklyn joint Chuko Ramen to bring sushi and ramen options to Terminal C, with a number of sushi rolls named after locations in Queens, including a “Flushing Fusion Roll,” a “7 Train Roll,” a “Borough of the World Roll,” and a vegetarian “Kew Gardens Roll.” Other rolls are named after LaGuardia itself, including a “Runway 422 Roll” and a “Terminal C Tuna Roll.”
Meanwhile, New York comfort food spot Bubby’s provides passengers with a selection of classic burgers and sandwiches in addition a wide array of dessert offerings, including Bubby’s renowned banoffee and sour cherry pies.
“Bubby’s is one of our most popular restaurants,” Trevino said. “It’s pretty much active morning until night.”
Marzullo, meanwhile, said the selection of New York-inspired offerings provides New Yorkers and tourists alike with a “sense of home” before their flight.
The newly-completed Terminal C includes a range of features beyond culinary offerings that aim to enhance experiences for passengers flying to and from the terminal, including an outdoor terrace offering guests panoramic runway views.
The terrace, which only opened to the public in recent weeks, has already proved a hit and is thronged with passengers on sunny days, Delta said.
The terminal’s interfaith chapel, on the other hand, offers passengers a chance to pray and reflect before their flight and also boasts three stain glass windows retrieved from the old tri-faith chapels in JFK, which were demolished in 1989. Marzullo said the stained glass had been in storage for more than 25 years by the time Delta obtained them for the interfaith chapel.
Delta has also added a sensory room for passengers with a variety of sensory sensitivities to “get away from the craziness of an airport.”
The room, which includes genuine aircraft seats taken from a Delta plane, is one of the terminal’s crowning achievements, Marzullo said.
Meanwhile, Delta has partnered with Queens Museum to create six artworks throughout Terminal C, including one airside mosaic crafted by local artist Aliza Nisenbaum.
Nizenbaum’s “The One’s Who Make It Run” is a testament to the huge number of employees who make LaGuardia tick, paying tribute to the various professions on display at the airport – from janitors to flight attendants and from security guards to pilots.
