Meet the culinary stars — and skateboarding icon — who are coming to San Diego airport’s Terminal 1

San Diego airport leaders on Thursday gave their blessing to several new dining and retail concessions that promise to transform the yet-to-open Terminal 1 facility into a foodie-friendly destination for arriving and departing passengers.

The new collection of concessions includes 19 food and beverage venues, among them brand-new concepts from San Diego celebrity chef Brian Malarkey and skateboarding phenom Tony Hawk. In addition, the board approved proposals for seven new shops, including a Liberty Station-branded gift shop that will showcase the work of some of San Diego’s top makers and artisans. There will even be a commissary featuring gifts related to the USS Midway Museum.

Members of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority board were clearly wowed by Thursday’s presentation, with board member James Sly describing the new lineup as amazing. He added, “We have some really great brands.”

Everything from street tacos and artisanal pizza to poke bowls and sushi, plus a specialty wine and beer bar, are among the offerings featured by the winning concessionaires who competed for spots in the new Terminal 1.

The first 19 gates in the facility, currently under construction, are expected to open in mid-2025, and demolition of the old terminal will follow. An additional 11 gates will be completed by early 2028 in what will be the San Diego International Airport’s single largest project ever undertaken.

Still to be finalized is the language in draft leases, most of which span 15 years. The two biggest concessionaires selected are High Flying Foods, which already operates eight venues at Terminal 2 and will have the most concessions in Terminal 1, and Miami-based Areas USA, which is teaming with San Diego hotelier Elvin Lai.

Given sharply escalating labor and building costs over the last several years, the percentage rent the airport can expect to realize is likely to be 10 to 12 percent of food and beverage sales, which is lower than the 15.6 percent rate for existing food and beverage outlets, airport official said in a staff report.

The following are the dining concessions approved Thursday by the airport board:

Herb & Air

A collaboration of Malarkey and partner Christopher Puffer, this mini food hall will be a spinoff of the Malarkey and Puffer Collective’s Herb & Wood, Herb & Sea, and Herb & Ranch restaurants. Four different food stations will offer a range of dining options from seared salmon and panini sandwiches to gourmet salads and poke bowls. The design is supposed to convey a contemporary farmhouse feel.

“Brian is incredibly creative so we can rotate menu choices through the micro food hall on an ongoing basis,” said High Flying Foods President Kevin Westlye.

Herb & Air is one of seven concessions that will be overseen by High Flying Foods.

The Taco Stand

Rendering of The Taco Stand

(Courtesy of High Flying Foods)

Inspired by taquerias in Tijuana, this rapidly expanding brand has grown to 10 locations in the U.S., five of them in San Diego County. Known for its handmade corn tortillas, the Taco Stand at the airport location will also offer breakfast options, including burritos filled with eggs and chorizo, ham, bacon, asada and veggies.

Ambrogio 15

Rendering of Ambrogio 15

(Courtesy of High Flying Foods)

This San Diego pizza mainstay relies on a patented dough recipe that includes organic flour imported from Italy and involves a 48-hour rising process. It currently has five San Diego County locations, from Del Mar to Little Italy.

Westlye said he was pleased that Ambrogio 15, along with a number of High Flying Foods’ proposed restaurants, were recognized as favorites in San Diego Magazine’s most recent best restaurants of 2023 issue.

El Pez Kitchen & Sushi

Rendering of El Pez

(Courtesy of High Flying Foods)

The airport location will replicate an existing Imperial Beach restaurant, which focuses on Japanese-style cuisine with a Mexican twist. Passengers will be able to choose between 10 different classic sushi rolls, chicken or salmon teriyaki and yakisoba. The airport location will also offer a selection of Japanese and Mexican beers.

Novo Brazil Brewing

Rendering of Novo Brazil Brewing

(Courtesy of High Flying Foods)

The 2,000-square-foot airport location is designed to showcase Novo’s signature beverage bar that will feature many beers and kombuchas on tap. Novo currently has three storefront locations, two in Chula Vista and one in Imperial Beach. Appetizers will likely include tacos, carne asada, spicy shrimp, Brazilian empanadas and mozzarella sticks.

Understory

This bar and small plates venue is expected to be the focal point of the anticipated Delta Air Lines boarding area. Its brick-and-mortar location is situated in the Sky Deck at Del Mar Highlands Town Center. High Flying Foods wants to replicate the decor of the existing location, featuring tree branches and nature themes. The founders, local restaurateurs Scott Slater and Guillaume Ryon, relied on 12 San Diego mixologists to curate the Del Mar location’s 17 craft cocktails.

Chick-fil-A

Rendering of Chick-fil-A

(Courtesy of High Flying Foods)

While it did not originate in San Diego, Chick-fil-A has 10 locations in the county. The plan is for the fast food venue to be built and operated by subtenant United Concessions Group, a franchisee of one other airport’s Chick-fil-A location in the U.S. United Concessions was chosen as part of the Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Program, which is meant to
promote the inclusion of minority, local, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.

In keeping with its storefront locations, it will be closed on Sundays.

The following are proposals from the Areas partnership:

Novecientos Grados

Rendering of Novecientos Grados

(Courtesy of San Diego Regional Airport Authority)

While Tony Hawk is the high-profile name associated with this new dining concept, he’s partnering with a San Diego chef who is a celebrity herself in the culinary world. A James Beard Best Chef West semifinalist in 2019, Claudette Zepeda is currently head chef at Vaga restaurant inside the Alila Marea Beach Resort in Encinitas and competed in “Top Chef” Season 15 and “Top Chef Mexico” Season 2.

Novecientos will occupy a 4,700-square-foot space — huge by airport standards — featuring Cali-Mex cuisine. Zepeda’s initial proposed menu offers small plates inspired by land and sea, including fish, pork and beef prepared in an open kitchen.

Sip Wine and Beer

Rendering of SIP Wine and Bar

(Courtesy of San Diego Regional Airport Authority)

The bar will occupy a round, 1,500-square-foot space offering seating around its circumference. Offerings are expected to include wine flights and beers from local breweries like Chula Vista Brewery and snacks like bruschetta and meat and cheese plates.

Partnering with Areas is Cassandra Schaeg, who operates Sip Wine and Beer in Escondido and whose KPBS program “Fresh Glass” recently won a local Emmy.

Carnitas’ Snack Shack

Rendering of Carnitas’ Snack Shack

(Courtesy of San Diego Regional Airport Airport Authority)

A popular pork-centric restaurant with several San Diego locations, including Petco Park and the Embarcadero, Carnitas’ Snack Shack is expected to open at the airport in 2028 if approved next week. Menu items will include burritos, tacos, enchiladas and pork sandwiches.

Luna Grill

Rendering of Luna Grill

(Courtesy of San Diego County Regional Airport Authority)

Founded in 2004 in San Diego, Luna Grill has expanded to a fast-casual chain of 41 locations throughout California, plus eight more locations in Texas. The concept is oriented around healthy Mediterranean foods, including gyros, falafel, and lamb, chicken and beef kebabs, which are expected to be among the menu options at the airport.

Mr. Moto Pizza

Rendering of Mr. Moto Pizza

(Courtesy of San Diego County Regional Airport Authority)

San Diego native Gibran Fernandez founded Mr. Moto Pizza in Pacific Beach in 2015. It has since grown to multiple locations across the city, including in North Park, Point Loma, Ocean Beach, Seaport Village, Little Italy and more recently, Mission Valley.

Its pizza is known for a crust that is thick and has a crisp “handle” along its edge.

In addition to considering proposals from High Flying Foods and the Areas group, the Airport Authority board will also review a proposal from restaurateur Gonzalo de la Melena, owner of Emerging Domestic Market Ventures. He has partnered with Grab & Go Subs and Café Moto coffee to bring the concepts to the airport. Grab & Go Subs has seven locations in San Diego County.

Gift shops

Travel necessities, sundries, tech accessories like phone chargers, books, and unique gift items will be among the merchandise featured in multiple retail outlets at the new Terminal 1.

The single largest store — at 3,363 square feet — will be Univision Travel Store, which will have an exceptionally wide variety of goods for sale oriented to travelers, such as snacks, beverages, books, and locally made grab-n-go food choices. Mobile phone and other electronic accessories will be available, and a portion of the store will offer automated hot espresso beverages by Costa Coffee.

It will also feature Spanish-language reading materials and food products.

The Commissary with USS Midway Museum will include traveler basics but will also have merchandise celebrating San Diego’s military history. And The Arts District Market, besides being a store, will pay homage to San Diego’s art scene. The space will feature painted murals by local Chicano Park artists.

Yet another retail outlet, No Boundaries, will showcase curated retail clothing, including brand names that evoke the Southern California coastal lifestyle. One featured brand will be Carlsbad-based PrAna, which has a selection of tops, tanks, yoga wear and leggings.